2016 – Own goals aplenty
A particularly hard one to swallow as it took two games for Jim Gavin’s Dublin to edge past Mayo.
The first game saw both sides go to the well continually in awful conditions, but it’s a match that will always be remembered for not one, but two Dublin goals coming courtesy of Mayo OGs.
The throw-in was proceeded by a skirmish as Dublin, late on to the pitch, clashed with Mayo, also late, as the sides raced for the pre-match photograph having emerged from the tunnel together.
Then the story became those OGs. The first from Kevin McLoughlin, after nine minutes, put Dublin 1-00 to 0-02 ahead. The second from Colm Boyle, after 23 minutes, put Dublin 2-00 to 0-03 ahead.
Strange happenings were afoot, but this Mayo team wasn’t going to be defined by those two strikes of misfortune and despite trailing by three points in the 69th minute, points from Cillian O’Connor, Donie Vaughan and O’Connor again, with the last attack, forced a second day out, 0-15 to 2-09.
Stephen Rochford’s side were edged out on the second day, 1-15 to 1-14, after another ferocious battle.
In better conditions, Dublin took the first four points before Lee Keegan’s fine finish had them ahead midway through the half with the holders regaining the advantage by the break.
In a game dominated by black cards, the one handed to Rob Hennelly 39 minutes in – Diarmaid Connolly scoring the resulting penalty – was crucial.
Mayo did get it back to a point deep into additional time, but Cillian O’Connor missed a crucial free.
The decision to bring in Hennelly in place of David Clarke raised eyebrows and ultimately backfired.
The Breaffy man suffered horrible online abuse afterwards, even taking part in an RTÉ Prime Time special about trolling athletes.