In the end Dublin, as they do, engineered a late score to level it through Cormac Costello just when it looked like Mayo would nick it and secure the All-Ireland quarter-final spot direct.
Mayo needed the win and when Ryan O’Donoghue held his nerve to convert a free after he had been fouled by a struggling Mick Fitzsimons, it looked like they’d hold on.
But Ciarán Kilkenny won the kick-out and with Jack McCaffrey and Colm Basquel making key interventions to propel them forward, Costello got in close to fire over off his left for the draw. There was time for no more.
Mayo had some good fortune on their side too, it should be said. A Colm Reape 45 to bring them level initially, 0-16 each, clearly went off Conor Loftus under pressure from McCaffrey.
But Reape converted and the Mayo crowd in the 16,870 attendance sensed a moment. They spurned one attacking move, survived at the other end before Rory Brickenden’s pass put Fitzsimons under pressure from O’Donoghue for the foul.
Mayo now go into tomorrow morning’s draw where they can play Monaghan, Cork or Derry but they’ll be buoyed by the performance at a venue, Dr Hyde Park, that felt like a more level playing field.
They were three points down just after half-time but that was as wide as the gap grew.
Mayo were patient and deliberate in their attacking build up but Dublin always got their scores that bit easier.
Costello finished with 0-7, (three from frees) but it was the impact of McCaffrey off the bench, and to a lesser extent Paul Mannion who scored a point, that made a difference to Dublin.
Dublin had led by 0-7 to 0-6 at the break but Mayo should really have been ahead, based on the chances they created.
Dublin’s collective defence was strong and Costello and Basquel always looked dangerous.
The one contentious moment came on 24 minutes when Aidan O’Shea, making his 90th appearance, the most by any outfield player, put in O’Donoghue and as the Belmullet man lined up his shot Brian Fenton got his body across to block, leading to claims that it was with the foot from the Mayo crowd present.
Mayo were too hesitant at times and nowhere near clinical enough. O’Donoghue dropped a close-range free short while Jordan Flynn was also short with a late opportunity in the half after more good approach work and from the counter, Costello had a point at the other end, emphasising the clear efficiency difference between them.
Mayo sent Donnacha McHugh tracking Fenton and he stuck diligently to that task while David McBrien had success on Con O’Callaghan too.
Every time Dublin got ahead in the second half, Mayo got a response and with Diarmuid O’Connor back on the pitch they’ll take plenty from this that their season is still very much alive.
Dublin can draw breath, knowing how vital the extra week to prepare for a quarter-final will be.
Scorers – Dublin: C Costello 0-7 (3fs),C Basquel 0-2, N Scully, P Small, C O’Callaghan (m), S Bugler, P Mannion, J McCaffrey, E Murchan, C Kilkenny all 0-1 each. Mayo: R O’Donoghue 0-7 (5fs), T Conroy 0-3, M Ruane 0-2, C Reape (45), C Loftus, J Flynn, A O’Shea (f), S Coen all 0-1 each,
Dublin: S Cluxton; E Murchan, M Fitzsimons, S McMahon; B Howard, J Small, S Bugler; B Fenton, T Lahiff; N Scully, C Basquel, C Kilkenny; P Small, C O’Callaghan, C Costello. Subs: K McGinnis for Lahiff (h-t), J MCCaffrey for Scully (52), P Mannion for P Small (53), R McGarry for McGinnis (64), J McCarthy for Bugler (68)
Mayo: C Reape; S Callinan, D McBrien, R Brickenden; S Coen, J Coyne, E McLaughlin; M Ruane, D McHugh; J Flynn, J Carney, D McHale; A O’Shea, T Conroy, R O’Donoghue. Subs: C Loftus for McLaughlin (33), C O’Connor for McHale (56), D O’Connor for Coen (58), B Tuohy for Ruane (63), P Rowey for Carney (69)
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)
