Dublin 1-14
Monaghan 0-16
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
ALLSTAR BERNARD BROGAN made a dramatic return to action with an injury-time winner for Dublin at Croke Park, leaving the holders in pole position in the Allianz Football League.
Brogan only entered the play mid-way through the second-half in front of 17,080 for his first appearance of 2016 after an extended winter break.
He didn’t take long to make his mark with his 71st minute point bailing Dublin out of a tricky situation after leaking a five-point lead.
Remarkably, Dublin had trailed by five points themselves early on after a slow start before turning things around.
Diarmuid Connolly’s 42nd minute penalty conversion turned the situation on its head and Dublin then led by five and looked destined to win with some to spare.
But a thrilling performance from Monaghan captain Conor McManus hauled the Ulster champions right back into the contest and they led by one with 68 minutes on the clock.
Monaghan couldn’t hold on though and ultimately slipped to their third defeat to Dublin in just over 12 months having met twice in last year’s league.
Cormac Costello hit the leveller for Dublin before Brogan struck for a fine point, cutting inside his man in the left corner and splitting the posts from an acute angle.
Dean Rock top-scored for Dublin with seven points though it was McManus who stood out and helped Monaghan into an early 0-7 to 0-2 lead.
The previously unbeaten northerners were reeled in late in the half by the free-taking of Rock and trailed 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time.
Things got even worse for Malachy O’Rourke’s men when Paul Flynn was brought down for a penalty, that Connolly converted, helping Dublin to lead 1-11 to 0-9.
But Dublin backed off from there as Monaghan and McManus in particular asked them serious questions in the run-in before that thrilling Brogan intervention.
Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 0-7 (0-6f), Diarmuid Connolly 1-0 (1-0 pen), Philly McMahon 0-2, Cormac Costello 0-2, Emmet O Conghaile 0-1, Paul Flynn 0-1, B Brogan 0-1.
Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McManus 0-12 (0-9f), Kieran Hughes 0-2, Owen Duffy 0-1, Kieran Duffy 0-1.
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton
4. David Byrne
3. Michael Fitzsimons
2. Philly McMahon
5. James McCarthy
6. Cian O’Sullivan
7. John Small
8. Emmet O’Conghaile
9. Denis Bastick
10. Tomas Brady
11. Diarmuid Connolly
12. Paul Flynn
14. Paddy Andrews
13. Cormac Costello
15. Dean Rock
Subs: Shane Carthy (Naomh Mearnóg) for Bastick (h/t), Bernard Brogan for Flynn (42-53), Jonny Cooper for Fitzsimons (53), Brogan for Brady (54), Philip Ryan for Rock (58), Brian Fenton for O’Conghaile (61), Shane Carthy (St Vincent’s) for Connolly (66), Ryan black card 72.
Monaghan
1. Rory Beggan
4. Ryan Wylie
3. Drew Wylie
2. Colin Walsh
5. Kieran Duffy
6. Fintan Kelly
8. Neil McAdam
7. Karl O’Connell
14. Kieran Hughes
10. Shane Carey
11. Dermot Malone
12. Thomas Kerr
13. Owen Duffy
9. Darren Hughes
15. Conor McManus
Subs: Dessie Mone for K Hughes (30), Conor Boyle for R Wylie (h/t), Ryan McAnespie for Duffy (47), Conor McCarty for Malone (56), Daniel McKenna for Carey (66).
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh).
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