On an afternoon like this, talk of the league meaning nothing goes out the window. Dublin facing off against Tyrone has become one of the competition's most fervent rivalries in recent years and yesterday's testing affair at Parnell Park was no different.
Both sides down on some of their main men, it was a strapping battle nonetheless. Five times the lead changed hands and yet at no time did it look secure. Even when Dublin went three points up with about eight minutes left, no one among the 6,000 attendance was thinking about leaving their seat.
Indeed there was a whole lot more football to be played. And all of it by Tyrone. Six unanswered points, none more inspiring than that of wing back Declan McCrossan, concluded a courageous and determined display from a team that had been reduced to 14 men just before half-time.
Dublin's biggest problem was up front. Vinny Murphy was the only forward survivor from the Leinster final line-up due to club commitments and injury and that resulted in a largely incohesive pattern. There were odd moments of flair, not least with Niall O'Donoughue's goal with the game barely a minute old, but more often than not, their scoring chances produced a barely audible response from the Dublin support.
In contrast, Tyrone made the most of everything they could get. Largely driven by under-21 personnel (seven of the team that won the All-Ireland last May started here), the confidence and commitment was never lacking. They lost captain Chris Lawn just after the half hour mark for an off-the-ball strike at Murphy, which was spotted by the linesman (and pretty much everybody else) but they never let that get them down and refused to allow Dublin make the extra man count.
What is sure to have most pleased joint managers Art McRory and Eugene McKenna was the productivity. Cormac McAnallen, another under-21 figure but already well established in the team, continues to reach new standards at midfield. With Sean Teague moving to full back as a filler for Lawn, the half backs Ciaran Gourley and McCrossan did enough running to make their heels bleed. And for scoring prowess, Eoin Mulligan at corner forward provided the perfect partnership with O'Neill so that the total of 0-19 could never be termed laboured.
Dublin could and should have taken the first points if they had been able to stay in the game for anything longer than five-minute spells. After O'Donoghue's early goal, sweetly set up by Keith Galvin, it was another 10 minutes before Murphy added their first point. By then, Tyrone had notched up 0-4.
Just before the quarter hour, Dublin jumped clear again when a free from Wayne McCarthy right on the sideline fell in towards goalkeeper Finbar McConnell. He made the block but not the catch and despite being dangerously close to an infringement, Darren Homan was able to fist the loose ball into the net.
The lead hovered around that margin for rest of the half as O'Neill made use of every Tyrone free as Murphy and McCarthy gradually added to Dublin's total. They went into the break at 2-5 to 0-9, the two-point advantage being a little more than they deserved.
All the while, the temperature was rising. Jonathan Magee was certainly fortunate to stay on the field shortly after the restart - let alone escape a booking - but Tyrone used their aggression to the more desired effect. They quickly drew level and then 12 minutes into the half pulled ahead again with the first of two poetic points from McCrossan.
By now, Dublin's shooting was going increasingly off target. Mick O'Keeffe managed to sneak the lead once more but again it was short lived. Passing the hour, however, Dublin enjoyed their best five-minute spell and a quick succession of points from McCarthy, Magee and Murphy sent them three points clear. Then it became a one-team game.
DUBLIN: D Byrne; I Clarke, P Christie, C Goggins; S Ryan, J Magee (0-1), P Andrews; D Homan (1-0), E Sheehy (0-1); N O'Donoghue (1-2), C Whelan, K Galvin; M O'Keeffe (0-1), V Murphy (0-3), W McCarthy (0-2, one free). Subs: P Croft for Galvin, Casey for Homan (both 50 mins), A Brogan for O'Donoghue (65 mins), R McDonald for Clarke (66 mins).
TYRONE: F McConnell; R McMenamin, C Lawn, M McGee; C Gourley, S Teague, D McCrossan (0-2); C McAnallen, P Campbell; P Feeney, S O'Neill (0-9, eight frees), B McLoughlin; E Mulligan (0-5, one free), K Hughes (0-2), D Gormley (0-1). Subs: P McGurk for McLoughlin (half-time), J Campbell for Feeney (50 mins).
Referee: J Geaney (Cork).
