IT WAS Darby day at Parnell Park as Dublin’s Chloe Darby helped seal an NFL Division 1 opening-round win over Mayo.
Darby kicked 1-3 — with Rebecca McDonnell also finding the net — to get the reign of joint-managers Paul Casey and Derek Murray off to a winning start.
Dublin captain Carla Rowe and Mayo counterpart Danielle Caldwell were withdrawn from their respective line-ups.
And the hosts carved out an early lead through Niamh Hetherton and Sophie McIntyre.
The Westerners initially struggled but opened their account when full-forward Sinéad Walsh knocked over an 11th-minute free.
Yet despite registering a number of early wides, the Sky Blues increased their advantage to three points when Jodi Egan and Darby — from a free — found the target.
Another Walsh effort kept Mayo in touch, only for the Jackies to create daylight when McDonnell smashed the ball to the net from a tight angle on 23 minutes.
But just when it seemed Dublin were in control, their lead was wiped out after Walsh followed up a brace of frees with a superb 29th-minute goal.
The sides were deadlocked on 1-4 apiece at the change of ends but Darby netted less than 20 seconds after the restart.
Mayo gained a temporary numerical advantage when Sky Blues midfielder Grace Kos was sin-binned on 35 minutes, but Liam McHale’s charges fell further adrift following points by Egan and Darby.
Mayo No 6 Sherin El Massry kicked a point just before Kos’ return.
But the Westerners were then reduced to 14 players in the final quarter when Ella Brennan fouled stand-in Dublin skipper Leah Caffrey.
Points from Walsh — who finished with 1-5 — and Aoife Geraghty did reduce Mayo’s deficit to two late on, before Darby split the posts from a free to secure victory.
DUBLIN: KM Tighe; J Tobin, L Caffrey, A Nyhan; H McGinnis, M Byrne, N Donlon; C Darby 1-3, 3f, G Kos; A Curran, R McDonnell 1-0, S McIntyre 0-1; A Timothy, N Hetherton 0-1, J Egan 0-2.
Subs: K Murray for McIntyre 43 mins, C Fox for Egan 49, C Kirwan for Timothy 64.
MAYO: R Dyar; E Brennan, S Lally, C Durkin; K Sullivan, S El Massry 0-1, H Reape; E Murray, A Geraghty 0-1; L Wallace, A Gough, M Sheridan; M Cannon, S Walsh 1-5, 5f, C Whyte.
Subs: B Hession for Whyte h-t, K Doherty for Sheridan 47 mins, A Fitzpatrick for Sullivan 50, S Delaney for Cannon 56, J Mortimer for Reape 61.
REFEREE: M Farrelly (Cavan).
