DUBLIN, Ga. —  Dublin’s defense smothered Thomasville after giving up a touchdown on the game’s first drive, and the sixth-ranked Irish pulled away in the second half for a 23-7 win in the second round of the GHSA Class AA state playoffs Friday night at the Shamrock Bowl.

The Bulldogs grabbed a 7-0 lead two minutes into the game on a 1-yard run by Tan Gelin. After that, it was all Dublin, though Thomasville kept it close with stout play from its defense.

The Bulldogs (7-5) turned the Irish back on two first-half drives with stops on fourth down, and Karey Lee picked off a pass on the final play of the second quarter. 

But Dublin took an 8-7 lead into the break behind a safety on a bad punt snap into the end zone and a 22-yard TD run by fullback Jermaine Cooley.

Gelin’s score was set up by 48-yard pass from freshman quarterback Chad Mascoe to Jay Tillman, who made a diving catch near the goal line. Thomasville mustered little offense after that opening drive, ending the first half with just 2 yards rushing and 66 passing.

The Irish (11-1) took control of the ball — and the game  — after halftime with an 18-play drive that chewed up 69 yards and almost the entire third quarter.         

Dublin converted three third downs on the drive — including a 13-yard pass from Rodriguez Martin to Romello Height. The Irish moved to ball to inches outside the end zone, but a motion penalty and three carries that netted no yards forced them to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Shemar Dollar that made the lead 11-7 with 1:29 to play in the third.

Thomasville went for a fourth-and-4 on its next possession, and Mascoe was stripped by Height, and Jacquez Evans recovered for the Irish at the Thomasville 46.

Corteveyas Mitchell started a six-play scoring march with an 18-yard run on the final play of the third quarter. Four plays later, on third-and-7, Martin rolled right and passed to Cooley, who bounced off a tackler at the THS 2, for an 11-yard TD pass. The kick was no good, leaving the score 17-7 with 8:54 to play.

The Bulldogs threatened on their next possession. Gelin broke off runs of 19 and 16 yards, and a personal foul after the second long run set up a first-and-goal at the Irish 5. 

But Thomasville was flagged for a personal foul, and Dublin’s relentless pass rush killed the drive. Mascoe was sacked by Berrick Wadley for an 8-yard loss, and defensive end Steve Linton blindsided the freshman on third-and-goal from the 28, again jarring the ball loose.

Evans scooped up the fumble and returned it 42 yards. Mitchell then broke off a 22-yard run, then ran it in for a 6-yard score. The PAT failed on a bad snap, giving the Irish a 23-7 lead.

Tillman took over for Mascoe at quarterback on Thomasville’s final two possessions and led the Bulldogs to goal-to-go situations on both short-field drives, as Gelin contributed a pair of big-chunk runs. But Tillman was stuffed by Dublin’s Demaryius Simonette at the 2 on fourth down with just fewer than four minutes to play, and Simonette intercepted him on second-and-goal at the 32 with 20 seconds to play.

Dublin rushed for 228 yards, led by Cooley, who finished with 102 and a touchdown on 18 carries. Martin was 4-of-7 passing for 46 yards and a touchdown, with the one interception.

Thomasville finished with 56 yards rushing and 124 passing. Gelin had 73 yards and the touchdown on 15 carries.