After a stunning start to today’s All-Ireland Final, where Con O’Callaghan buried the ball in the Mayo net within 90 seconds, things quickly levelled out.
Mayo immediately gathered themselves and put three points over the bar, and from that point forward last year’s runners-up started to look like the more dominant side.
Far too many of Cluxton’s kicks out were gathered in the middle of the park by an aggressive Mayo spine that has looked more awake to the game than Dublin, with Lee Keegan keeping Ciarán Kilkenny quiet throughout the 35.
Great scores from Jason Doherty, bolstered by three points from forward Andy Moran, saw Mayo take the upper-hand on several occasions and left last year’s champions chasing the game. At one point Jim Gavin’s men had every player bar Eoghan O’Gara in their own half looking to win the ball off Mayo, who were making great hay from their jaunts forward.
Still, for all their bluster, Mayo only lead by the one point going in to half-time, meaning that there’s plenty Dublin can do in the second-half to turn the tide of the game. As it stands, Mayo lead 0-09 to 1-05.
Here’s what Twitter had to say about the first-half:
Dare I say it but the @Dubs_gaa look a little rattled #DubVMay #AllIrelandFinal
— Barry Murtagh (@MurtaghBarry) September 17, 2017
If the #dubs can be proud of one thing today it's that the effort they've put into their hair has been noticed #AllIrelandFinal #fab
— An tUasal de Stanlaigh (@imrdestanlaigh) September 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/shaun_coyle/status/909432347212308480
Andy Moran – player of the year, no matter what happens in the second half! #MayoVDub
— Cormac Ó Conaire (@Cormac_Tom) September 17, 2017
Dublin attack failing because of the great man marking job Lee Keegan is doing on Ciaran Kilkenny?
— Craig Rogers (@Rodgie5) September 17, 2017
Lee Keegan is forcing Ciaràn Kilkenny to man mark.
— Gavin Cummiskey (@Cumoski) September 17, 2017
I don't know the stats but I know this: Mayo have shat all over Cluxton's kickouts in that first half #DUBvMAYO
— Paul Brennan (@Brennan_PB) September 17, 2017
If Cluxton isn't Cluxton on game day it throws the whole team!!! #DublinVMayo
— Carolyn O Mahony (@carolynom_84) September 17, 2017
O'Shea in beast mode, Moran brilliant, possession dominated, Cluxton nullified, McCaffrey gone, Dublin defensive. And a one-point game #Mayo
— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) September 17, 2017
