Dublin win Leinster Final

Dublin 2-13, Kildare 2-11 (result)

Dublin won their first Leinster Football Championship title since 1985 in a roller-coaster final in front of an ecstatic 78,033 crowd at Croke Park.

A thrilling game produced four goals, three of them in the second half, but the excitement and closeness of the game, along with the electrifying atmosphere masked series deficiencies in both sides, and the Dubs will have to address their defensive shortcomings before they can contemplate success in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

They were frequently opened up by a fast-moving Kildare attack, and looked in serious trouble when they trailed by two points with just 15 minutes to play.

But two goals in the space of a minute changed all that, Alan Brogan and Ray Cosgrove both hitting the net to turn the game irreversibly in their favour.

Dublin's impressive start saw them go three points ahead with scores from John McNally, Alan Brogan and Ray Cosgrove.

Kildare struggled to get their attack moving, but Eddie McCormack did bring a superb save from Stephen Cluxton, before Dublin's positive, direct approach saw them ease into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead through McNally and Cosgrove.

But huge gaps began to open up in the Dubs defence, allowing John Doyle and Tadhg Finnan in for scores.

It was an alarming failing which boss Tommy Lyons failed to address, and in the 28th minute, his defence lapsed again, allowing Killian Brennan acres of space to send Finnan in for a cracking goal, and a one point lead for the Lilywhites.

And just when Dublin needed a positive response, their earlier accuracy deserted them, and three bad wides helped keep Kildare noses in front.

They did regain their composure as the half moved into injury-time, for Senan Connell to squeeze over an acute angle point, before full-back Paddy Christie made it 0-9 to 1-5 at the break.

A mistake by substitute Darren Magee allowed Finnan for his second goal 10 minutes into the second half, and points from Finnan and Martin Lynch gave them a 2-8 to 0-12 lead with 15 minutes to play.

But Brogan gathered a '45' from Cosgrove to blast the net in off a post, and less than a minute later, it was Cosgrove who collected Colin Moran's long delivery to shoot to the net from close range.

There was no way back for the Lilywhites, and John Doyle's two late points were never going to deny the Dubs.