Dublin provided a reminder of their ability with an emphatic Leinster Football Championship quarter-final win over Louth.
A thrilling opening period display laced with classy football burned Louth, who were unable to deal with the Dubs' mixture of power and pace.
Louth failed to score from play in the opening half as Dublin blitzed them throughout. Pat Gilroy's forward line clicked into gear including a 2-05 tally for Bernard Brogan in the 2-22 to 0-12 win.
Darren Clarke kicked an early free for the underdogs, but Dublin reeled off six points in a row to seize control.
Stephen Cluxton ('45), Diarmuid Connolly (2), Paul Flynn, and Bernard Brogan (2, 1 free) all found the range.
The Wee County weren't posing Dublin many problems and as half-time approached the standard bearers led by 0-09 to 0-03.
But Dublin ended the opening period with a flourish netting a sweet 34th-minute goal in a sweeping move featuring Kevin Nolan and Kevin McManamon, who fed Bernard Brogan and the Louth net was rattled.
Bryan Cullen and McManamon added further points before Dublin grabbed a second three-pointer in stoppage time.
This time Paul Flynn and Diarmuid Connolly were involved in the build up with Bernard Brogan scoring at the second attempt.
That late opening-period burst put Dublin 2-11 to 0-03 clear at the interval ensuring that the final 35 minutes would carry little suspense or drama.
After the restart Dublin substitute Craig Dias announced his arrival with a nifty point as the visitors continued to struggle.
Dublin were firmly in the ascendancy, but Louth finally registered a point from play in the 45th minute, but it scarcely mattered.
In the closing stages there were glimpses of Dublin's attacking craft, but they could afford to miss a couple of gilt-edged goal chances.
Clarke was accurate from frees and also kicked a sideline ball for Louth on an afternoon that didn't reveal too much.
Dublin: S Cluxton (0-02, 245s); P McMahon, R O'Carroll, M Fitzsimons; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; E Fennell, D Bastick (0-01); P Flynn (0-02), K McManamon (0-03), B Cullen (0-02); D Connolly (0-03), A Brogan (0-02), B Brogan (2-05, 1f).
Subs: C Dias (0-02) for Cullen (36 mins), E O'Gara for Flynn (50 mins), R McConnell for Fennell (58 mins), J Cooper for McMahon (58 mins), P Casey for Brennan (64 mins).
Louth: N Gallagher; P Rath, J Carr, D Finnegan; R
Finnegan (0-01), G Hoey, D Byrne; P Keenan, R Carroll (0-01); D Crilly, M Brennan, A Reid (0-01); D Maguire, J McEnaney, D Clarke (0-08, 7fs, 1 sideline).
Subs: R Greene for D Finnegan (36 mins), A McDonnell for McEnaney (36 mins), L Shevlin for Carr (54 mins), JP Rooney (0-01) for Brennan (54 mins).
Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).
