TODAY IN CROKE Park, we saw not only the game of the 2016 season but one of the greatest games in recent times.
It was as good as I’ve ever seen, up there with classics like the 2013 semi-final between these counties and that great Tyrone-Armagh match in 2005. Neutrals wouldn’t have complained if Kerry drew level at the finish and we got a second instalment next Saturday. It was a genuine classic.
Before the match I felt Dublin would win it but I was expecting a big Kerry challenge. People talked about how damaging the league final losses was but they’d plenty time since then to recover. It was crazy to write them off.
Kerry are used to peaking at this time of the season and they showed that today. They were immense. It was all the more impressive given how the first-half unfolded considering it took Kerry 14 minutes to get a score.
But then they got a new lease of life and were really energised after the first goal, which came for a really bad error by Stephen Cluxton. Then the call went Kerry’s way for the second goal. At the time I felt it was very hard to judge as the ball was in mid air but to be fair the umpire had a great view of it and he was adamant in making the decision. He never doubted himself and wasn’t swayed by Dublin players protesting. It was a good piece of work by the official.
Dublin had started so well yet there they were trailing at half-time. Even when they came at Kerry in the second-half, they didn’t go ahead and when Paul Murphy put Kerry three up with nin minutes left, I thought it was a significant advantage in such a tight game.
If they could have got another point and pushed four clear, they’d probably have won it. But Dublin had that greater fluency in attack in the last few minutes, Kerry were a bit more laboured. I felt Dublin got a little more out of their substitutes, the running of Paul Mannion and Paddy Andrews unsettled Kerry. Dublin just had that extra pep in their step to get over the line.
Still it was fine margins at the end. The decision not to give a free to Peter Crowley after the challenge by Kevin McManamon was a really big call. If the free had been given, it was in great territory for Bryan Sheehan to step up to it and try to level it.
I saw Mikey Sheehy giving out to the referee after, that’s not something you see too often. It showed how pivotal a decision it was. Kerry were incensed. Another one that looked to have gone against Kerry was when Paul Murphy was penalised late on for a free when I didn’t think he’d touched the ball on the ground. It was a harsh call.
You have to give Dublin huge credit of course. It was a major test for them and a position they hadn’t been in for a while. To come back and still claim victory took serious character. Eoghan O’Gara came on and kicked a great score.
For me two great Dublin leaders shone in the finale – Diarmuid Connolly and Kevin McManamon. There was no shying away by them, they kept going. Connolly missed a couple of shots but showed that he has huge belief in himself by kicking that last one. You need leaders during tough times in games and Dublin have them in abundance.
Dean Rock as well was superb. 0-12 in All-Ireland semi-final is savage kicking. He only missed one, nailed some really big kicks including a couple of 45’s. He was immense in landing pressure kicks in a tight game against one of the best teams in the country.
At the other end, Paul Geaney was really good for Kerry in attack. Taking him off seemed a strange one. He might not have been on much ball in the second-half but always made something happen. Kerry needed some outlet in the full-forward line late on after committing a lot of bodies back. I felt Geaney would have provided that.
This defeat will hurt Kerry. They proved that when they come to Croke Park on these big days, they are a different animal but to lose after that performance is painful. I noticed Kieran Donaghy coming back out on the pitch after with his daughter, while Marc Ó Sé and Aidan O’Mahony stayed on a little longer after the final whistle. These guys are huge players in Kerry and legends of the game nationally.
They’ve a lot of mileage in the legs alright. Emotions will be running high this week, they’ll need to go away and figure out over the winter if they’ll come back again in 2017. I imagine it’s a similar decision for Eamonn Fitzmaurice. He might not have beaten Dublin but I think he’s still a fantastic manager. Their minor side showed again today that there’s a conveyor belt of talent coming through in Kerry.
I’d love to see Fitzmaurice back, I think he’s a great tactical mind and carries himself brilliant. He was very smart not to make any comments about the referee afterwards. He’s so gracious in defeat and today summed him up.
Looking ahead to the final, Dublin are definitely in pole position when you look at the form of both teams. Mayo haven’t impressed, they were beaten in Connacht, while since then they’ve performed in fits and starts.
It might suit them though having that build-up. I previously felt with Mayo, that they were accustomed to winning brilliant semi-finals, and then couldn’t get to those heights again in the final. Physically they are in superb shape and will be able to match Dublin in that department. But right now I feel that Dublin will be celebrating on 18 September.
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Great game played by two great teams
Good…Ross. Great doesn’t come into it.
I’d like to see Dublin play Kerry in Fitzgerald stadium. That would be a match.
The dubs would love to stuff you in your own kippy stadiums.
@jenni – Where is that ‘Stadium’ – Is it enclosed in a tent, like the ‘dome’.
Like Parnell Park ?
Rubbish followed by sheep. Bahhhhh
Aren’t they growing cabbages on that pitch now?
Fitzgerald beaters Croke park everyday of the week for match day
Great game, fantastic occasion. All that makes the Gaa special on show including Connolly checking on Crowley after the hit. Didn’t think it was a free at the time and ref has just a split second to decide. Very proud of Kerry today, gave it their absolute all but hats off to Dublin, they deserved it and are an excellent footballing team.
If there was a replay Dublin would win well…no way they would gift Kerry two goals like that again
We’re Kerry immense though? They were gifted 2 goals and lost the second half by seven points. They kicked the game away really. Very poor in possession in the final third. That game was there for them. Do they have the bottle to beat Dublin?
To be honest I don’t think the game was there for them. It was close, but Dublin were that bit better all over the field.
Just walking home, have to say some of the Dublin supporters are in a right state not friendly at all. Very sad to see after their win today but it’s not worth it if they let them selves down. Vomit and fighting on the streets. V sad.
Love people who post waffle for effect and fish for thumbs up! Entertaining to say the least.
Airen not waffle. Dublin had a good win and nobody can take away from it. I am just pointing out what I saw.
Get out more, Aideen…(for entertainment).
Get out more? Like to Croke Park to see your team qualify for another All Ireland Final? Don’t worry. I was there. Thanks for your concern though.
Hope you weren’t drinking and fighting
This is obviously made up rubbish by a troll.
This isn’t, unfortunately:
http://www.the42.ie/kerry-dublin-referee-objects-thrown-2952728-Aug2016/
Had a few drinks alright. Be rude not to.Didn’t throw programmes or bottles at a referee either, you know like those ‘friendly’ Kerry fans.
thats how the dubs do it…get plastered or high… and thats after a semi final. well hope they enjoy it, they didnt deserve to get into the final..hope they’re whooped. Lets see how the capitals finest deal with that ( probably drag us down as low as mexico).
Yeah no culchie ever came to Dublin and pissed on any one’s door step. Every year we gladly roll out the red carpet and there is always some whinger who wants to rubbish one of the friendliest cities in the world. Go home, you lost.
Didn’t deserve to get the the final? Hahaha! Maybe if you scored more than 6 points in the 2nd half you might be there yourself jenni. Ever consider that?? Or can you not fathom that you’re just not good enough??
emily..are you saying dublin is one of the friendliest cities ” in the world”? its may be friendly to many, but not to its Irish compatriots. Yous are rude, expensive and egotistical, and thats from an Irish citizen. Maybe we should start thinking about moving the Capital (like Australia) so the important people are in one place while the wannabe dubliners can be in dublin.
Jenni, we get it, you hate Dublin because you are jealous because where you live is so shit. By every measure Dublin is full of lovely people and great things to do. You just don’t see it because you are too bitter.
Sounds like any evening in the centre of Dublin, are you sure they were match goers?
@michael cahill. well done to the dublin team, not my point though..seems like their supporters are letting them down .
I csn assure you Emily, I am in now way jealous. you can have the capital and all its problems, I’d much prefer the rest of the country. Beautiful, scenic, historic and cultural. You couldnt find a better country. (but sure you stay in dublin..probably better for you). oh and by the by..i’m a dubliner.
Sure you are. I call b*llshit.Why did you comment ‘YOUS are rude, expensive and egotistical’ if you’re a Dub?
‘well hope THEY enjoy it’. ‘Hope THEY’RE whooped’. Thought you were a Dub jenni?
ah f off ciara..the dublin team are what I watch and support. their supporters spewing vomit and whatever else all around town I have no time for. If you are proud of those particular supporters then thats your decision. oh and I’d still like to see Dublin play outside of Croke Park for a final..no way they’d get through.
Jenni, you may or may not be a dub but you are definitely a Gob shite.
Well at least we didn’t abuse the ref & assault him with ‘objects’. Disgusting behaviour.
‘they didn’t deserve to get to the final’. Haha thats some serious ‘support’ you give d team!! ‘their supporters’ is it not ‘our supporters’ considering your a Dub jenni?
‘the Dublin team are what I watch and support’. Would they be d same team u hope get ‘whooped’ in d final?
‘Compatriots’ + ‘Moving Capital like Australia’ – Will ya get a grip Jenni, with the block. Outside Diblin is a Shitehole – most muckers will acknowledge that. ‘FRIENDLY’ – All ya’s culchies want is the money from Dublin – 2Faced at Best Yas are.
Stop feeding fuel to Jenni he/she is a troll.
Up the Dubs.
Culchies should need visas to come to Dublin. Or maybe we can build a wall to keep them out and see how long they can keep the bread on the table.
Think somebody has an inferiority complex… UP THE DUBS!!!
That is some shite your talking Harry were do yea think the ingredients come from to make the bread pigeon dropping get a grip lad will yea. It’s something a five year old would say and the sad thing about it I bet you were laughing to yourself while typing it thinking it was the best comment since slice bread.
Oh rochella. Big brother is watching. My text was not allowed to go through . Fill in the lab Blanks your only a cxxt
Your job here is to upset people. Your a troll . A mixed up person that does not know what side your on. INFORMER. I’ve read your comments over the week and your nothing but an upstart. Trouble maker. Do you read those words in caps. That’s what you are in another life. Hide being those keys your pressing
Your a mixed up fxxxxxg troll rochella
Typical violent Dublin on show yet again today. That Connolly fella should have a life time ban. That ref Gough was a disgrace. Dublin bias at its best
#adublingaafan
I did laugh reading that… good on ya!
Ah lad its a long way back to Kerry. Hope you enjoyed your day out in the Capital. #Dublin4Sam
Lmfao
Haha Ah Rochelle. Never fails to entertain!
Good point – the GAA drug issue continues to be ignored! ‘It doesn’t exist’ – like so many things that could never happen in Ireland, but did…
Haha – I’d say it’s just Dublin players on steroids, right
No clue.
Well, in my GAA club – near Dublin – drugs are freely available, and the committee just turns a blind eye. They don’t want the good guys to concentrate on soccer.
So not in Dublin then?
Yes. 5 miles from the Spire…
@Dotice, Is that where you get your yokes?
I think anyone who reads Dotrice’s comments needs to realise that he is a major anti-GAA troll who makes up complete lies about everyone and everything related to GAA to suit his agenda, he’s a sad sad person.
29, lies and dislikes the truth. Does he know how many Croke Park players were drug tested today, after the game?
ZERO. Because GAA players don’t do drugs (!), unlike a very high percentage of our population…
Drug testing in the GAA is carried out according to the rules of Irish Sports Council and all samples are sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency. If a doping problem exists in the GAA, when it is under the supervision of the Irish sports Council then the problem exists across the spectrum of Irish sport.
Stop telling lies Dotrice, you have absolutely no information about GAA players doing drugs.
NO drug testing took place today – and it has nothing to do with the GAA!?
that lovely dot thing is only winding yous all up. why are yous even answering him?
As opposed to the stuff you’re writing jenni?? Love it!
I just love when a troll responds. Cause most readers can get it when a troll responds to a real commentor.
29 – our government turned a blind eye to crooks like Haughey, to thieving bankers like Drumm, paedophile priests like Fortune. Now, via the inept GAA, it refuses to even contemplate that drugs may be a factor in their sports – just like in the Olympics, Tour de France etc. Why!?
Why NOT test?
They do test Dot in fact have a look at the Irish Sports Councils annual doping report:
http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/Annual-Reports-/Annual-Report-2015.pdf
You’ll see that there was twice the number of GAA players tested in comparison to soccer players in 2015.
It’s quite a lot considering the Irish Sports Council regards the chances of drug abuse in the GAA as being low risk.
No answer from 29. But, a final fact. In the entire GAA organisation, less than 70 drug tests were carried out on players, last year! And NONE involved blood – no other sports body is so indifferent to such an obvious problem.
Low risk? Fr Brendan Smith was a priest – he couldn’t be doing drugs and having sex with children, could he? Thousands of GAA games every year in a country where drugs are a growth industry (read the papers!), and only a few dozen players tested!!
Ohhh you’re lying again there Dot, you see the Irish Sports Councils report that I have a link to actually states 95 tests were carried out on GAA players last year. You are right about the blood tests, which is why they’ve introduced them from January 1st this year in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council:
http://www.gaa.ie/mm/Document/MyGAA/Players/12/23/00/IntroductionofBloodTestinginGaelicGames-InformationforPlayers_English.pdf
It’s interesting that you talk about the greatness of soccer so much and yet they carried out no blood tests last year as well, which makes them about as suspicious as the GAA, only there’s more money involved in that sport.
As for the Brendan Smyth comparison I would expect nothing more from a classy individual like you. Are you all out of lies now?
95 tests, not 70, in the entire season – OK. Soccer is no better, but we’re typing about our biggest indigenous games. How people can rationalise that – in this country, with a growing serious and acknowledged drug problem – GAA players are not involved or interested, is beyond my comprehension, and that of my fellow GAA club members. But even the bishops defended Sean Fortune, and denied any wrongdoing; the forthcoming blood tests (hopefully more frequent) will be very interesting.☺☺
@dotrice – Listen if there was a Dope test, all the Kerry team & their supporters would fail.
Jenni you are as bad a troll as thick Dotrice
Did someone say yokes
What really pissing dot rice off is that gaa is growing in dublinn and his so call beautiful game is dying the kids are falling in love wit the gaa again and he can’t handle it. I remember year ago tuning to my local town most people who gave you a lift would be a dub you’d say did yea see the gaa Sunday 80 percent would say don’t follow it if it was now I’d say 80 percent would have been at the game or watched it
Roll on the final
Aideen Thornton is a sad single little lady who knows nothing about sport but will attempt to comment on it. E.g. She was at the match today apparently went for drinks with ‘friends’ but still has time to comment on the journal
#patheticloser
Haha where did I say I went for ‘drinks with friends’?! I said I had a few There’s this thing most of us have in our house that’s called a fridge and believe it or not I was able to grab a drink from it when i got home… Straight after the match! Try harder next time Dan!
Big man taking personal digs at Pete online though Dan! Give yourself a pat on the back there big man!
*people online
Pathetic Dan. You chose to get personal, which is always the sign of a blackguard.
Aideen is one of the more informed commenters on here. Take her on with the facts, or not at all.
Oops…epic fail there Dan the man
Isn’t the auld internet great for getting heard.
Cheers Camroc! How much do i owe you? ;)
I’m not the type of person that resorts to personal attacks online so I’ll leave him to it. That’s not to say I’m not tempted though. I’ve probably been to more games than he’s had hot dinners, but sure what would I know about sport. I’m only a ‘sad single lady’.
In future, if he’s going to quote someone he should probably read their posts first. Won’t embarrass himself so much then.
oooh not a popular one there dan
Hey Dan, not sure what game you were watching but it was a great game to watch from a neutral point of view with plenty of good hits from both sides. Dublin have impressed all year but I reckon Mayo have still to shine!
Hey Johnny, its a pity about the amount of moaning the Kerry lads have done…
Over and done with. Time for MAYO
Every club and county can learn from the the thoughts in this interview with Eamonn Fits. That’s what management is best at in successfull teams
The Kingsdom for Kerrygold, Dublin for SAM-wiches.
Id say dotrice is wild Craic at a Mick Mccarthy
Indo out in sympathy with Billy Keane who did a no show, denying us his match report, and Indo won’t even accept comments on an article Bill wrote about his own ‘career’, well the end of it, his new one is as ‘a corner boy’, and I just heard the Law Society advert ‘we’re in your corner’.
Is Timmy Ryan not playing tonight he one half of the D’unbelievables.