THE DIKTAT HANDED down by the Gaelic Player’s Association that players and management would not be granting interviews as a means of push-back in the ongoing expenses row might have come as a blessed relief to Tyrone managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher, but a pain to Dessie Farrell.
For once this season, he had something to crow about. A five-point win over the All-Ireland champions, with every one of their 13 points coming from play. But they were also back to form here. Not perfect, not championship, but it gives them a chance of survival in Division 1.
At half-time, the position of the All-Ireland champions looked perilous. 0-11 to 0-2 down, their only scores came from Darren McCurry and Cathal McShane frees. Conn Kilpatrick had the ball in the net as the half wound down but referee Barry Cassidy ruled it out, signalling for a push in the build-up.
Dublin began like it was 2020 all over again. Their composure, so badly missing up to now, was suddenly there again. Handling, tackling, patient build-up, everything was on point. They had built up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead when Padraig Hampsey received a black card.
By the time he was back on, Dublin helped themselves to another five points.
The lead went from nine at the break to five at the end, but Tyrone’s cause was hampered further by the dismissal of Hampsey when he picked up a yellow, and a subsequent red card, on 39 minutes.
The two teams played out a phony second half thereafter, Tyrone’s only scores coming from two Richie Donnelly boomers and a lovely solo dummy and slice over from Niall Sludden.
Dublin won this at their ease. It’s bound to be a Killarney moment for Tyrone.
Scorers for Tyrone: D McCurry (0-3f), R Donnelly (0-2), C McShane (0-2f), N Sludden (0-1)
Scorers for Dublin: D Rock (0-3), C Kilkenny, C Costello, S Bugler (0-2 each), R McDaid, B Fenton, T Lahiff, N Scully (0-1 each)
TYRONE: N Morgan; M McKernan, R McNamee, F Burns; C Meyler, J Munroe, P Harte; C Kilpatrick, P Hampsey; N Donnelly, N Sludden, K McGeary; D McCurry, C McShane, D Canavan
Subs: C McKenna for Donnelly (33m), R Donnelly for Monroe, M Conroy for McGeary (both HT), L Rafferty for Sludden (59m), P Donaghy for McShane (68m)
DUBLIN: E Comerford; M Fitzsimons, D Byrne, C Murphy; J Small, J Cooper, R McDaid; B Fenton, T Lahiff; B Howard, S Bugler, N Scully; C Costello, C Kilkenny, D Rock
Subs: E Murchan for Cooper (50m), J McCarthy for Lahiff (52m), R Basquel for Costello (65m), L Gannon for McDaid (70m), L O’Dell for Bugler (73m)
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
The only people interested in this are the media, and after sunday’s performance, it should now be pretty obvious to everyone kildare are a media fabrication anyway.
I think most most gaa people are interested in this story…I certainly am. You were interested enough to read the article and then still interested enough to post a comment….its all very interesting really
Thought someone might say that. Perhaps what I should have said is that it’s been grotesque overblown by the media, the same as the qualities of the Kildare football team.
Don’t think its been overblown to be honest. It’s a landmark transfer for the gaa and people are interested in how it all pans out (preferably badly for SJ, Kildare and Ciaran McGeeney). Anyway, you may get used to it as it will be high on the agenda for the next 2 weeks.