Dublin scored a four-point win over Armagh at the newly redeveloped Athletic Grounds.
Goals from Bernard Brogan and Diarmuid Connolly made it a winning start for Pat Gilroy’s men, and provided a perfect marketing boost for the Spring Series at Croke Park.
There was a perfect start for Pat Gilroy’s men, a goal after just two minutes, Diarmuid Connolly applying the perfect finish after Armagh full-back Brendan Donaghy gave away possession.
Former Mayo player Billy Joe Padden marked his Armagh debut with his side’s opening point.
Kevin McManamon came close to bagging a second Dublin goal, driving forward on a 50 yard run and bringing an excellent save from Philip McEvoy.
Bernard Brogan skipped through for a trademark score, but Armagh went level in the 19th minute when Kevin Dyas released Charlie Vernon, who blasted in a goal off the underside of the crossbar.
Moments later, Gareth Swift’s second point had the Orchard men in front for the first time, and the big full forward had a shot saved by Stephen Cluxton when he perhaps should have released to Rory Grugan.
Dublin, with Kevin McManamon displaying a tremendous workrate, bossed the final 10 minutes of the half, outscoring the home side by five points to one.
Two points each from Tomas Quinn and Bernard Brogan sent them in with a 1-7 to 1-4 interval lead.
Steven McDonnell’s first point of the evening narrowed the gap, but the Dubs continued to look menacing every time they went forward, adding further points through McManamon and Connolly.
Worryingly for Armagh, Mackin was their only reliable source of scores, and his fourth point kept the home supporters spirits’ up.
They had another let-off when Declan Lally carved the opening for Connolly to fire in a shot which McEvoy saved.
That close shave inspired Armagh, who had Ciaran McKeever as a driving force from central defence. Micheal O’Rourke, Vernon and McDonnell all found the target to bring them level, before Lally shot Dublin back in front with 15 minutes to play.
McDonnell had just leveled the scores for the fifth time when Dublin struck gold with a 1-2 haul in the space of two minutes.
It was Brogan who got on the end of O’Gara’s delivery to punch past McEvoy, and seal the outcome.
Armagh: P McEvoy, V Martin, B Donaghy, A Mallon, K Dyas, C McKeever, P Duffy, K Toner, C Vernon (1-1), M Mackin, BJ Padden (0-1), R Grugan, B Mallon, G Swift (0-4), S McDonnell (0-4, 2f)
Subs: F Moriarty for Martin, A Duffy for Mackin, M O’Rourke (0-1) Mallon, C Clarke for Padden,, C Watters for Grugan
Dublin: S Cluxton, A Hubbard, S Murray, M Fitzimons, D Lally (0-1), J McCarthy, P Casey, MD Macauley (0-1), D Bastick, B Cullen, K McManamon (0-2), D Connolly (1-1), T Quinn (0-2, 1 ’45). E O’Gara (0-1), B Brogan (1-3).
Subs: P Flynn (0-1) for Quinn, B Cahill for Bastick, A Brogan for Connolly, P Andrews for O’Gara, D Kelly for B Brogan.
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
