DEAN ROCK SAYS he learned his lesson from missing a last-minute free in Dublin’s league final defeat to Kerry earlier this year to hold his nerve to clinch a third successive All-Ireland title for Jim Gavin’s side.
Rock showed nerves of steel to dissect the posts with a 76th minute free to separate Dublin and Mayo by just a single point at the end of a pulsating All-Ireland senior football championship final at Croke Park.
“Absolutely delighted the ball went over the bar, Diarmuid [Connolly] did well to win the free and it’s my job to put it over the bar and thankfully it went over,” he told RTÉ Sport at full time.
“It’s my job to put it over the bar, I love being in these situations. Obviously the league final I learned from, I missed a kick to get a draw and thankfully this time it went over the bar. I just struck it well and the rest is history now.”
The Ballymun Kickhams sharpshooter, who seven points, including four from play, praised Mayo for their part in a breathless encounter which saw both sides finish with 14 men.
“There’s always a point in it and thankfully we came out on the right side of it,” Rock added.
“It’s unfortunate for Mayo to come out on the wrong side but they’re a fantastic team and they bring out the best in us. I’m sure it’ll be the same next year.
“It’s a dream come true to win one, to win three, four and some lads winning five it’s just incredible. It’s just all down to the hard work everyone puts in, from the backroom team to the players to the guys who didn’t make the panel today. This is for them.”
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31 counties against 1. Somehow it makes it even sweeter when we bring Sam back home every year.
@4OYards: Ye don’t have far to travel, ye never leave yer County
@4OYards: did you ever ask yourself why 31 counties are against ye?
@4OYards: it’s only 1 county against 1 on the field, ye didn’t beat 31.
God it’s great being a Dub. One of life’s little blessings.
@Johnny: ye is not a word.Anyway do you seriously think it makes a difference where we play
@4OYards: Spiteful attitude, no wonder everyone doesn’t like your fans. I admire the Dublin team, their athleticism is immense but the fanbase are the Chelsea of the GAA world.
@AM: must be the colour
@AM: but he’s has a point, look at the responses to his comment. Different people you would presume but yet all from the country
@paddy: yes paddy that’s why it’s called home advantage.
@Nucky: I actually like the Dublin team, they’re a great team that know how to Jill off a game. But I can’t get behind them with that attitude, very poor form and Mayo fans should be so proud of their team.
@AM: *kill. It always reminds me of Limerick GAA, unlimited heartbreak.
@4OYards: Sam is from cork bud . No matter how many ye win/get handed nothing will change that
@4OYards: you weren’t saying that in the late 80′s 90s and 00′s
@GRONG: sitting in a bar in warsaw filled with every colour of irish man and woman, some had never seen a gaelic match before, all rooting against dublin, not rooting for Mayo, against Dublin. ‘Tis a terrible thing jealousy but makes victory all the sweeter. Hate us all yiz like…
@4OYards: sams from cork Kidd
@GRONG: Sam ain’t going to Coooork boy anytime soon.
@Jane: Once a loser, always a loser. If you hate the Dubs winning, you hate success and love losing.
Did you hate Kilkenny’s triumphs in hurling too.
Probably the same numbskull idiots that want Dublin football divided in two.
Up the Dubs! Q
@AJ McLaughlin: I did hate kilkenny winning so much but I’m from Tipp. Not every other county felt that way though and so my question was why when it comes to football every other county dislikes Dublin so much.
@4OYards: Don’t be daft.
@4OYards: that’s because of people like you,it could as easy be mayo winning 2 ina row today as ye getting 3,go and have a few pints and enjoy the win,instead of being on here like a sad little man right after.
@Jane: Because they’re jealous?
His 2 frees at the end of each half were unreal!
@Ewan Scott: Oh yeah, the first when two Dublin players fell over and the ref gave them the free.
@Adrian Costigan: ha Christ totally absurd free it was a free out for mayo if anything
@Adrian Costigan: I think he gave the free for the 3 mayo players tackling Kilkenny while he was on the ground. Perhaps wasn’t a free but the reality as with every time the two play, there was so much happening off the ball, by both sides that mistakes get made. What about the free that was never a free for mayo, that then took cooper out off the ball and scored from…..
Bad decisions impacted both teams….
Mayo lost by not taking advantage of their superiority first half (and the crazy decision to play ogara) and also due to some needless hot-headedness
@Adrian Costigan: the first was because Lee Keegan had both hands around Ciaran Kilkenny pulling him back but don’t let that get in the way of your story.
@Augustus hoop: bad decisions did impact both teams I concur , said from the start when he gave a yellow for harmless of the ball stuff that he was card happy but on the other side !!!!! If he didn’t lay down his marker who knows how dirty the match would have gone
@Patrick Dara Kelly: yeah mayo definitely bring out the worst in dublin…… and kerry and galway….. seriously though, the ref wasnt the reason for mayo not winning today. Before the match i thought dublin would have too much for them, particularly with the bench, but ogara starting and mccaffrey going off balanced it up and mayo left that one behind…… blaming the ref, dublins (imagined) ‘dirty tactics’, or dub fans, wont change that.
Also surely even the angriest of mayo fan had to have some respect for any team doing 3 in a row and playing good football doing so
At the moment their is no other kicker in the country that could have put that over under such pressure pure class.
He said at the moment. When has Cluxton last done it
@Fracko: he said at the moment
@John Carroll: Agreed, it carries him because from play he is very very ordinary all year
@Fracko: his kicking from frees hasn’t been as accurate in last few years. He’s still my favourite ever player though
@Franko:That was a kick for right footed kicker and i doubt Culxton would score that one. Even on the other side Cluxton is inconsistent at best if my memory is correct, but you know best Franko I am sure !!!
A legend like his Father before him!!
Ref holds his nerve to deliver for Dublin . Joke
@GRONG: I concur and agree
@GRONG: You mean holds his whistle for nearly an extra 3 mins to give Mayo the chance to level?
Five in a row alive awesome team
Mayo are to GAA what Sting is to Tantric sex. When they eventually win the All-Ireland the climax will make Heuston look bone dry…
Deep analogy there Phil
@Phil O’ Meara: Jesus lol tough crowd ha
Mayo should concentrate on the League for next year. They are capable of winning that.
Please people stop being so jealous
All roads lead to Dublin, if not for the city of Dublin, where would you all be.
I’m a Galway man .. was an unreal match but thought mayo to be the better team fine margins best attacking attractive team in Ireland to watch class and feel so sorry for them was routing for them all the way … just can’t stand some of the shite Dublin fans and players do and say and I was on here a while ago sticking up for diarmud connolly so don’t say I’m a biased put there’s such a level of smugness you can take ,barrett was man of the match for me still think Cuan o Sullivan class act
@Patrick Dara Kelly: some fans I accept but what have the players done to bother you??
Dont mind the haters were watching possibly the greatest gaa team of all time mayo were brilliant there time will come but not for another few years dublin will continue to dominate and win all irelands jealously is a terrible infliction
@Tony Hanney: there’s no one jealous we weren’t jealous of the all conquering Kerry team or any other team it’s nothing about jealousy and I’m from Galway who by right is the last county to want mayo to win ,, but I can tell you know 80% of Galway wanted Maigh Eò to win today including me.. and as I said it’s not jealousy it’s the pure smugness which you have just shown that doesn’t really concur with the other 31 counties
Hollow, hollow victory.
@Adrian Costigan: Bahahaaaaaaa
@Adrian Costigan: Nope! Sweet victory. Will be enjoying this one for weeks.
Game of tight margins, how much is home advantage worth, at least a couple of points one wud think.