Dublin don't need to be at their best to blitz Meath and advance in Leinster

Goals by Seán Bugler, Paul Mannion and Con O'Callaghan saw Dublin ease past Meath by 16 points in their disappointingly one-sided Leinster SFC quarter-final at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.

In front of a crowd of just over 21,000, this contest was a far cry from the hostile encounters that would capture the imagination of the whole country a generation ago as Dublin ground out an expected victory without overly extending themselves.

The excitement was provided in advance of the contest around the return of both Stephen Cluxton and Michael Fitzsimons to the Dublin line-up but their experience counted for little initially as their opponents impressed from the outset.

It took just 30 seconds for Darragh Campion to open the scoring and Ronan Jones doubled the Meath advantage three minutes later when converting from a straightforward mark.

Dublin looked patient in attack, almost too patient at times, but they eventually opened their own account in the sixth minute, following a trademark curling effort from distance by Mannion.

The Dubs lacked cohesion at times but gradually showed signs of life up front, with Ciarán Kilkenny levelling matters in the 13th minute before Mannion edged them ahead from a free two minutes later.

While a Mathew Costello free levelled matters towards the end of the first quarter, Dublin were beginning to find holes in the Meath defence and from one such counter-attack, Bugler was afforded far too much time and space to crash a rising shot beyond the helpless Billy Hogan in the Meath goal.

When Mannion added a brace of scores in quick succession, the contest threatened to run away from the Royals but they narrowed their deficit to three points by the 25th minute, thanks to Eoghan Frayne and Jordan Morris.

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