A forgotten All Ireland Memory where a frantic last 12 minutes saw Dublin come from eight down to one up before a late Kerry equaliser
Dublin 2-11
Kerry 1-14
In the home of hurling, Semple Stadium, Dublin and Kerry put on yet another thriller in an All Ireland Football Championship fixture. A game that ended in a tie, with Kerry winning the resulting replay. But Dublin, on this August afternoon in 2001 pushed their opponents to the limit. Tempers flared, but took nothing away from the action.
Kerry dominated for much of the game leading by 8 points with 12 minutes to play but then Dublin scored 2-03 without reply to lead by a point. With time almost up Maurice Fitzgerald kicked an incredible point from a sideline ball to tie up the game again.
With ten minutes remaining on the game clock, Vinny Murphy is sprung from the bench. At the time it seemed like a desperate move from the Dublin bench. But it raised the volume from the Dublin fans in the Killinan End of Semple Stadium.
A Dublin free drops short, Jason Sherlock wins the ball in a ruck and feeds Murphy who rolls the ball into the Kerry net. Dublin trail by four.
Nine minutes to go. Coman Goggins wins the ball, goes beyond midfield and feeds Ciaran Whelan. Whelan, with his head down, ploughs a path forward and kicks a wonderful point.
Kerry’s exterior for the first time appears jolted and shocked. Jason Sherlock wins a free and Wayne McCarthy converts to leave the gap at two scores.
The sting in the tail and the last minute equalisier
The clock reads 67 minutes. Another McCarthy free lacks the distance and drops short, but dangerously in front of the Kerry goal. Darren Homan arrives like a crane and punches the ball into the net. The Killinan, rinsed in blue, goes absolutely crazy. Dublin lead by one.
But the game is not yet over. Maurice Fitzgerald is sprung from the bench, in similar fashion to Murphy for Dublin earlier. Johnny Crowley had missed an earlier chance to level the game, but an impressive lineball from Fitzgerald soars over the bar and squares the competition.
Wayne McCarthy had the best chance for a Dublin win with the last kick of the game from a 45, but it falls short. Referee Mick Crowley blows time on an enthralling contest.