Dublin career, battle-hardened, into final clash with Kerry

Redemption. Reformation. Rehabilitation.

All of the above applied to this restorative Dublin display as they shed a bad rap in six days. From border-line tyrannical to emphatically talismanic, they showed their Janus-like capabilities not just in behaviour (some first-half back chat being the exception) but performance too.

There was no Punch and Judy show here even if the crowd were geared up for more panto, the booing of Diarmuid Connolly (cleared to play) and Lee Keegan indicative of their boisterous intent. What they were treated to was more Abbey than Gaiety, the only “he’s behind you” reserved for Mayo when Dublin, four points in arrears with little over 16 minutes of normal time left, took a wooden bat to them.