Dublin typically ensured that the Delaney Cup would still be theirs but were made to work for it by a spirited Louth in the Leinster Senior Football Championship final on Sunday.
Dessie Farrell's men made it a 14th consecutive Leinster title, getting the better of the Wee County 1-19 to 2-12 in Croke Park.
Dublin had been widely tipped to win a one-sided affair - as they have so often done down the years - but this match was an exception with Louth leading by 0-7 to 0-6 going into half-time.
Dublin did not have any real momentum until talisman Con O'Callaghan found the back of the net to put them 1-14 to 0-13 ahead in the 55th minute.
The Dubs kept Louth at a distance but Louth - managed by former Dublin star Ger Brennan - would not go away, scoring a second goal with the clock in the red.
Louth continued to plug away in the Leinster SFC final and Craig Lennon grabbed their second goal to leave them just four adrift of Dublin at the final whistle
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Time ran out for the underdogs and Dublin got the job done, but Player of the Match Brian Fenton was complimentary of their opponents while firing a quip the way of Brennan.
Brian Fenton fires cheeky dig at Ger Brennan after Dublin beat Louth
Fenton admitted his side were 'glad to get out alive' following their latest provincial title success, giving a glowing assessment of Louth after the match.
He did, however, manage to make a joke at the expense of two-time All-Ireland winner Brennan, who became the first Dublin native to manage a side against them in nine years.
Brennan competed as a Dublin player for nine seasons, winning All-Ireland medals in 2011 and 2013, before retiring from inter-county football in 2015.
💬 "Glad to get out alive, Louth gave us our bellyful there today, credit to them"
Man of the Match Brian Fenton reacts after Dublin's Leinster SFC win
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Glad to get out alive," Fenton reflected in his post-match interview.
"Louth gave us our bellyful there today so credit to them.
"They made things so hard for us but we absolutely expected that coming here today because they are a class team.
"It is just a pity that there is a Dublin man in charge of them!"
Fenton suggested that luck was on Dublin's side, citing the element of good fortune in the lead-up to O'Callaghan's goal that swung the fixture.
"They defended so well as I said, made things so hard for us, couldn't get any of our real key inside forwards on the ball... They just came out to spoil us and that happened for large parts of the game.
"We probably caught them on the break there for our goal. All in all probably lucky to get out the door with a win and just glad to get back on top."
Tyrone legend Peter Canavan was not impressed by Dublin's performance, taking aim while on punditry duty for RTE.
Nevertheless, it has been a solid start to inter-county management for Brennan, who only took the top job last October.
Louth preserved their Division 2 status in the Allianz League before reaching the final of the Leinster SFC under his stewardship.
