Pat Gilroy’s misfiring Dublin side stumbled to victory over Meath in the Leinster SFC in front of 75,250 spectators at Croke Park.
Dublin managed just three points in the second half, with free-taker Conal Keaney top-scoring with five, but a woeful tally of 17 wides is a major worry for the new boss.
Meath were outplayed for long periods of the first half, but staged a courageous revival after the break, assisted in no small way by Dublin’s lack of direction.
It was a poor enough spectacle for the big crowd that flocked to Croker, and while Sligo referee Marty Duffy flashed eight yellow cards, the contest lacked the fierce intensity of many famous clashes between these two great rivals.
Dublin started with intent, an early flourish carrying them into a three points lead, with Keaney converting two frees and Paddy Andrews clipping over a neat score.
And they should have had a goal inside the opening minute, when Keaney picked out the run of Darren Magee, but the big midfielder fluffed his lines, his shot lacking conviction, power and direction, failing to force debutant goalkeeper Paddy O’Rourke into a save.
The Royals were in disarray in the opening 12 minutes, but suddenly it started to happen for Eamonn O’Brien’s men.
In a golden six-minute spell, they scored all five of heir first half points. The Dubs defence appeared to be unsettled by the yellow cards handed out to two of their key defenders, Barry Cahill and Ger Brennan.
And Meath capitalised, with Cian Ward (2), Shane McAnarney, Mark Ward and Stephen Bray all hitting the target.
But Dublin’s total dominance of the midfield battle through Magee and Ross McConnell saw them recover to score eight points in the final 15 minutes of the half.
The Brogan brothers, Alan and Bernard, Mark Davoren and centre-back Brennan powered over points, and it could have been worse for a flagging Royal side had their opponents not hit nine wides and missed a couple of decent goal chances.
Dublin led by 0-11 to 0-05 at the break, but Meath, now with wind advantage, started the second half with renewed purpose. Within eight minutes they had trimmed the deficit back to two points.
As the clock slipped past the 50-minute mark, the Dubs led by just three, and Meath were just about hanging in.
Veterans Ciaran Whelan and Jason Sherlock were sprung from the bench, and Meath sensed fragility and nervousness in the Dublin psyche as the wides continued to mount.
Brian Farrell’s second point of the half narrowed the gap to two with 13 minutes to play, but it was free-kicker Keaney’s cool head and accurate left boot that held things together for the Metropolitans.
His fifth conversion of the contest gave his side some breathing space at the end of a difficult period, and it proved to be just enough to secure the provincial champions’ passage to the second round.
Dublin: S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, A Hubbard; P Griffin, G Brennan (0-01), B Cahill; R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, P Andrews (0-01), B Brogan (0-02, 1f); C Keaney (0-05, 5f), M Davoren (0-02), A Brogan (0-03).
Subs: C Whelan for McConnell (49), J Sherlock for B Brogan (49), P Burke for Davoren (54), D Connolly for Andrews (59), Blaine Kelly for Flynn (70).
Meath: P O'Rourke; A Moyles, K Reilly, E Harrington, S Kenny, N McKeigue, C McGuinness, M Ward (0-01), N Crawford, S McAnarney (0-02), S Bray (0-01), B Meade, C Ward (0-04, 2f), C King (0-01), B Farrell (0-02).
Subs: C O’Connor for M Ward (42), B Sheridan for McAnarney (46), B Regan flor McKeigue (51), P Byrne for Bray (56), J Sheridan (0-01) for Meade (66).
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).
