The Paul Caffrey era got off to the perfect start at a floodlit Parnell Park tonight as Dublin’s Tomás Quinn’s 45-metre kick deep in injury time saw off a spirited comeback by Mayo in a game that finished 2-13 to 1-15.
The last minute kick left the 10,000 or so strong crowd singing 'the boys in blue' at the first ever league game under lights at the Dublin venue.
Paddy Christie's successful debut as captain suggests there is plenty to build upon in the capital.
Perhaps the most pleasing thing for fans will be the character Dublin showed when in the past they could have wilted under a late onslaught.
They started just like they finished; with a glut of scores to get the party underway. Mayo had hardly worked up a sweat in front of the capacity crowd when Dublin had a 1-3 to 0-0 lead racked up.
The biggest cheer was saved for goal hero Quinn who fisted home his first of two goals after just eight minutes.
Ciaran Whelan then weighed in with a Dublin point and fans were left wondering how much better things could get.
Things slowed down though as Mayo set about reeling-in that 1-4 to 0-0 deficit over the next quarter hour.
By the 22nd minute they were actually back to within a point at 1-4 to 0-6 with scores from James Gill, Ciaran McDonald and John Prenty.
Both sides continued to trade scores and Dublin carried a slender 1-6 to 0-8 interval advantage into the second-half.
The second period began in the same vein as the first; with Dublin surging ahead.
Quinn grabbed his second goal, a rifled shot to the top corner, after 41 minutes and they led 2-7 to 0-9.
It should have been the goal that put Dublin out of sight but Mayo regrouped again and a run of points from McDonald, Pat Kelly and Conor Mortimer set up a tense finale.
It looked like Mayo had won it when super sub Alan Costello fisted to the net for Mayo with six minutes to go.
But Bryan Cullen levelled it late on and the majestic Quinn converted the most pressurised of 45 metre kicks to seal the narrowest of wins.
TEAMS AND SCORERS:
Dublin:
T Quinn (2-02); S Connell & C Whelan (0-02 each); D O'Callaghan, R Boyle, P Andrews, D Henry, B Cullen, S Ryan, A Brogan (0-01 each).
Mayo:
C McDonald (0-05); C Mortimer (0-04); A Costello (1-00);J Prenty (0-02); A Moran, J Gill, D Munnelly, P Kelly (0-01 each).
Referee: P Russell (Tipperary)
