National Football League Division One A: Everything about this match should have been unappealing, but strangely it proved great entertainment. The weather interfered with the football by subjecting it to great, blustery squalls of howling wind and icy rain. For the small crowd of 7,000 who had decided to make this first day of the Allianz National Football League a up-close rather than an armchair experience, the elements were only the start of it.
Tyrone took up where they had left off last year by crowding, harassing and hunting in packs, and Dublin, never likely to have placed their trust in easily-disrupted silky skills, did exactly the same.
The consequence was rather like the closing credits of the Benny Hill Show with vast numbers of people chasing each other all around the field.
Referee Paddy Russell, who has little reason to cherish this fixture since the All-Ireland final between the counties in 1995, was constantly in the thick of things and had to administer 10 yellow cards, including the two that led to Stephen O'Neill's dismissal in the 59th minute.
Some of his applications infuriated the teams, but between the weather and the bruising nature of the play few would envy a referee a day like this.
Yet despite the bump and grind, collision and clatter of the whole thing, this Division One A fixture ended in a welter of excitement with both sides threatening alternately to take the points and to lose them before Dublin got themselves across the line fractionally in front.
Neither manager will agonise over the meaning of it all for long, but both will take some satisfaction from it. The champions may have lost but there was little sign that their appetite has diminished since the historic events of last year, and, under-strength and under-trained, they have plenty of room to improve.
Tommy Lyons will be happy with the two points but also with the commitment and energy of his players, even if the football was low-grade stuff for much of the time.
The latest phase of the Conal Keaney saga saw the dual player line out for the footballers, having being named on the hurling team earlier in the week.
Yesterday wasn't too much of a conflict given that the National League would always take precedence over the Walsh Cup, but the hurlers will expect him to be available for their league when it starts in three weeks.
Lyons said he wouldn't be placing obstacles in the player's way, but with weekends of doubled-up fixture schedules ahead the matter will continue to attract interest.
Keaney played quite well yesterday, kicking a magnificent point in the 12th minute and adding a free later in the first half.
Dublin had more of the play in the early stages but looked less penetrative than the champions. Too often the final ball was hastily or inaccurately kicked and gave the inside forwards little serviceable possession. Tyrone were efficiently going through their familiar routines.
Brian Dooher had the air of a man who has been running and snapping for the past four months, a Duracell dynamo who had been simply unleashed through the gates of Parnell Park at half-past two yesterday.
His ability to read the breaks and take up position earned him the customary litany of physical punishment but also the Man of the Match accolade from broadcasters TG4, despite a feisty display by marker Shane Ryan.
Owen Mulligan and Stephen O'Neill initially caused trouble for the Dublin defence, but eventually Paddy Christie and Paul Griffin, moved on to Mulligan, took hold of the situation. Scoring was at a premium and the teams were level at half-time, 0-5 each.
Dublin sharpened up after the break but the finishing wasn't great. Jason Sherlock and Ray Cosgrove could have had goals but failed to make the chances count in the 44th and 72nd minutes respectively. But both of them made significant contributions to the victory.
Cosgrove was steady in winning possession and moved out to the half forward line in an attempt to give Dublin more of a platform there. His three points were well taken, and Sherlock's two included the winner, when he wriggled through the blanket defence for the decisive point.
With darkness and rain enveloping the afternoon, it ended with Dublin in front.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry, P Christie, P Griffin; S Ryan, D Magee, C Moran; C Whelan (0-1), D Homan; C Keaney (0-2, one free), B Cullen, S Connell; T Quinn (0-1, a free), R Cosgrove (0-3), J Sherlock (0-2). Subs: D Lally for Connell (4 mins), T Mulligan for Homan (53 mins), J McNally for Lally (64 mins),
TYRONE: P McConnell; R McMenamin, C Gormley, M McGee; C Holmes, G Devlin, C Gourley; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; M Coleman, B McGuigan, B Dooher (0-1); C McCullagh (0-2, one free), O Mulligan (0-3, one free), S O'Neill (0-2). Subs: C McAnallen for Coleman (half-time), P Jordan for McGee (49 mins), E McGinley for K Hughes (51 mins).
Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).
