Five in a row or not, Jim Gavin was in character facing the press after the final whistle.

The first four questions lobbed at Peter Keane during the post-match debrief centred on the second-half and how this was the period, beginning with Eoin Murchan’s goal nine seconds after the restart, where the game, simply put, had been won and lost.

The least Dublin’s history makers have earned was choosing how their greatness would be validated. Doing it in the face of a piercing probe from the winningest football county – and the one snapping at your heels - is some way to frank it.

Having wrestled momentum back from Dublin when managing to draw level on the stroke of half-time (this was the first time since the 15th second the Kingdom had stood on level terms with their opponents), Kerry found themselves on the backfoot once again when Eoin Murchan supplied the sole goal of this All-Ireland final nine seconds after the restart.

That series of Kerry wides in the second half, Eoin Murchan’s goal in the “Championship quarter” where Dublin have been known to be so powerful, Stephen Cluxton’s save from Stephen O’Brien when the margin was three points.

Stephen Cluxton (Parnells): If this is his final bow, what better way to do it? Kerry didn’t make his life too difficult as he restarted but he was still varying his kick-outs well. His save from Stephen O’Brien was an easy one but he was so good with the high ball that came his way. 7

Dublin have won their fifth All-Ireland title in a row in a stunning battle with Kerry at Croke Park.

When trying to predict which player or players could have a really serious impact on the All-Ireland SFC final replay, one man keeps on springing to mind having watched the drawn encounter back in full, writes Peter McNamara.

When Diarmuid Connolly sat back into the pocket, setting himself up for power fade with the outside of his right boot, in a similar way to Ronan O’Gara and the Grand Slam drop goal over a decade ago, I thought perhaps the story was written in the stars for the prodigal son to return home with the fattened calf.

If you were lucky enough to get a seat in Croke Park yesterday then you certainly can’t quibble about value for money.

Paradise lost or great expectations? This was no Penguin Classic but it will have the look of one for Kerry.

Dublin and Kerry will have to battle it out again on Saturday, September 14 (6pm throw-in), after this absorbing if error-strewn tussle finished tied.

Getting the match-ups right has gone a long way for Kerry and Mayo in recent years. We think of Aidan O’Mahony on Michael Murphy in the 2014 final, Lee Keegan on Enda Smith in the 2017 All-Ireland quarter-final replay and just last weekend Patrick Durcan tagging Ryan McHugh.

“We’ve got James McCarthy back on the pitch, Eoin Murchan, Jonny Cooper, Diarmuid Connolly’s back training with us, Rob McDaid is back, Peadar Byrne Ó Cofaigh is with the U20s, Darren Gavin’s coming back this week as well so there’s a whole host of players who are returning to play and then there is the squad themselves.”

A Dublin football panel without a St Vincent’s club representative just doesn’t seem right.

Dublin manager Jim Gavin has confirmed that Diarmuid Connolly is back training with the All-Ireland champions as their five-in-a-row bid intensifies.

Saturday, in case you didn’t realise, was Groundhog Day in the US, the 133rd installment of a rodent climbing out of a burrow to predict the weather.

Goalkeepers of the Year

Croke Park Dublin manager Jim Gavin sidestepped questions about five titles in-a-row neatly yesterday, which was hardly surprising.

For me, this current Dublin team is the best ever and even now — a year out — there’s almost a certain inevitability about the five in a row.

Life as an inter-county defender, even one stationed in the relatively controlled environs of Dublin’s back line, brings with it the inevitability that you will be burned. The trick is doing all you can to limit your exposure to the fire.

Let’s be honest, all Galwegians were all a little nervous settling into our seats yesterday afternoon. 

Fools us if we considered Dublin were going to struggle after going a man down with 20 minutes of normal time to go.

After Kilkenny’s first All-Ireland senior title under Brian Cody in 2000, the strength of his panel was lauded to such an extent that when the Cats cruised through Leinster the following year their second 15 were deemed the next best side in the country.

Dublin 2-14, Offaly 0-8: Goals from Tom Fox and Stephen Smith propelled Dublin to a fourth EirGrid Leinster U21 football championship title on the trot, another record for Sky Blues supporters to savour.

There was late drama at today's EirGrid All-Ireland U21 football semi-final between Mayo and Dublin at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Senior panellist Con O'Callaghan starred again for Dublin with 1-7 but Cillian O'Shea was the game breaker in Navan with a vital late goal to secure a three-in-a-row of EirGrid Leinster U-21 football titles.

They’re favourites for a three-in-a-row of EirGrid Leinster U-21 football titles, and many people’s All-Ireland fancies, but Eoin Murchan says the reality for new look Dublin is 2016 is a ‘clean slate’.