Dubs scrape into Leinster final

Dublin 1-12 Kildare 1-11

Dublin survived a late scare but Kildare were left furious, as Bernard Brogan converted a free in second and final minute of injury time to set up a repeat of the 2008 Leinster decider against Wexford.

Pat Gilroy’s charges had fought a splendid rearguard action in the second half, having played with 14 men from the 40th minute, when Eoghan O’Gara was sent off for a second yellow card.

There were no arguments about the sending off, as O’Gara awkwardly tackled Conor Brophy high for that second card.

Kildare responded impressively, committing more men to the attack and cutting the deficit to a goal, having trailed by six at the interval.

They struggled to break down a resolute Dublin defence that numbered 13 players at times until Eamonn Callaghan struck for a breathtaking goal in the 69th minute to reduce the margin to one, with two added minutes just having been announced.

From the next attack, it was Callaghan at the end of a pass from Tomás O’Connor to equalise and Croke Park was on fire.

Crucially though, Dublin won possession from Stephen Cluxton’s kickout – something they had struggled to do for much of that second half – and worked a quick ball towards Brogan. Andriú Mac Lochlainn, who had been outstanding after his first half introduction, was in close attendance and Cormac Reilly adjudged that the corner-back had fouled his man.

The pressure was on but Brogan was never going to miss from the edge of the semi-circle and though Kildare did have one last attack, it came to nought, giving Dublin a hard-fought but ultimately deserving win.

Kildare made three changes to the side named for the purposes of the programme, with the most interesting being Ollie Lyons coming in for his championship debut to mark Bernard Brogan.

The Celbridge man did reasonably well inn the first half, limiting the reigning Footballer of the Year to a point from play, although he did pick up a yellow card late on when conceding a free that goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton came forward to convert from 40m, and leaving the fray injured early in the second half.

Instead, it was Alan Brogan who was the pivotal performer, pulling the strings from centre-forward and giving Gary White a torrid time. Kieran McGeeney eventually replaced the centre-back, bringing on Mac Lochlainn in the 29th minute. He also brought in Rob Kelly for Alan Smith, who might have felt a little hard done by given the pretty dismal supply coming his way.

Mind you, Kelly did make a splendid contribution in the second half as Kildare fought back, and with Lyons departing, Mac Lochlainn switched to Bernard Brogan to good effect, until that final fateful match-defining incident.

Dublin were full value for their 1-7 to 0-4 interval lead, grinding their way to that six-point advantage despite not getting off to their customary free-wheeling start.

O’Gara got on plenty of possession early one, and was fouled for Bernard Brogan’s opener in the first minute.

Cluxton had to be alert to cut out a number of deliveries as Kildare clearly adopted a high-ball policy that ultimately yielded very little.

O’Gara set up a goal-scoring opportunity for Diarmuid Connolly later on with a brilliant diagonal kick but the St Vincent’s man drove wide of the far post.

Bryan Cullen stretched the lead to two but Kildare had their best period of that opening period as they cleaned up the breaks and went a point up courtesy of an Eoghan O’Flaherty brace and a powerful score by Ronan Sweeney.

Dublin upped the tempo from there though, scoring the next goal and three points to establish a gap that ultimately saved them.

The goal was a brilliant effort by Paul Flynn, as the industrious half-forward dispossessed White and carried the ball 30m before lashing to the roof of the Kildare net, despite losing control of the ball briefly.

O’Flaherty had a point on the board after 29 seconds of the latter period but O’Gara’s dismissal changed everything.

Dublin retreated very deep and when Kelly slotted his second point in the 48th minute, it was 1-8 to 0-9.

Bernard Brogan and Cluxton (45) raised white flags before Alan Brogan stretched the margin to four with seven minutes to go.

With Kildare never threatening a goal, that always seemed to be enough but Johnny Doyle and Mac Lochlainn combined to send Callaghan scampering clear and the Naas man drove a low shot to the corner of the net and it was game on.

But Dublin found a way and that will be very pleasing for them indeed.

Dublin: S Cluxton 0-2(1f, 145); P Conlon, Rory O’Carroll, M Fitzsimons; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; D Bastick, MD Macauley; P Flynn 1-1, A Brogan 0-2, B Cullen 0-1; D Connolly, E O’Gara, B Brogan 0-6(5fs). Subs: E Fennell for Macauley inj (ht); K McManamon for Connolly (54); D Lally for Flynn (62); R McConnell for Bastick (66); B Cahill for Cullen (68)

Kildare: S Connolly; M Foley, H McGrillen, O Lyons; M O’Flaherty, G White, E Bolton 0-1; J Doyle 0-1(f), H Lynch; E Callaghan 1-2, E O’Flaherty 0-4(1f), P O’Neill; J Kavanagh, R Sweeney 0-1, A Smith.

Subs: A Mac Lochlainn for White (29); R Kelly 0-2 for Smith (29); C Brophy for Lyons inj (39); S Hurley for Sweeney (48); T O’Connor for Hurley (65)

Referee: C Reilly (Meath)