Dublin 1-17
Mayo 1-16
Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park
THE CHAMPIONS ARE still standing tall and in a frantic finale at Croke Park, it was Dublin’s free-taker Dean Rock who held his nerve best to secure Sam Maguire for his team.
After referee Joe McQuillan judged that Diarmuid Connolly had been fouled 40 yards out, Rock was a model of composure in the 76th minute as he slotted over the resultant free.
Mayo tried desperately to secure a levelling point but Dublin’s ball retention was superb as they protected that precious one-point advantage to ensure Stephen Cluxton would get his hands on the silverware.
It was another pulsating All-Ireland final contest played out by this pair of rivals with both sides finishing with 14 men. John Small and Donal Vaughan were both dismissed in the 47th minute, Small shown a second yellow card after a foul on Colm Boyle and a red card was brandished toward Vaughan for his rash challenge on Small in retaliation.
It came at a juncture when Mayo trailed 1-9 to 0-11. They had been rocked early on by a well-taken Con O’Callaghan goal after he scythed through the Mayo defence. But the Connacht outfit recovered to control the opening half with Andy Moran and Jason Doherty striking some lovely points as they went in at the break in front 0-9 to 1-5.
Dublin produced a far better performance in the second half as they reeled off the points yet they were hit by a Lee Keegan goal after a superb Mayo team move in the 54th minute. Mayo grew in confidence after that and Cillian O’Connor hit the brace of points that sent them two clear with seven minutes remaining.
Then Dublin showed the greatness of champions. Paul Mannion, James McCarthy and Dean Rock hit big points to nudge them in front before a marvellous O’Connor point tied the teams again.
A replay beckoned before Rock intervened as the match-winner.
Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 0-7 (0-3f), Paul Mannion 0-3, Con O’Callaghan 1-0, James McCarthy 0-2, John Small, Brian Fenton, Diarmuid Connolly, Kevin McManamon, Eoghan O’Gara 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 0-7 (0-4f), Lee Keegan 1-0, Andy Moran 0-3, Jason Doherty, Kevin McLoughlin 0-2 each, Donal Vaughan, Colm Boyle 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
4. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)
2. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
3. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
15. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
11. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
10. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
13. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes)
26. Eoghan O’Gara (Templeogue Synge Street)
14. Paddy Andrews (St Brigid’s)
Subs
22. Paul Flynn (Fingallians) for McCaffrey (inj) (8)
19. Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent’s) for Andrews (half-time)
25. Kevin McManamon (St Judes) for O’Gara (half-time)
17. Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh) for Flynn (65)
12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street) for O’Callaghan (68)
20. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille) for Mannion (74)
Mayo
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
6. Chris Barrett (Belmullet)
2. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
18. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
7. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
8. Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy)
9. Tom Parsons (Charlestown)
10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
3. Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe)
13. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
14. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber – captain)
15. Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen)
Subs
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber) for Seamus O’Shea (51)
19. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore) for Durcan (55)
23. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina) for Moran (63)
20. David Drake (Ballaghaderreen) for Doherty (70)
22. Danny Kirby (Castlebar Mitchels) for McLoughlin (75)
17. Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites) for Higgins (75)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
Poor auld Mayo…
@Coner Willis: ___Well done DUBLIN! COYBIB.
Next year is there year
@George Hogan: the losing team doesn’t usually get motm in an all Ireland but Chris Barrett today gave a performance for the ages. I’m not a Mayo man but he was sensational. Hard luck to Mayo though
@Lad: Don’t disagree. He had a brilliant game. It could have gone either way depending on the clock.
@Brian O’Loughlin:
@Brian O’Loughlin: *crying laughing
@Father Spodo Komodo: Sorry was in such a rush posting I forgot to spell check….I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss Cluxton lifting the trophy….for the third year in a row! COYBIB
@Lad: mayo were the better team today I thought. Sometimes that little bit of luck doesn’t come your way.
@Jane: Jane it was close and hard luck to mayo but Dublin are the best team in this country and have proven it again and again including today.
Dublin had to be at their very best to win today and they were
@Coner Willis: You have to hand it to Dublin, they have that insatiable killer instinct to always find a way to win. The pundits were right; Mayo were battle hardened and came out firing on all cylinders, Dublin were sloppy and lethargic in the first half, but they fought their way back like champions and found a foothold in the final minutes. The ref gave Mayo a few very soft frees, and let the match run on way too long after Dublin took the lead, but the writing was on the wall at that stage.
@John drennan: this nonsense narrative. If the ref had donoe his job this game would have been over with smalls reducing dublin to 13 men after the eye gouger had already left the field. The media are bottling this for cheap dub clickbait.
Mayo would have had this if the ref was stronger. I am a galway man and have little gra for mayo football usually but they were done today.
This is a good Dublin team but the great label doesn’t hold for me.
As Kerryman Big Congrats to this Dublin Squad & Management,Phenomenal achievement in Modern era to have hunger Drive Desire to come back & win more year after year to win 3 in a row is jaw dropping! Ye have raised the bar so high it’s up to rest of Counties to quit bitching & moaning but work harder to & catch or surpass them!! But today is Dublin’s day FairPlay EPIC footballers
@colm buckley: Comment of the day, well said.
@colm buckley: well said
@colm buckley: well said
@Tip Top: so how do Wicklow, Leitrim, Carlow, London, Louth etc catch up. Show me the blueprint for success for 2nd tier counties ? Show me the funding ? The championship is a mess, everyone knows it and barring a handful of competitive games a year you might as well say good luck. BTW I don’t begrudge Dublin their win as they deserve it but don’t tell me there is a level playing field.
@colm buckley: we’ll done colm. Excellent comment
Donal Vaughan
@Hugh Jass: madness. Just madness
@Elma Phudd: Not the first player to have a rush of blood to the head, won’t be the last. His sending off isn’t the reason Mayo lost. Massive credit to Dublin!
@Hugh Jass: two yellows I thought. Ref bottled it. If the dub lad wasn’t on a yellow it would have just been two yellows.
@Michael Buckley: it’s not the only reason but it is definitely a big reason.
@Joshua Walsh: Vaughan’s was red all day. Interesting question is whether the ref would have sent off the Dublin player if Vaughan hadn’t intervened – to me, he should have, but the ref might have bottled it. Vaughan made it easy for the ref to give out two red cards.
@Joshua Walsh: third man in rule
@Hugh Jass: crazy decision, a free in with an extra man went to a hop ball with the same number of players. Mayo would have taken that point at the end not to mind having a spare player for the kick outs & general play. A major decision on his part & he had a second or two to think about it before he got to Small. He left the ref with an easy decision as he was giving Small a second yellow.
@Joshua Walsh: a blow to the head is a straight red card. Aidan O Shea had a one hundred percent black card not given too. You can’t blame the ref this time lads (or any other in my view but we won’t go there),
Hard luck today
Some achievement. Fair play to mayo they gave it a go unfortunately for them they came up against one of the best teams in recent memory
It’s more like the Joe McQuillan show again as usual. He is….without question….. The worst ref to ever take charge of a GAA game at any level
@James Doherty: yawn!
@James Doherty: don’t be silly, was his 3rd Final so he isnt as bad as u are making him out to be, everyone makes bad calls, players and management inc, Mayo lost bcos of Mayo, not the ref!
@James Doherty: Couldn’t agree more. A 16th man for the Dubs. Dublin goal was carrying, gave them a handy free when 2 of their players crashed into each other and there way that mayo player should have walked. But there you go probably sower grapes on my behalf.
@James Doherty: I was cheering for Mayo, but I thought McQuillan largely got it right. There was so much going on off the ball the whole game, it was impossible to ref really.
@James Doherty: you’re right, he had an absolute shocker and allowed Mayo away with murder time and again, but he wasn’t the reason either team won or lost.
@James Doherty: he did ok, it was a tough match to ref.
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: I’m stating as a neutral. He was horrible for both teams. Just saying
Dublin congrats. From a mayo man. We will be back. See ya next year.
@Jimmy Roughneen: I dread seeing Mayo next year Jimmy. That mayo team are bravehearts. Hard luck today
Dub here. Hard luck mayo. You were probably better on the day. Please though cut all the excuses and blames
@Ollie Watson: In fairness that was a clear cut penalty. Mayo have every reason to be aggrieved
@phil: initial contact outside the box there were frees given to mayo very softly too. Let’s be honest though decisions weren’t the difference today
@phil: No chance of penalty, initial contact outside the box.
Diarmuid Connolly worth his weight in gold.
Gutted for Mayo but Dublin fans should cherish their team and these days. They are winners.
99% were behind mayo feckin dubs
@rowan hill: Feckin Dubs. Let’s take the rest of Ireland and push it somewhere else.
@Shanahan: Where would all the culchies live and work then?
No one outside of Dublin will give credit where’s it’s due. The begrudgers will be out in force. This team has just won 3 in a row, you may not see a team do that for another 30 or 40 years. It’s an amazing achievement. So here’s what all the begrudgers can do, go f### yourselves!!! Up the Dubs!!!!! #HistoryMakers #ThreeInaRow
@Stephen Duggan: you might want to re-read most of the comments here.
@Stephen Duggan: playing at home is worth a few points
@Fracko: those sour grapes nice?
@TravellingTheWorld: no, the steroids all the Dublin team is on helps more!! Grow up!
@Fracko: you kind of have a point – i never struggled to get a ticket to a Dublin match throughout the 00s, but couldn’t get one for the last 3 finals….. however Dublin were filling croker for every game they played in the 90s and 00s, so talking about all fans being recent is clearly bull.
Also saw loadsa mayo fans around Drumcondra today who probably haven’t worn a shirt since last year’s final – bandwagons happen everywhere .
Heart breaks for Mayo
31 against 1. Somehow always manages to make us winning it year after year sweeter.
Nothing against Dublin but sickened for mayo
Winning without playing to their best. A great team. In fairness they have deserved the 3 in the row. Even when they went behind today you always knew they’d come back and win it.
@Danny Nash: I think they were at their best. Mayo played phenomenally and we had to be at our best
Great game, well done Dublin. Mayo should have had a penalty in fairness it was clearly inside the rectangle. May not have changed the result as Dublin had chances for goals after it but still.
@phil: not trying to kick you when your down Phil but the initial contact was outside by a bit
Fair play to Dubin they deserved their win today just about, but hard luck to Mayo.Dublin are making the biggest records today well done to them and by the look of it they will be around for another year at least.
Certainly not the best ever anyway.
@Ewan Scott: best Dublin team ever.
@O’David Dave: tbf at the moment I don’t think they are, not quite winning all Ireland’s like kk were in 00s, but as a measurement they are only two years away from history if they could do the drive for 5..
@Lad:Poor comparision surely it is easier beat a great football team than it is to beat a great hurling team any day.
@John Carroll: you literally couldn’t be more wrong.. the higher scoring game the more likely the chances of the better team winning, goes for every sport!
Congrats to the best team in Ireland in the last four decades at least, No stopping them, 4 in a row next year, Hope we meet Kerry, Hard luck Mayo, They gave everything.
@Ciarán:
If that Clifford guy goes senior we might be in with a chance next year.Well done Dublin, ye made heavy weather of it in the first half though.
@Ciarán: sorry but their not, kerry 8 alirelands and 4 in a row on the 80s. But if dublin win another 3 or 4 all Ireland’s then they are.
Thank F connelly didn’t score that final point..
Well done dublin..
@dangermouse: he won the free and made a big difference from the bench, the bench was the difference
@ktsiwot: spot on. Dublin had to change things after rhe first half and change quickly. It (just about) paid off.
@dangermouse: he’s scored the best point I’ve ever seen in an all Ireland final though
Poor old mayo again.. Closest yet today! So unlucky thought they least deserved a draw, but dublin dig in deep till the final whistle! Don’t know what Vaughan was thinking. Probably the losing of the game with the tackle on small! Maybe a potential penalty for mayo? Great final though
Was it ever going to end any different a championship final played in one of the county’s countys in which they play 99% of their championship games ..simple fact if this was in any other sport their would be uproar never mind the funding which is also farscial..even the dubs I know admit it’s a biased sport but que the deluded dubs who think I’m bitter by stating facts …
@Stevo02 Scofield:
Go away with your nonsense.
@Sandra Clifford:
My sentiments exactly.
@Sandra Clifford: stay classy.
@Sandra Clifford: Did you put one on bertie ?
@Con Murphy: Yeah great point you have defended my facts profusely the team should buy you a pint in coppers well done
@Stevo02 Scofield:
Let the bitterness and bullshit begin, maybe the county should be divided into 2 North south but if that happens then maybe they should do that to
Kilkenny/ Kerry/ any county that has won numerous championships. Utter bollix again from the vanquished. Try harder
@Stevo02 Scofield: I’ve never heard any English soccer club blame losing an fa cup final to a London club on the venue…
There won’t be a tourist milked in Temple Bar tonight.
@Paul O’Connor: as a celebration of the dubs achievement temple bar pints will under 7 euro for 70minutes only
So unlucky mayo
Mayo just don’t have the ruthless edge that Dublin showed , Mayo the superior team today but Dubs know how to win games
Speaking as a Dub it was 2 great teams going at it my nerves were gone
@GRONG: west brits the best gaa team this generation. id say that hurts.
@#WarPulev: ok pal stay off the glue . Refs win games too ya know …..
@#WarPulev: West Brits? How old are you? Something wrong with the British you racist sc**bag!!!! Sore loser!!
Was Alec Ferguson doing the time keeping?
@Daithí Uí Ciarmhaic: rock took an eternity to take that free, can’t get away with that
@Dave O’Hanlon: Clarke took an eternity to take the kick out before that. And Rock has to wait for the Mayo substitute Ger Cafferkey to come on before taking the free. Before I’m accused of bias, I’m from Tipp.
@Dave O’Hanlon: he didn’t get away with it. The referee played on for 2 and a half minutes after he scored!
One of the best displays of football that I’ve seen in both teams in a long time, was such a great game and a great nail biting final , hard luck Mayo. Well done Dublin
And Andy Moran was taken off because……….
Ba mhaith liom chomdeargas a dhéanamh go dtí foireann Athá Cliatha.
Oh ye poor aul fcukers Mayo, serious sympathy for em
A dub ,it could have gone either way ,Mayo were a great team and I almost feel sorry for them ,but ian still happy they didn’t win
jesus,only for vaughan losing the head mayo had it,clarkes going long on a vital kick out was unforgivable as well,have to hand it to the dubs though,ground it out.
Always the bridesmaids!
What I would suggest all the begrudgers do is probably morally wrong and physically impossible. Come on you boys in blue!!
Congratulations Dublin, great win. Kerry will be gunning for ye next year, with that David Clifford guy.
There’s moonlight in Mayo. Sam Maguire is in Dublin.
-7 steps Dublin goal
-Vaughan eejit
-Clear penalty for Mayo
-Oh & they’re cursed
Donal Vaughan won’t sleep well tonight, unlucky Mayo but Dublin just about deserved!!!
Touughshitsky or as they say in Spain El Tuffo
Fckn joke.
Mayo BADLY cheated
Stupidity of Vaughan cost Mayo as well as clear cut penalty denied
Would mayo have had free from point where Kilkenny committed black card offence feather than retake kick out
Well done Donal Vaughan, you cost your team the game with your stupidity
Kieran Donoghue must be laughing.
Poor auld Aidan O Shea misses out on another all Ireland medal. How many losers ones has he got now!
Stay with Kerry Star for another year and you could pick up winners medal.
Sickening
I’d like to dedicate the song Sonny by the Rubberbandits to all the Mayo fans.