How’s tricks, all? Gavan Casey here, and I’ll be taking you through this evening’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final replay between Dublin and Kerry. Stick with us if you can’t make it to Croker or to a TV or radio for whatever reason — we’ll have minute-by-minute updates over the course of the game.
You can also turn on notifications for ‘Important Events’ — i.e. goals, red/black cards, etc — above.
Well, here we go again.
We’ll have team news and more build-up shortly, but for now, who do ye fancy?
Poll Results:
She’s looking well…
These will make great souvenirs for one set of supporters this evening… We just don’t know which one yet!
Both teams have made one change to their previously named starting lineups. In a real curveball, Peter Keane has replaced captain Gavin White with Diarmuid O’Connor.
For Jim Gavin’s side, Eoin Murchan comes in for MDMA.
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton
2. David Byrne
3. Michael Fitzsimons
4. Jonny Cooper
5. Jack McCaffrey
6. James McCarthy
7. John Small
8. Brian Fenton
24. Eoin Murchan
10. Niall Scully
11. Ciaran Kilkenny
12. Brian Howard
13. Paul Mannion
14. Con O’Callaghan
15. Dean Rock
Subs
16. Evan Comerford
17. Paddy Andrews
18. Bernard Brogan
19. Diarmuid Connolly
20. Cormac Costello
21. Eric Lowndes
22. Philly McMahon
23. Kevin McManamon
9. Michael Darragh MacAuley
25. Cian O’Sullivan
26. Paddy Small
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
3. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
4. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
6. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe)
7. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
8. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahilly’s)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
23. Diarmuid O’Connor
11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare)
12. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
13. David Clifford (Fossa)
14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. Adrian Spillane (Templenoe)
Subs
16. Brian Kelly
17. Shane Enright
18. Killian Spillane
19. Jack Sherwood
20. Dara Moynihan
21. Tommy Walsh
22. Jonathan Lyne
10. Gavin White
24. Mark Griffin
25. Killian Young
26. James O’Donoghue
We’re on the run-in…
Worth noting: if it ends in a draw again today, there will be two 10-minute halves of extra-time, and then… Another replay.
Paul Murphy is Kerry captain in White’s absence. Dublin win the toss and will play toward Hill 16 for the first half, into the Davin for the second.
Amhrán na bhFiann draws to its conclusion.
Game on!
Con O’Callaghan swings one over with his left foot after mere seconds, and the Dubs are off the mark in the All-Ireland final.
After a minute and 25, Murchan drives on and lobs a handpass to Kilkenny, who repeats the trick off his left. Two attacks, two points.
Oh, what a point by Paul Mannion! He fires one over off his left from all of 50 yards, and the Hill erupts. Blistering start, Dubs on top early doors.
David Moran booms a free in towards the square, but Paul Geaney loses out to Cluxton and Dublin come away with it. Down the other end, Con O’Callaghan cuts inside from the left and feeds Kilkenny who taps one over off his right. Champions on fire.
Again, Geaney is beaten to a high ball by Cluxton — and was also well shepherded by his marker David Byrne — and again Dublin are on the attack within seconds.
This one, however, slows down, and Gavin’s men now have possession around the Kerry 45′. No rush, no hurry. Out to Mannion. His shot comes back down from the stratosphere and drops…over the bar!
Dublin’s first ‘miss’ as O’Callaghan drops one short into Shane Ryan’s hands.
Kerry, though, have had a miserable opening nine minutes, and their counter-attack breaks down as a loose pass goes out over the endline.
Dublin fail to capitalise as Jonny Cooper gets into nosebleed territory and mishits a pass towards Con.
Kerry, now, in possession around midfield. It might be worth slowing things down from their perspective, and just having a look. They’ve been hit by a blizzard in the opening 10 minutes.
Eventually, Kerry fashion a decent chance and narrow the gap to three! Brian Ó Beaglaoich meanders toward the Dublin goal and is taken down — no foul — but recovers well to tee up Geaney. The oncoming forward shoots for goal but puts it well over the bar. Nice move by The Kingdom. Let’s see if it can settle them.
David Clifford narrows the gap further, popping one over from close range off his right. Hill incensed as they felt Kilkenny had been fouled the other end — it looked like they had a point.
O’Callaghan, however, responds with a strong burst towards goal and a fine point off his left. 0-6 to 0-3.
Another really patient build-up by the Dubs and David Byrne cuts through the middle to fire over only his second-ever championship point. Nearly every attack from Dublin has been fruitful.
Adrian Spillane with a really excellent score, swashbuckling and swinging one over from centre-right.
Seconds later, Clifford is given too much space and curls one over off his left.
The pace to this game is insane. Me fingers!!! Also: 12 scores so far, only one free!
Byrne has a pass cut out by Stephen O’Brien whose counter is halted illegally by McCaffrey.
From the resulting free, it’s Kerry this time who go with a more patient approach, passing tentatively around midfield.
Eventually, Sean O’Shea finds Clifford, who produces a wonderful finish off his right. Superb point. Dublin-esque!
A phenomenal point by Kilkenny, his third, who runs out left, then cuts back in on his right and drops one over. The accuracy from both teams so far has been beyond belief.
Down the other end, the Kerry half-forward line combine well to tee up Geaney, and he fires one over on the run. Another high-calibre score.
0-8 to 0-7 in Dublin’s favour. What a start!
We’ve got ourselves another good one.
Conor Lane gives a good advantage as O’Callaghan is pulled an hauled by the Kerry defence. O’Callaghan lashes over off his left.
Wow! McCaffrey runs into traffic up one end, and Kerry burst forward through Clifford, Ó Beaglaoich and Morley. Huge goal opportunity for Kerry but a cynical foul — I think by O’Callaghan who had tracked back — gets only a ticking off in Conor Lane’s notebook.
If that’s not a black card, what’s the point in black cards?
O’Shea taps over the free, and the Dubs reply down the other end moments later.
Breathless stuff.
It was actually Michael Fitzsimons who got the tick, not O’Callaghan who did the dragging down. Woeful umpiring letting Lane down, there.
Mannion has a shot from the near the right-hand touchline which drops into Ryan’s hands again. Kerry break through David Moran who feeds the rampaging Stephen O’Brien, and bang! Superb shoulder by Fitzsimons, who cleans him out.
Three minutes of stoppage time, into the first of them now.
Miscalculated pass by Kilkenny and Kerry transition from defence into attack with the blink of an eye. It’s Paul Geaney who bangs over a huge score and the teams are level!
It looks like Jack McCaffrey has picked up a bit of a knock, here, near midfield. We’ll keep you posted on that one. Ó Beaglaoich has picked up the first card of the game as well — it may have been for a challenge on McCaffrey put I missed it. Apologies! You’d need a second liveblogger with the pace of this game.
There was also a moment a minute or two before Kerry’s equalising point in which O’Callaghan seemed to be fouled in the air. Dublin fans aggrieved — probably thinking of the Kerry penalty in the first final for a similar-enough challenge by Cooper on Clifford. Boos at half-time, but probably from both sets of fans given O’Callaghan was lucky to escape a card for his defensive foul earlier.
In truth, Conor Lane has had a fine game. He’s let plenty go, but it has added to the spectacle.
Have seen a few of you in the comments section with complaints about the scoreboard not updating. The live score at the top of the article seems to be working okay here, and on my phone as well. But just in case it’s not updating for a few of you, I’ll include the current score at the start of every post in the second half. Cheers, all.
GOOOOALLLL! Dublin 1-10 Kerry 0-10: OHHH WHAT A GOAL BY EOIN MURCHAN! Straight from throw-in at the start of the second half, he steamrolls all the way toward the Kerry goal, and finishes superbly into the right-hand corner past Ryan. Stunning, stunning goal!
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 0-10: Con slots one over shortly afterwards.
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 1-11: By the way, Jack McCaffrey hasn’t come out for the second half. On in his place is Diarmuid Connolly. Looks like Brian Howard will drop back.
Clifford strikes for Kerry with a lovely point.
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 0-12: Geaney measures one beautifully from a tight angle on the right-hand side.
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 0-12: Paul Mannion with Dublin’s first wide after 43 minutes. Kerry notched their fifth shortly beforehand when Tom O’Sullivan was inches away off his left.
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 0-13: Sean O’Shea with a boom-missile, and we have a one-point game again!
Dublin 1-12 Kerry 0-13: Ah, a marvellous score by Kilkenny. What a pass by Connolly, who drills it into Kilkenny’s chest from 40-odd yards way. Great take. Over the bar.
Dublin 1-12 Kerry 0-13: Paul Murphy down with a hamstring problem but looks like he’ll try to walk it off. Killian Spillane, a hero two weeks ago, is about to make his entry.
Dublin 1-12 Kerry 0-13: They’re mad about each other, these lads.
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 0-13: Dublin with that long, patient build-up again, frustrating Kerry who don’t seem all that keen to commit to any challenges that might open up space around them. Dublin have had the ball for over a minute. A few boos, now, from the Kerry fans.
Finally, Paul Mannion notches his third point after being fed by Brian Fenton. Three-point lead for Dublin.
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 0-13: Super block down by Kilkenny and then, down the other end, Connolly fires wide off his left.
Jack Sherwood and Gavin White on for The Kingdom.
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 0-13: Chance for Kerry! Stephen O’Brien with a stong, mazy run but his shot from point-blank range is turned away by Cluxton. He kind of ran out of space ever so slightly towards the end of his run, but a good stop nonetheless.
Dublin 1-14 Kerry 0-13: Mannion makes and angle and bags a perfect score off his left. Kerry have hung tough, but will this be the period in which the Dubs turn the screw?
Dublin 1-14 Kerry 0-14: I don’t think Killian Spillane actually came on, by the way.
Clifford gets his fifth, this one a free. Back to three points.
Dublin 1-15 Kerry 0-14: Sublime pass by Connolly sets up a real goal chance for Niall Scully, but he blazes over. Lead is back out to four.
Down the other end, Geaney has a poor miss. That could be a little swing moment in this game. Cormac Costello on for Niall Scully, whose last involvement was that point.
Dublin 1-15 Kerry 0-14: Paul Murphy’s race is run. Killian Spillane is finally on.
Dublin 1-15 Kerry 0-14: Tommy Walsh has come on as well for Kerry. Made quite the impact the last day. Jack Barry kicks another wide for Kerry, whose challenge is at a crucial juncture now. They may be running out of steam ever so slightly.
Dublin 1-16 Kerry 0-15: James McCarthy adds to Dublin’s advantage with a fine score from the right-hand side. Sean O’Shea battles hard to reply for Kerry after a pass inside by Geaney.
Dublin 1-16 Kerry 0-15: Poor wide by Moran. Too many chances going astray for Kerry — nine wides now. They’ve lost their composure.
James O’Donoghue on now for Jack Barry.
Dublin 1-16 Kerry 0-15: Yellow for Clifford who pulls on a loose ball and catches Fenton. This came from a loose pass by Geaney who was trying to forge a goal chance for Kerry. The Dubs are edging closer…
Dublin 1-17 Kerry 0-15: McManamon feeds Dean Rock, and over it goes again! Lovely score. The lead is five!
Dublin 1-17 Kerry 0-15: This could be the moment…
Dublin 1-17 Kerry 0-15: McManamon misses wide left, unusually, but Kerry look like they’re out of steam. We’re 90 seconds into five minutes of added time.
Dublin 1-18 Kerry 0-15: SUPERB double save by Shane Ryan who denies Connolly’s drive, and then O’Callaghan’s attempted chip.
But from the resulting 45′, Dean Rock sticks a fork in it. A beauty! Six points the margin.
Dublin 1-18 Kerry 0-15:Kerry actually fashion a late goal chance with a few Hail Mary passes, but Stephen O’Brien fly-hacks it wide with bodies everywhere.
Drink it in, Dublin!
Five.
In.
A.
Row.
Three teams in the past have come close, but Jim Gavin’s Dubs have made history.
One suspects they’ll see plenty more of that Kerry team in the coming years, but today is about Dublin and their piece of history.
Thanks for joining us, folks. Keep an eye on The42 for a full report and reaction from Croke Park.
If it was a tennis player he’d be back in action in about 18 months
@Catherine Sims:
If he was Russian he’d be back last week.
@Catherine Sims: if he was Russian he’d be…. well get away with it
@David Sinclair: Yeah – like there is no sportsmen banned from Russia. Did you slept last 10 years people ???
As soon as Billy Walsh left the Irish boxing team went down the tubes. It’s rare that one man can make such a difference but the display in the Olympics together with this, shows how badly needed was.
@prop joe: lol you haven’t a clue do you Joe
@Gareth: yeah, they are doing so well without him.
@prop joe: that’s harsh man on the years of effort the boxers put in. Obviously him leaving under the circumstances, but the circumstances and scrutiny on the team leading up to the Olympics just days before had a collective effect on the team, particularly Joe ward and Katie’s performances. And slagging them now is disingenuous and ignorant.
Sometimes I wonder how many sports stars, if any, have an operation like Lance Armstrong did where they aren’t being caught because of it. It seems to happen in the UFC and tennis, I wonder about football and rugby etc
@happy: definitely in football. But because there is such interest and money in the sport, they will never get done. You just have to shake your head and wonder why there were over 70 redacted names in the Operation Puerto case. A few cyclists names came out of the report because it was round the time of the Armstrong case. Then all of a sudden they froze every other name in the report, even though they physically still have the blood samples.
Not to mention around those years Spain win the Euro’s, and the World Cup, Real Madrid and Barcelona are the top teams in the world and Nadal was winning everything under the sun in tennis, and then suddenly he had a massive knee injury and is out for up to a year as the case is going through the media. Hmmm funny that.
@Jonathan Nolan: funny that a case that led to arrests in 2006 could lead you to thinking that it is related to European championship wins in 2010 and 2014 , World Cup win in 2012 and a dozen Grand Slam wins by Nadal in 2009 to 2017 . No positives ever received in 1000s of tests .
Nadal won his libel case against the French sports minister , and would win it against you too .
Is this also in his culture ?
@chinaski: We have greatest culture in the world – there is no second country so “agreeable” like us. We let our “allies” to rip us off, to use our lands, sea, airports, banks, we do whatever they want. How dare they to ban our sportsmen like that so ?!
Spent a year and a half dragging the arse out of it like all the cheats do.
@Shane Gleeson: slime
In the interest of equality, everyone athlete should take drugs, just to level the playing field.
4 years is a disgrace !!! Hope it doesn’t run him out the sport for good cause he’s 1 of the most talented boxers we’ve ever seen in Ireland.
@AL Thornton: Do the crime do the time, A drugs cheat , disgraced the country.
@AL Thornton: I know very little about this sport I do know if it’s proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the doping happened no matter it’s in China Russia or this Country then they should be gone. Reading some of the comments here you would think he took a packet of sweets.
@AL Thornton: your right it is a disgrace alright.
It should be life. 4 years backdated? Not enough. Cheats out.
@Samuel Karl Toland:
Who Supplies them with Drugs….
@AL Thornton: Hopefully it does run him out of the sport. That’s surely the only way to say good riddance to drugs cheats like him. 4 years is pittance.
@Mike: I’m all for banning cheats but there isn’t the same sanctions for cheats across all sports and all countries. It there was more uniformity around bans people wouldn’t be complaining. The fact is though he gets 4 years because he’s not a Russian or a wealthy well known tennis player. Bans should be for all cheats.
@AL Thornton: it should be a life ban.
@Gerry Murphy: as far as I know he took a protein shake from a pal at his boxing club but never checked with the Irish set up if the shake was ok for him to take. There was a small trace of a banned substance in it but it’s wasn’t performance enhancement
@AL Thornton: talent shouldn’t need drugs
@billy Dorney: But it needs supplements!
@AL Thornton: you’re naive
@Catherine Sims: In a perfect world, there would be uniformity in terms of sanctions against drugs cheats. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. It doesn’t mean that we can or should go easy on our cheats just because the Russians (who have zero credibility as a result) run a doping programme. We’re either for or against drugs in sport, it’s black or white.
What a shame…
Idiot. Should never be allowed play again.
@Sean Dilligan: does one play boxing?
@Minom Pnnomm: it’s a game and he plays it
@Alison Maguire: does one play boxing??
@Paul Reid: he plays a sports game called boxing
Dope