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Dublin are kings of Leinster again after blitzing battling Westmeath

Dublin clinched another Leinster football crown with a 13-point win over Westmeath.

Dublin 2-13

Westmeath 0-6

– Niall Kelly reports from Croke Park

DUBLIN FLICKED A switch, killed the game, and clinched their 10th Leinster title in 11 seasons.

With two goals in one remarkable second-half minute. Bernard Brogan and Jack McCaffrey ensured that Westmeath’s chances were quite literally gone in 60 seconds.

The juggernaut rolls on — but not in the manner that the capital’s aristocrats might have expected. For 40 minutes, the bookies’ odds of 1/500 on a Dublin win looked well wide of the mark. With a performance that was as disciplined as it was determined, Westmeath made sure of that.

It led to a game that was an absorbing tactical battle, in the first half at least, rather than the swashbuckling displays of showmanship that we’ve seen from Dublin to this point.

It was the toughest test of their All-Ireland credentials to date and for that, Westmeath deserve credit. Longford and Kildare trailed the Dubs by 12 and 13 points respectively at half-time; Tom Cribbin’s tactics, diligently applied by his players, ensured that Westmeath were within four points at the break, 0-8 to 0-4.

But when you’re good, you’re good and Dublin have a nose for blood and a killer instinct that very few others can match. They reeled off 2-1 in the blink of an eye after the restart and, just like that, the gap had grown from four laced with possibility to an insurmountable 11.

Paul Flynn wheeled away from Paul Greville and fisted the ball to the back post where Brogan held off the attention of his marker to palm the ball past Darren Quinn.

Play had hardly restarted when McCaffrey burst through on goal and finished with the composure that is rapidly becoming his calling card.

Jack McCaffrey celebrates scoring his side's second goal McCaffrey celebrates Dublin's second goal. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The nerves that were beginning to roll down off Hill 16 quickly dissipated, and the game soon fizzled out — in fact, there were only four scores in the final 28 minutes of play. Dublin set their sights on an All-Ireland quarter-final; Westmeath began to plan for a Round 4 qualifier and their own shot at a place in the last eight.

Much of the pre-match analysis focused on Westmeath’s approach, and their first-half tactics were a masterclass in how to rein in the Dubs. With 13 men behind the ball, a sea of maroon met every attack, but this was no mere numbers game.

Westmeath were clever in their attempts to shut down the attacking channels and in the face of the pressure, Dublin’s typically slick attacking lost some of its sheen. It was 28 minutes before Diarmuid Connolly pointed — the first of their forwards to score from play.

The attacking machine that was so irresistible against both Longford and Kildare began to falter with nobody immune from the unforced errors. Bernard Brogan allowed a simple kick pass to bounce off his chest and harmlessly away. Paul Flynn handpassed the ball straight into touch as well as kicking a few cheap wides, while Dean Rock and Ciaran Kilkenny were wasteful at times as well.

Bernard Brogan celebrates with the trophy Bernard Brogan presents the Delaney Cup to the Hill. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Often it was the direct route that proved most fruitful for Dublin and on two separate occasions, Michael Darragh Macauley and Kilkenny powered their way up the middle through Westmeath tackles before pointing.

With a bit more composure Westmeath could have, and should have, been even closer at half-time. John Heslin and Shane Dempsey were isolated inside for long spells of the first half and when play did break into Dublin territory, they were limited to pot shots from distance under pressure.

It was hardly surprising, then, to see them drop at least half a dozen shots short into Stephen Cluxton’s grateful grasp in that first half. They were held scoreless for 24 minutes between two Heslin frees, the opening score of the game in the second minute and another in the 26th.

Cribbin pushed Kieran Martin into the edge of the square and when he finally found himself one-on-one against Cian O’Sullivan, he made it count. There were shades of the torrid afternoon he gave Donal Keogan here a fortnight ago as he twisted one way and then the other to point and cut the gap to three again.

Kilkenny kicked his second of the half to send the Dubs into the break four to the good, 0-8 to 0-4.

And when the game restarted, they put their opponents to sword. Connolly kicked a delicious pair of points off the outside of his right boot, bookending the two Dublin goals with a sole point from Martin the only Westmeath riposte.

Not even the purists could find much entertainment in a lifeless final quarter, though Dublin did save two of their finest scores for last. Connolly arrowed a magnificent cross-field ball straight on to the chest of Kilkenny, who gladly knocked over his third of the afternoon while Bernard Brogan showed remarkable awareness to point over his shoulder after he lost balance.

Scorers for Dublin: Bernard Brogan 1-1, Jack McCaffrey 1-0, Ciaran Kilkenny, Diarmuid Connolly 0-3 each, Dean Rock 0-2 (2f), Philip McMahon, James McCarthy, Michael Darragh Macauley, Alan Brogan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Westmeath: John Heslin 0-3 (2f), Kieran Martin 0-2, Francis Boyle 0-1.

Dublin

1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnell’s)

2. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
3. Rory O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)

5. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)

8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

10. Paul Flynn (Fingallians)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
12. Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent’s)

13. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Kevin McManamon (St Jude’s)
15. Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh)

Substitutions:

23. Michael Fitzsimons for Cooper (HT)
17. Paddy Andrews for McManamon (47)
18. Denis Bastick for Macauley (51)
20. Alan Brogan for Rock (55)
26. John Small for McMahon (61)
19. Tomás Brady for Connolly (65)

Westmeath

1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)

2. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. John Gilligan (Ballymore)

5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)

8. Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)
17. Frank Boyle (Killucan)

10. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass, capt.)
11. Paul Sharry (St Loman’s)
12. Ray Connellan (Athlone)

24. David Lynch (St. Malachy’s)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)

Substitutions:

23. Paul Greville for J Connellan (HT)
20. Ciarain Galvin for Dempsey (HT)
25. Callum McCormack for R Connellan (52)
21. Denis Glennon for Holloway (53)
18. John Egan for Heslin (62)
22. Jamie Gonoud for McCormack (64)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

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64 Comments
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    Mute Graham Murphy
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    May 18th 2015, 3:51 PM

    Norman Whiteside wasn’t 17 in 1985, unless he played in the 82 world cup when he was 14!

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    May 18th 2015, 4:00 PM

    Cheers Graham,

    I obviously got Norman Whiteside and Freddy Adu mixed up!

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    Mute N O hUallaigh
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    May 18th 2015, 4:22 PM

    That 1970 match description is class.. “neutralised”

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    Mute Jon Walters
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    May 18th 2015, 4:29 PM

    Your a gas man, Will

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    Mute Manus Boyce
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    May 18th 2015, 3:46 PM

    Wouldn’t consider that tackle to be a straight red nowadays, probably borderline. Back then….not even close, yellow at worst

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    Mute Eamonn Maloney
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    May 18th 2015, 4:12 PM

    Miss timed is all it was.I remember watching that game and being shocked when he was sent off.Disagree that it was on any way cynical, there isn’t a cynical bone in Kevin Moran’s body.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    May 19th 2015, 2:10 PM

    Yeah, definitely mis-timed. I blame Reid for having legs!

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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    May 18th 2015, 3:54 PM

    How times have changed…. You did not see Everton players swarm the ref demanding a red, Man U players were in shock….. Rightly so too, you saw these tackles every week and you got on with it…. Its a sending off and a media circus today, but back then it was, ummm football….. Tackles are expected, and was rarely ever cynical…….

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    May 18th 2015, 4:10 PM

    Spot on Graham, sure even Peter Reid protested to the ref on behalf on Moran…..very rare you will see that nowadays.

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    Mute John Fitzpatrick
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    May 18th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Peter Reid actually begged the referee not to send Moran off. Frank Stapleton reverted to emergency centre half and had a stormer. Peter Willis was the referee and it was his last ever match to officiate. He was looking to make a name for himself. Years later the F.A. Stopped referees officiating in their last ever match in the cup finals.

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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    May 18th 2015, 6:33 PM

    ‘With United down to 10, Everton took them to extra-time’, shouldn’t that be United took Everton to extra-time as the Toffees were just crowned league champions you know.

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    Mute Spoddgy
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    May 19th 2015, 6:04 AM

    Also had more league titles than United! And had just won the cup winners cup beforehand!

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    Mute David Higginbotham
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    May 18th 2015, 6:52 PM

    Moran’s wasn’t allowed receive a winners medal that day either .

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    Mute Graham Ross
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    May 18th 2015, 4:39 PM

    Forget the tackle. He’d get 6 months now for pulling & dragging out of the ref in protesting his innocence! Although he didn’t quite get to Di Canio levels…

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    Mute Colm Kelly
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    May 18th 2015, 4:32 PM

    Unusually it was an intercept of Paul McGraths pass that led to Kevin having to make the lunge.

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    Mute Andrew Logue
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    May 18th 2015, 5:34 PM

    Suberb tackle won the ball cleanly. Football is being destroyed these days by cheating, diving and every second tackle being either a yellow or red. Games these days are often decided by which team has a player sent off its a complete joke

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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    May 18th 2015, 7:30 PM

    Lol, everyone had common sense comments today till that…. Thought we might have a good thread…..

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    Mute David Carino
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    May 18th 2015, 3:48 PM

    Badly timed don’t think tackles back then were cynical or malicious as they are today .

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    Mute dontletitslip
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    May 18th 2015, 5:34 PM

    A proper challenge that! :D

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    Mute Goldberg
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    May 18th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Big Ron would have referred to the tackle as a ‘reducer’

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    Mute Carlos Bandanas
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    May 18th 2015, 10:48 PM

    This may be an urban myth and I am well open to correction but is it true that the first person to be sent off in the FA Cup final (Kevin Moran) and the first player to be sent off in the Premier League (Niall Quinn) both went to the same school (Drimnagh castle)??

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    Mute mark
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    May 18th 2015, 9:53 PM

    If memory serves me, I was seven at the time, kevin Moran didnt get a winners medal on the day after his red card. He only received it after a campaign on his behalf.

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    Mute Mick Rooney (TIPM)
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    May 18th 2015, 11:53 PM

    Bit misleading. Why would you be considered the most cynical player in FA Cup Final history just because you were the first to be sent off in one? Moran was a tough ‘no prisoners’ player, but he was never cynical in his playing days.

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    Mute breandan
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    May 19th 2015, 3:35 AM

    If it was today Reid would be gone for simulation…

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    Mute Peter Clarke
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    May 19th 2015, 8:54 AM

    Most cynical ever? The writer obviously doesn’t remember Willie Young in 1980! Only a yellow too. I think that was the tackle that prompted the introduction of the straight red for a professional foul.

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    Mute Donal Ring
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    May 19th 2015, 6:09 PM

    Good article Will, still very few being sent off in big games- Lehmens in 06 CL final, Reyes in 05 FA cup final-can’t think of any others. A few in World cup finals- two Argentinians in 1990, Desailly, Heitinga

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