Dublin manager Jim Gavin is already looking for improvement from his team ahead of another All-Ireland final showdown with Mayo.
The Dubs needed two games, a draw and a replay, to beat Mayo in last year’s Sam Maguire decider - and Gavin warns they Boys in Blue will have to do better than they did in swatting Tyrone aside in their Croke Park semi-final.
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"We got an early goal. It was an opportunity and we took it. In the second half we had more chances and we weren’t clinical enough," he said. "We know that the next day that won’t be good enough."
Con O’Callaghan and Eoghan O’Gara hit goals late and early, but in between other gilt-edged chances were squandered with Kevin McManamon hitting the cross bar and Jack McCaffrey missing the target completely when one-on-one with keeper Niall Morgan.
The Dubs lost to Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final, beat them in the ’13 and ’16 deciders and the 15 semi-final too. That adds up to six Championship meetings in six seasons counting replays as this has developed into a real modern football rivalry.
"Dublin are better than last year - but Mayo are also better than last year"- Pat Spillane teeing up the final pic.twitter.com/G6Fkw3eEai
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) August 27, 2017
Gavin knows the challenge that Stephen Rochford’s team will pose his side, though he says planning for the September 17 date hasn’t started yet.
"I haven’t any thoughts on that," said the two-time All-Ireland winning boss. "Our focus in the last number of weeks was on Tyrone and the challenge that they would bring. That’s what we were focused on."
Dublin strolled to a 12-point 2-17 to 0-11 win over the Red Hand County, with O’Callaghan’s third minute goal proving crucial.
This put the Boys in Blue into the lead and from there on they were able to smother their opponents. However, Gavin denied that the Dubs beat Tyrone at their own game, by soaking up the pressure and hitting on the attack
"I don’t think we beat them a their own game," he remarked. "They are a superbly managed and coached team. They have a fantastic defensive system and they counter really hard."
O’Callaghan got 1-02 in a breathtaking first half performance and he eventually made way for the returning Diarmuid Connolly just before the end of normal time having done the job he was asked to do.
"What you see out there (from O’Callaghan) on the pitch is what you see in our training sessions," said Gavin.
"He’s been in good form with his club Cuala and he had a good Under-21 campaign too. He’ll play his part just like the rest of the guys."
