CON SHINES AS DUBS MARCH ON
Lilywhites can’t stop seven-in-row Blues
ON AN afternoon when this magnificent Dublin team created another significant slice of history by claiming their seventh Leinster title on the trot, this provincial final told us much about their future.
Con O’Callaghan underlined his credentials as the latest superstar to roll off the capital’s conveyor belt with a fantastic performance. The Cuala star has already collected an All-Ireland club hurling medal and All-Ireland under-21 medal this year but suggested yesterday that his haul won’t end with just a Leinster SFC medal.
He’s a shoo-in for Young Footballer of the Year but belied his youthfulness — he’s still only 21 — with a display of remarkable maturity. O’Callaghan scored 12 points — six from frees when he was handed that responsibility after the Dubs lost Dean Rock to a 24th minute black card for hand-tripping Keith Cribbin. Bernard Brogan replaced Rock and rolled back the years, nailing five points from his five shots at goal and tormenting Ollie Lyons. Ciaran Kilkenny’s industry and intelligence once again caught the eye.
It was Kilkenny’s vision that created Dublin’s first goal, his clever fist-pass setting up Rock in the 10th minute, the Ballymun man finishing low to the corner. It was Mike Tyson’s contention that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. When teams play this remarkable Dublin side, everyone has a plan until they concede a goal.
The energy boost the Dublin players get from the Hill once a green flag is raised is quite something. And within 85 seconds here, they had found the net for a second time, James McCarthy combining with O’Callaghan before he cushioned the ball under Mark Donnellan’s body. Less than 12 minutes on the clock and Dublin were 2-3 to 0-1 up.
It was all looking pretty ominous for the Lilywhites when O’Callaghan slotted over a free a few moments later to open a yawning nine point gap between the teams. But Kildare responded superbly.
Daniel Flynn had opened the scoring after just 20 seconds and Tommy Moolick had a goal chance in the second minute, but his tame shot was easily dealt with by the Dublin defence, although there was a suggestion of a foot-block in denying Moolick.
Kildare had to wait until the 21st minute to score their second point when Cathal McNally fired over. But that sparked a scoring spurt from the challengers, who dominated the rest of the first-half, outscoring Dublin 0-9 to 0-4. And it was this spell that hinted we may see a lot more of this impressive Lilywhite side in the coming years.
Kevin Feely was imperious around the middle third, dominating Brian Fenton and giving an absolute exhibition of high fielding. In one five-minute spell during the second-half, the former Charlton Athletic player claimed three clean marks. The Athy powerhouse’s evening ended prematurely when he was black carded for a body-check in the 66th minute, a sanction that may have repercussions for Kildare’s summer as it is his third black card of the season, which means that he is line for a one-match suspension.
Keith Cribbin’s running from deep was causing consternation in the Dublin defence as he was one of a number of Kildare players who got on their score-sheet to haul themselves back into the contest. The pick of their scores — and the best of the game — came from Flynn who floated over an outrageous effort with the outside of the boot.
Perhaps half-time came at the wrong time for Kildare, as they were dominant in almost every sector in the final ten minutes of the half. But as Tyrone did to Down earlier in the afternoon, and Kerry to Cork two weeks earlier, Dublin came out and killed the contest in the 15 minutes after the restart.
They out-scored Kildare by 0-7 to 0-2 in this period, meaning that 66,730 inside Croke Park had to accept the inevitable. Things may have been more interesting had Flynn been more clinical when presented with a goal chance in the 43rd minute. He had plenty of time to pick his spot but his effort was straight at Cluxton, who parried the ball to safety.
Kildare lost their composure for a few minutes after that. Flynn seemed determined to atone for it, taking a couple of wild pot-shots. But they were unsettled as much by the ferocious power Dublin displayed early in the second-half.
Jim Gavin will be a contented man this morning, and has a cou- ple of weeks to prepare for the challenge of Ulster opposition on the August Bank Holiday weekend but he wasn’t entirely happy with the state of the pitch at the Hill 16 end.
‘That part of the pitch was replaced for the concert last week and it wasn’t great for both teams,’ Gavin said, ‘It’s probably something the GAA need to have a little reflection on. I could see both sets of players slipping in that part.’
Paddy Brophy didn’t seem affected by that part of the pitch, towards the end, when he brilliantly fetched Fionn Dowling’s long delivery and buried the ball past Cluxton. It may have been a consolation but it was no more than a gallant Kildare — and the excellent Brophy — deserved.
And it also ensured — after Paul Mannion’s late goal was ruled out as the referee had blown for an earlier free — that Kildare became the first Leinster side to come within 10 points of Dublin since Meath in the 2013 Leinster final. A small victory that, but one that Cian O’Neill and his players will take.
Kildare’s tally of 20 points was also the same as Kerry managed in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, meaning that it was the most Dublin have conceded since Donegal hit them for 3-14 in that famous AllIreland semi-final in 2014.
A valiant effort that showed that the gap may be narrowing. But it remains vast.