Dublin 5-21
Louth 0-15
DUBLIN POWERED TO their 13th consecutive Leinster senior football crown with a 21-point demolition of Louth in Croke Park this afternoon.
Dessie Farrell’s side were ruthless in their pursuit, with Paul Mannion, James McCarthy, Sean Bugler, Paddy Small and Colm Basquel grabbing their five goals. That said, they left others behind them.
Sam Mulroy top-scored for Louth with 0-10 (7f, 1 ’45), but the Wee county’s first provincial final appearance since 2010 was a disappointing one.
40,115 watched on and the afternoon ended with a familiar sight: McCarthy lifting the Delaney Cup aloft.
One concern for Dublin will be Jack McCaffrey’s first-half withdrawal, seemingly owing to injury, but they were much improved today and never looked back after Mannion’s 23rd-minute major. They finished with 12 different scorers and their usual bench power.
They now go into Group 3 of the All-Ireland series, opening their bid at home to Roscommon and later meeting Kildare and Sligo. Mickey Harte’s Louth are pitted against Cork, Mayo and Kerry in Group 1.
The start today was scatty, the goal of possession football stunted by mistakes and turnovers on both sides. A Mulroy free got Louth up and running, before Dublin’s free-taker Cormac Costello helped them off the mark in the 10th minute.
Mulroy (free) and Man of the Match Bugler traded scores thereafter, before Louth’s captain hit an influential point from under the Hogan Stand which pleased the large travelling crowd.
That was in the 12th minute, but after their promising start, Harte’s side would not score for the next 22. In that same period, the Dubs roared to life with 1-10.
While Louth matched them well up to this point, Dublin wrestled their way into ascendency and took control of the game. They found great joy from pressing fly-keeper James Califf’s kickout and looked to go direct, as Con O’Callaghan caused problems inside. Their build-up was sharp and they could have raised a green flag sooner only for Niall Sharkey’s sublime steal on Brian Fenton.
Costello (three — 1f, 1 ’45), Bugler and O’Callaghan (mark) all raised white flags as Louth mainly conceded from turnovers, before Mannion’s sucker-punch arrived. He palmed home to make it 1-7 to 0-3, finishing a trademark Dublin break after they turned Sharkey over.
The typically-electric McCaffrey (two), O’Callaghan, Bugler and Mannion (free) tagged on efforts as Dublin made hay. Mulroy stemmed the flow with a much-needed free from the ’45 in the 34th minute, and to Louth’s credit, they finished the half stronger. Conor Grimes and substitute Craig Lennon kicked big scores to reduce the deficit to 1-12 to 0-6 at the break.
Again, for Louth’s improved start to the second half, they were stopped in their tracks by McCarthy’s goal in the 45th minute. Mulroy (2f) and Liam Jackson were on target as they looked to play Dublin at their own press, but McCarthy rolled home after linking up with Cian Murphy when Mannion’s dropped shot left the Louth defence scrambling.
Smelling blood, Dublin continued to go direct with O’Callaghan (fisted point and mark) reaping the rewards. Ciarán Kilkenny got into the groove with back-to-back points, while in between, Grimes blazed over at the other end after good move.
Bugler made no mistake into Hill 16 in the 56th minute, expertly dispatching after a one-two with Kilkenny to leave the scoreline 3-17 to 0-10. John Small split the posts just after, the Ballymun Kickhams star bringing his defensive supremacy into attack.
While Louth tired, Mulroy did his utmost to keep them ticking over. Dublin could have had a handful of other goals, and Louth were unlucky not to bag one of their own — their skipper had the ball in the back of the net but referee Conor Lane called him back for a Davy Byrne foul.
The younger of the Small brothers, Paddy, was credited with a major in the dying embers of normal time, coming out on top of a goalmouth scramble after Lee Gannon ricocheted off the crossbar.
4-19 to 0-13 at that stage, there would be a little more scoreboard action in the additional period. Ciarán Downey, shackled by Gannon for the most part, and Dean Rock exchanged points while Mulroy nailed another free.
But Basquel ensured the Dubs finished with a flourish, his 73rd-minute individual goal and a Sean McMahon point rounding off the procession in their 39th win in-a-row in Leinster.
For Louth, meanwhile, the wait for provincial success — last achieved in 1957 — and a win over Dublin — 1973 — goes on.
Scorers for Dublin: Sean Bugler 1-3, Cormac Costello 0-5 (3f, 1 ’45), Con O’Callaghan 0-4 (2m), Paul Mannion 1-1 (1f), James McCarthy 1-0, Paddy Small 1-0, Colm Basquel 1-0, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-3, Jack McCaffrey 0-2, John Small, Dean Rock, Sean McMahon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 0-10 (7f, 1 ’45), Conor Grimes 0-2, Craig Lennon, Liam Jackson, Ciaran Downey 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 18. Brian Howard (Raheny)
5. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille), 6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 20. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8 Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
25. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street), 11. Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunketts ER), 12. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
13 Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes) 14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala), 15. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille)
Subs
4. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis) for Jack McCaffrey (30)
26. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams) for Niall Scully (52)
24. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams) for Cormac Costello (52)
10. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s for Paul Mannion (59)
19. Sean McMahon (Raheny) for Brian Howard (63)
Louth
1. James Califf (Dreadnots)
2. Dan Corcoran (Geraldines), 3. Peter Lynch (Roche Emmetts), 4. Donal McKenny (St Mary’s, Ardee)
5. Leonard Grey (St Patrick’s), 6. Niall Sharkey (Glyde Rangers), 7. Ciarán Murphy (St Patrick’s)
8. Tommy Durnin (Inniskeen Grattans), 9. Conor Early (Na Fianna, Dublin)
10. Conall McKeever (Clan na Gael), 11. Sam Mulroy (Naomh Mairtín — captain), 12. Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets)
13. Daire McConnon (St Mary’s, Ardee), 14. Ciarán Downey (Newtown Blues), 15. Liam Jackson (St Mary’s Ardee)
Subs
21. Craig Lennon (St Mochta’s) for Daire McConnon (25)
26. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots) for Ciarán Murphy (30)
22. Connall McCaul (St Joseph’s)for Liam Jackson (40)
25. Paul Matthews (St Fechin’s) for Conor Early (55)
17. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers) for Dan Corcoran (67)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
What a waste of time. But im sure louth will have enjoyed the big day out in croke park eh
@Brian Dunne: The three provincial finals so far have been awful, hopefully Ulster is a bit better.
@Bert Carolan: Time to scrap them and run all-Ireland competitions a few weeks after the league end.
@Brian Dunne: ah now Brain nod say there’s a few of your i20’s lads would love a crack at Dublin for a Leinster title
@mainmsam: *id say
Gaelic football is a game that’s gone down the drain,between calling for a ‘mark’,handpassing,scoring by hand it’s just terrible to watch.not to take anything away from Dublin winning today,best of luck to them. I seen a few minutes of the game today and switched it off,I haven’t watched a game of Gaelic in years and won’t be watching anytime soon either.as a youngster watching on in the 80’s and 90’s it was a completely different game.can anything be done to save the game ?
@Jb Walshe: Yawn. Already been some brilliant games this year. That game was very 80s/90s esque as well. Stick to the hurling good man
@Jb Walshe: As you don’t watch gaelic football you probably didn’t watch the Ulster final today
Could have put those games on gaa go. See if anyone would watch them outside the 6 counties that played in those finals
What a competition
Utterly pointless game
Bit of silverware is a bit of silverware love to see it
Do people actually watch this?
@Donie Nagle: yes, probably a dub thing
@Donie Nagle: Yes
Them bloody Dubs are at it again…
Sam is homesick
Split Dublin in two
@KY22: and have an all Dublin Leinster final??
Louth goalkeeper was quoted by RTE commentator that he sees himself as outfield player first and a goalkeeper second well by golly that showed today. If your tge actual goalkeeper and perform like that you deserve everything you get. Maybe stick to been a keeper and you might actually be able to save something.
Levels.
Dublin will most likely reach an All Ireland quarter final and only have played one ( Roscommon) Division One team. I can see Dessie Farrell’s point, especially if Dublin come up against a more hardened team who have played competitive games.
I believe in a few years we will have the Provincial Championships in February before the League starts. They will become what the O’Byrne and McKenna Cups are now.
Also, the lopsided nature of Provincial Championships doesn’t allow the new format for the All Ireland series to be a true reflection of the top sixteen teams in the country.
@Gerry Thompson: no, they are too important to too many counties. Try telling Sligo, Clare, Louth or Armagh that they should be downgraded. Try telling Limerick from last year, tipp from a couple of years ago, Cavan etc. Even Roscommon, Meath, Derry, Monaghan, it’s their All Ireland ATM. It’s worth winning and more important than league or Tailteann Cup. Dublin and Kerry dominating their province is a necessary evil unfortunately but when someone does beat them in the Leinster final it will be huge for that county.
Time to put the Leinster and Munster football championships out to pasture. There hasn’t been a Connacht Hurling Championship since the mid 90s for the same reason. Dublin & Kerry pummelling all round them is a futile exercise.
@Colm: Tipp won Munster in 2020…..