https://youtu.be/IxAOdvvetj4
Dublin 2-18
Kerry 0-13
It’s match day and Dublin are bidding to win their fifth National League title in a row, if successful they will be the first side to complete that feat since the 1930’s and the first side to do it while All Ireland Champions.
Standing in their way is old foes Kerry who are desperate for any type of win over the metropolitans. Dublin and Kerry contested last years final with Dublin winning by 11 points and today we look back at the highlights of the game.
The first half of last years final was a tight affair as both sides went at it hammer and tongs. Dublin held a slender two point lead at the break, thanks mainly to a strong finish to the half by Bernard Brogan who scored three points in the last eight minutes.
Aidan O’Mahoney was shown a red card in the 51st minute for an off the ball strike on Jonny Cooper. But there were still only four points between the sides with three minutes left in the game.
But a poor kick-out by Brendan Kealy was pounced on by Paul Flynn who buried the ball to the back of the net. That score killed off the Kerry challenge and Dublin powered home with Eric Lowndes adding a second goal in injury-time to seal the deal.
Ciaran Kilkenny was super on the day and was the main architect of many of Dublin’s attacks and topped of a brilliant display by kicking two important points, one of either foot.
Dublin Scorers:
Dean Rock 0-05 (0-03f, 0-01pen)
Bernard Brogan 0-04
Paul Flynn 1-00
Eric Lowndes 1-00
Ciaran Kilkenny 0-02
Kevin McManamon 0-02
Jonny Cooper 0-01
Brian Fenton 0-01
Paul Mannion 0-01
Diarmuid Connolly 0-01
Cormac Costello 0-01
Kerry Scorers:
Brian Sheehan 0-03 (0-03f)
Peter Crowley 0-02
Stephen O’Brien 0-02
Darren O’Sullivan 0-02
Colm Cooper 0-01
Kieran Donaghy 0-01
Donnchadh Walsh 0-01
Paul Murphy 0-01
Dublin Team:
S Cluxton; David Byrne, P McMahon, J Cooper,J Small, C O’Sullivan, J McCarthy; B Fenton, D Bastick; P Flynn, D Rock, C Kilkenny, P Mannion, D Connolly, B Brogan.
Dublin Substitutes:
MD Macauley for Bastick,
K McManamon for Connolly,
C Costello for Rock,
M Fitzsimons for McMahon,
E Lowndes for Mannion,
D Daly for Small.
Kerry Team:
B Kealy; M O’Se, P Crowley, S Enright; A O’Mahony, M Griffin, F Fitzgerald; K Donaghy, D Moran; D Walsh, P Murphy, B Sheehan, D O’Sullivan, C Cooper, S O’Brien.
Kerry Substitutes:
K Young for Fitzgerald,
B O’Sullivan for Walsh,
J Lyne for Griffin,
BJ Keane for O’Brien,
P O’Connor for Crowley,
M Geaney for Murphy.
Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).