Dublin manager Jim Gavin praised the “controlled” performance his side delivered in an authoritative 0-21 to 0-11 victory over Meath in the semi-finals of the Leinster SFC at Croke Park on Sunday.
The Metropolitans, who are seeking an 11th provincial crown in the last 12 years, led by just three points at the interval but asserted their dominance after the break to stretch their advantage to ten points at full-time.
“We’re just delighted to get into the provincial final,” a modest Gavin said.
“I thought it was a very controlled display by our boys.
“We created a lot of scoring opportunities in both halves and I felt it was a little bit easier in the second half, but overall a 10-point win against Meath for any Dublin man is a good day at the office.”
Man-of-the-match Diarmuid Connolly was also keen to emphasise the organised way in which the Dubs dismissed their opponents.
“We were expecting that Meath were going to come out and give us a good rattle in the first half,” the St Vincent’s forward said.
“We controlled the second half a little bit better.
“It’s a tough journey for Meath players at the moment” - Mick O'Dowd
“I know we had a few drop short and a few wide, but we created loads of chances in the second half and I think control was the overriding feeling in the second half.
“We kept the ball a little bit better in the second half and probed and created a few chances for ourselves.
“A ten-point win against Meath - I’d take that any day.”
Meath manager Mick O’Dowd admitted that any loss to Dublin is always painful, but that his focus and that of his team’s had to be on the qualifier assignment against Derry in just six days’ time.
“It’s a tough journey for Meath players at the moment,” the vanquished Meath boss said.
“I’m as passionate as any other Meath man and I want to be back here with Meath teams competing against Dublin, but they are a strong benchmark and there are teams further advanced in their development getting lessons from Dublin at the moment.
“Unfortunately, in the second half, we got one too.
“But we’ll regroup from this. We’ve done a lot of work and we can’t wait to play Derry in the qualifiers.”
