Dubs back in the big time

DUBLIN have made it to a first league final since 1946, and while they needed a couple of other results to fall their way, beating Cork in sunny Páirc Uí Chaoimh was a fitting end to a successful campaign for the light blues.

That said, they benefited from a dubious call by referee Brian Gavin, who penalised Cork’s Paudie O’Sullivan late on when an equaliser beckoned, while the home side were also unhappy with an incident which saw Dublin goalkeeper Gary Maguire appear lucky to avoid a red card.

Dublin manager Anthony Daly was understandably happy at the final whistle: “We’re delighted, we haven’t had too much time to think about it but we’ll have to get our heads around it quickly because we know what’s waiting for us in the final.

“We got to the Leinster final two years ago, some lady in a blue dress from the Sunday World showed up, you get that bit of extra attention that you wouldn’t get somewhere else.

“Hopefully that Leinster final experience might stand to us.”

Yesterday Cork started well and were four points to one ahead after eight minutes thanks to John Gardiner (two, one 65), Patrick Horgan (free) and Cian McCarthy. However, once Dotsy O’Callaghan came to grips with the game Dublin had a scoring outlet.

While Cork endured a 15-minute scoring drought, O’Callaghan had two points, as did Paul Ryan (two frees). The home side looked unsettled by the withdrawal of Pa Cronin with an AC joint injury — the Bishopstown man impressed in his 13 minutes on the field — and Luke O’Farrell finally got Cork back on the scoresheet on 23 minutes to make it 0-5 to 0-4.

Kieran Murphy put a goal chance over the bar for Cork as they enjoyed a period of dominance, with Niall McCarthy impressing with two fine points either side of a Gardiner free. Inevitably, O’Callaghan hit back with two points for Dublin, and on the short whistle another Ryan free made it 0-9 to 0-8.

Five minutes into the second half Daire Plunkett placed Paul Ryan for the game’s first goal, and O’Callaghan added a point to put Dublin four ahead.

Cork reeled them in with Niall McCarthy and Ben O’Connor (free) points before Horgan and Kieran Murphy set up O’Farrell for a goal on 55 minutes: Cork three up, 1-13 to 1-10.

However, Dublin hit back with four points on the trot from O’Callaghan and three Ryan frees, two of which were from halfway.

Cork besieged the Dublin goal in the closing stages and O’Sullivan was felled off the ball in the square, but referee Gavin gave a 21-metre free rather than a penalty, and further infuriated Cork when penalising the same player late on for over-carrying.

Cork manager Denis Walsh was clearly unhappy with Gavin’s decision-making when he spoke after the game.

“What do the rules say? I didn’t see what happened (between Maguire and O’Sullivan) but from talking to the players there it was probably a bit more serious than that.

“The final decision, with our player overplaying the ball — while he should have had it over the bar sooner — at the same time, giving dubious decisions like that at the death, are people looking for trouble or what?”

Overall, Walsh was remaining upbeat.

“I’d be more positive than anything else. Getting fellas in and out of the game, the backs were very strong, but the big thing in the game was that we conceded a goal and a point together. If we’d conceded a goal on its own... these are the small things. I’d be positive.

“I don’t know what kind of game it looked like, but it was certainly championship physicality, hell for leather.”

Walsh confirmed that Pa Cronin is likely to miss a couple of weeks at least with his injury, and that Conor Lehane, an impressive sub yesterday, will not be considered for the Munster championship game with Tipperary as he will be sitting his Leaving Cert.

Still, it was Dublin’s day.

“It was topsy-turvy,” said Daly: “But we’re thrilled to be in the final, 1946 is a long time so you can see what it means to the die-hards, they’ve been following us everywhere without success so I’m delighted for them.”

Scorers for Cork: L O’Farrell 1-1; N McCarthy, B O’Connor (0-3 fs), J Gardiner (0-1 f, 0-1 65); P Horgan (0-1 f) 0-2; C McCarthy, K Murphy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: P Ryan 1-8 (0-6 fs); D O’Callaghan 0-6; C Keaney 0-1.

Subs for Cork: L McLoughlin for Cronin, 13; T Kenny for Egan, C Lehane for C McCarthy, both 49; P O’Sullivan for K Murphy, 55; J O’Connor for McLoughlin, 62.

Subs for Dublin: M O’Brien for Schutte, 42; A McCrabbe for Lambert, 47; D O’Dwyer for McCormack, 61.

Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).