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On the 100th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Dublin put on another unparalleled performance to make its own piece of history with a 10th consecutive hit at the Leinster SFC title.
Champions from across Ireland wore specially commissioned replica jerseys on the anniversary of the 1920 Croke Park atrocity and marked the occasion with another display of action, beating Meath in virtually every sector of the field.
Goals in the first half from Dean Rock, who scored the best at 1-07, and Sean Bugler, who contributed at 1-02, closed the win for Dublin long before the break.
Niall Scully added a third in stoppage time as Dublin clinched a huge victory in the 21-point provincial final, adding to their previous demolitions of Westmeath and Laois in this year’s campaign.
But there was a big black mark for the Dubs when substitute Cormac Costello went straight red two minutes from the end of regulation time, ruling him out of an Ireland semi-final against Donegal or Cavan on December 5.
The Meath contenders needed everything to do well and opened the scoring through joint captain Bryan Menton in seconds.
Royals leading scorer Jordan Morris, who had just shot 4-5 in his first two championship games, scored Meath’s second point to level it at 0-2 apiece after seven minutes.
But they didn’t score again until early in the second half and failed to convert a series of solid scoring opportunities that sapped their momentum and confidence.
Cillian O’Sullivan, followed by John Small, and Morris found themselves in good positions and played passes to Bryan McMahon and Menton, but the two chances were for nothing, McMahon quickly displaced and Menton started wide.
Meath also hit three short scoring attempts and Dublin being Dublin jumped on offense, punishing mistakes with ruthless efficiency.
Rock’s goal in the eighth minute came directly from a Stephen Cluxton kickoff that was caught by Con O’Callaghan, who fed Scully, and his vision found Brian Fenton looking at Rock on the back post.
Paddy Small, Kilkenny and Rock scored points and suddenly Meath found himself in the Dubs’ rear view mirror, losing 1-06 to 0-02 in the first water break.
Another Leinster final played in the wake of Dublin did not go as Meath planned, but they were powerless to avoid the blow.
Altogether, Dublin went 2-10 unanswered in the first half, with Bugler scoring his second goal in the 23rd minute.
It was another fluid move that pierced the heart of Meath’s defense, ending with Bugler playing a one-two with Robbie McDaid and throwing his fist into the net.
Donal Keogan did some men’s marking work in Kilkenny, but Castleknock’s man still escaped the Meath star by a couple of points in the first half.
Dublin led 2-13 to 0-02 at halftime and with the result now secure, the intrigue turned to whether Meath would achieve more than the 0-04 he scored in last year’s final.
That problem was resolved in the 63rd minute when Jason Scully scored his fifth point, but Dublin’s 21-point overall margin of victory was higher than last year’s 16-point success.
Meath lost Ronan Jones to a black card in the 61st minute, although Costello’s red for Dublin was an even bigger blow in the context of his campaign.
The hosts at least finished high with Scully scoring a goal in the 72nd minute, leaving Templeogue’s Synge Street man at 1-01.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Eoin Murchan, Michael Fitzsimons, David Byrne; Jonny Cooper, John Small (0-01), Robbie McDaid; James McCarthy, Brian Fenton; Niall Scully (1-01), Ciaran Kilkenny (0-04), Sean Bugler (1-02); Paddy Small (0-03, 0-02m), With O’Callaghan (0-02), Dean Rock (1-07, 0-05f, 0-01 45).
Subs used: Brian Howard for Cooper (ht), Paul Mannion (0-01, 0-01f) for Small (42), Eric Lowndes for J Small (53), Cormac Costello for O’Callaghan (59), Kevin McManamon for Kilkenny (65 ).
Meath: Marcus Brennan; Ronan Ryan, Conor McGill, David Toner; Seamus Lavin, Donal Keogan, Mathew Costello; Bryan Menton (0-01), Ronan Jones; Bryan McMahon, Cillian O’Sullivan (0-01), Shane McEntee; Thomas O’Reilly (0-01, 0-01f), Shane Walsh, Jordan Morris (0-04, 0-01f).
Used subs: Cathal Hickey for Toner (44), Eoin Harkin for McGill (44), Ethan Devine for Costello (46), Jason Scully (0-01) for McMahon (52), Joey Wallace (0-01, 0-01m) for O’Reilly (53 years old).
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
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