ONE by one the Dublin management trailed out of the dressing rooms in O'Connor Park politely declining interviews. It was one of those days when the Metropolitans had little to offer both on and off the field at Tullamore on Saturday evening as the Tribesman set up a final meeting with neigbours Tipperary who had breezed past Antrim in the preceding game.

Dublin after a terrific win over Wexford in the Provincial decider last month must have fancied their chances but on the day they turned in a flat display.

Injuries to the mercurial David Treacy and free taker Shane Stapleton had weakened their hand up front with Niall McMorrow never looking comfortable from the dead ball.

Dublin senior panellist, Liam Rushe, won plenty of ball initially from the centre forward position where he started and his tremendous work rate was never in question throughout the course of the sixty minutes.

Equally centre back and captain David Burke punished Dublin with a series of frees in the second half as Dublin fell back badly following the concession of a second half goal from Bernard Burke on 41 minutes.

And despite a late rally which saw efforts from Dublin captain, Finn McGarry, Daire Plunkett and Darren Whelan saved in the final two minutes, it was desperation stuff from the Boys in Blue as Galway ran out worthy seven point winners in the end. Watching from the stands was hurling great Joe Canning who was on the last Galway team to defeat Dublin in the 2007 decider. And the Portumna All star witnessed a cracker of a start which saw both teams score goals inside the first five minutes. Kilmacud Crokes man Conor Clinton had cancelled out an early Galway effort and then on four minutes into the game, came Dublin's only goal.

Rushe had played a ball in from the right hand touch line which Galway keeper, Kris Finnegan could only bat down into the path of David Quinn who duly obliged.

But in the very next attack, Richie Cummins ( who was forced to retire hurt at half time) cut down the left. And as he attempted to shoot past McGarry at his near post, he was impeded with former Wexford senior mentor, Dickie Murphy, immediately signalling for the penalty. And Galway centre Niall Quinn duly drove his penalty past McGarry to level proceedings. McMorrow then put the Metropolitans back in front but some wayward shooting from Dublin was to see the Leinster champions fall behind as Galway responded with a hat trick of points. Dublin however rallied once more courtesy of a successive frees from Dublin senior Peter Kelly with Conor Clinton pitching in with a point.

Clinton then took a pass off McMorrow to move the gap out to two but Dublin then turned over some cheap possession with Niall Quinn recording successive points to put Galway up by 1-6 to 1-5 at the interval. The two teams traded two points apiece after the break with a Barry O'Rorke score, sandwiched in between two David Burke frees, followed by a free from Niall McMorrow.

It was then that Galway upped their momentum with Barry Daly showing a great injection of pace to escape his marker before shooting just wide.. But then came Galway's second when Bernard Burke escaped his marker down the right cooly shooting past McGarry. McMorrow kicked wide shortly afterwards that in what was to be his final action of the game with David Quinn also subsituted as Richie Stakelum introduced Aodhán McEnerney and Darren Whelan into the attack for the final quarter.

However it was Galway who drove on as they registered further scores from Eoin Forde, David Burke and Gerard Kelly, the latter pointing a lovely score from the left to move Anthony Cunningham's men eight points clear.

and although Whelan was to send over two quick frees, Galway kept their foot on the gas with additional scores from Johnnie Coen and Kelly extending the gap to seven points with two minutes remaining.

It was now all or nothing for the Metroplitans with McGarry coming out of this goal to take 21 yard free.

However his opposing number Kris Finnegan proved alert to the danger with Daire Plunkett's follow up shot also blocked.

And then in the dying seconds Whelan saw an effort cleared to bring to an end a disappointing day for Dublin. DUBLIN: Finn McGarry, Ronan Walsh, Darren Kelly, Oisin Gough, Roberet O'Loughlin, Martin Quilty, Peter Kelly 0-2 ( 01f, 0-1 65'), Conor Clinton 0-3 ( 1f), Peter Buckeridge, David Quinn 1-0, Daire Plunkett, Barry O'Rorke 0-1, Ciaran Brennan, Liam Rushe, Niall Mc Morrow 0-2 ( all frees). Subs: Aodhan McEnerney for Quinn 42 mins, Darren Whelan 0-3 ( all frees) for McMorrow 44 mins, Marc Schutte for Clinton 48 mins, Kevin O'Loughlin for O'Rorke 54 mins.

- Rory KERR