Dublin 3-9 Derry 1-9
Derry ran afoul of a Na Fianna duo with a point to prove as Dublin secured victory in the All-Ireland Senior Football qualifier at Clones today.
Forgotten forwards Jason Sherlock and Dessie Farrell hit the net either side of a brilliantly worked Senan Connell goal to get Dublin's championship ambitions back on the road.
Sherlock came on in the second half and ran the Derry back line ragged, and with Farrell by his side, the two made light work of Derry's midfield inadequacies.
Without ever really dominating the game the Dubs always looked more dynamic and killed the game off in the second half after notching a somewhat fortuitous 2-4 to 0-5 half-time lead.
Dublin struggled to make the wind advantage count in the first half, with Derry pointing one more than Tommy Lyon's side, but the Dubs crucially scored two goals at vital times to ensure the five point lead at the break.
On his return to the full forward line it was Farrell who drew first blood for Dublin after Darren Crozier had opened the games scoring.
Darren Homan and Ray Cosgrove added points before a neat catch-and-turn saw Connell burst through the middle. The Na Fianna man ignored Cosgrove - who may well of hit the net had he received it - and pointed comfortably to open a three point lead.
Geoffrey McGonagle kept Derry in touch with a nicely taken point, but a few poor wides, notably from Paddy Bradley let the Dubs off the hook.
Alan Brogan and Ray Cosgrove both attempted to rejuvenate Dublin, after going without a score for a 13 minute spell, but both failed to find the target after doing well to create space.
Amends were made however, thanks largely to some sloppy defending on Derry's part, with Farrell finding the net from close range after capitalising on a Derry fumble.
Dublin's second goal came from nowhere and Derry, looking a little shell-shocked, did well to respond with a point soon after when Bradley turned Paul Griffin inside and punched over the bar to make it 0-3 to 2-4.
If the first goal was lucky, the second was anything but. From their own goal-line Dublin put together a move worthy of an All-Ireland final. Griffin, refusing to let Bradley away with another point, doggedly tracked the dangerman before brilliantly blocking the ball down into the path of Shane Ryan.
Ryan tore out of the Dublin half before planting a fabulous pass into the arms of Brogan who fed Connell in space. Connell, with time on his side, dispatched with aplomb to cap off a fine move with a scrapbook goal.
Derry scored before the break through Bradley and Tohill but the damage appeared to be done.
Dublin turned the screw again after the restart, despite losing their wind advantage, with an early point from Cosgrove before Sherlock, who replaced John McNally on 40 minutes, scored his first to extend the lead to seven points.
The two traded points through McGonagle and Ciaran Whelan and then through Connell and Enda Muldoon before the Na Fianna men tore the Derry back line apart to hit the net once again.
Sherlock fielded brilliantly and fisted inside to Farrell who had the goal at his mercy. Sensing his teammates need for a big score however Farrell, with the goal at his mercy, unselfishly helped it back to Sherlock who made no mistake from six yards out.
Bradley hit the net soon after but from the muted celebrations it was obvious that Derry held out little hope. Farrell and Sherlock did it again moments later to point another and despite Derry creating some half chances, a Dublin win was all it ever was.