Four-goal Dublin secure Division 2 title in Croke Park

Four second-half goals elevated Dublin to a dramatic comeback win at Croke Park, the Sky Blues signing off on their Allianz League campaign in style by clinching the Division 2 title.

Trailing at half-time against the Ulster champions, Dessie Farrell's crew needed something special to claim the win and duly obliged with goals from Killian O'Gara, Paul Mannion, John Small and Lorcan O'Dell.

After a patchy league campaign when Dublin mixed the good with the bang average, they suddenly exploded into life with that second-half goal siege to secure their first silverware of 2023.

The Leinster champions had only managed five goals in their seven previous games but almost doubled that tally in one half.

O'Gara got the blitz underway with a 38th minute fisted goal before substitute Mannion converted a penalty and Small, having earlier wasted a good goal chance, blasted home Dublin's third.

But the pick of the bunch was O'Dell's 68th minute lob over the head of Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch who was caught just off his line.

Derry were rocked by the 39th minute exit of All-Star midfielder Conor Glass with an apparent leg injury.

It's Derry's first defeat of 2023 and they will hope to bounce back to winning ways when they begin the defence of their provincial title against Division 3 finalists Fermanagh on Saturday week.

As for Dublin, they'll return to action with a Leinster SFC quarter-final clash against Wexford or Laois on April 23.

The terms of engagement became clear in the opening passages of play when Derry pulled everyone back into their own half to defend a Dublin attack.

A couple of plays later, Dublin did the exact same with a snapshot of the exchanges showing every single blue jersey back in their own half.

It was to be a game of