After a close first half, it only took a blistering 10-minute Dublin blitz at the start of the second half to send Mayo fans scampering for the Croke Park exits. They were serenaded by the Hill 16 to a chorus of cheerio cheerio.
Everyone set this game up as a 50/50 chance for either side and that’s how the first half played out. But what emerged from the tunnels for the second half were two different animals.
Dublin exploded into the second half and had 1-3 on the board in no time. Mayo got caught in the blue and white headlights and much of their demise was self-inflicted.
It took Mayo 12 minutes to get a point on the board and by that time Dublin fans were in full voice as they sensed the damage had been done to Mayo.
The Dubs will now face Monaghan in the semi-final in two weeks’ time.
Stephen Cluxton; Eoin Murchan, Michael Fitzsimons, Lee Gannon, James McCarthy (0-1), John Small, David Byrne, Brian Fenton (0-1), Brian Howard, Paul Mannion (0-2), Sean Bugler, Niall Scully, Cormac Costello (0-5, 0-3f), Con O’Callaghan (0-2), Colm Basquel (2-2).
Subs: Jack McCaffrey for Eoin Murchan (45), Ciaran Kilkenny (0-1) for Sean Bugler (47), Paddy Small (0-1) for Niall Scully (53), Tom Lahiff for Cormac Costello (66), Dean Rock (0-1) for Colm Basquel (70)
