Fennelly: Cork were far superior but this Dublin team never dies 

'I have to take my hat off to Cork. They were by far superior in that game. They outsmarted us, outfoxed us, outworked us. But this Dublin team are never dead,' Fennelly said.

MOMENTUM SHIFT: Cork's Dara Sheedy with Lenny Cahill of Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Dublin 1-18 Cork 2-12 

We began our conversation with Damien Fennelly by asking the Dublin manager did he think at any point in the final quarter that the result was gone beyond his team.

“Oh, earlier than that I thought it,” came the reply. “Coakley’s penalty was the one where we thought it. We were struggling all game. Cork were playing at a higher intensity. They played with a better plan. We just got within striking distance and then Coakley got his penalty.

“That's maybe where Cork were at their most vulnerable too, where they might have felt the same as we did [that it was game over]."

Seán Coakley’s penalty for a foul on Dara Sheedy arrived in the 42nd minute. It stemmed from a short restart gone wrong. The restart followed a Coakley free. Cork’s 1-1 wiped out a Dublin three-in-a-row at the beginning of the second period that had cut a 1-10 to 0-8 interval gap back to two.

Now the gap was back out to six. 2-12 to 0-12. The beaten Munster finalists were sailing a clear path to a successful championship relaunch and an All-Ireland semi-final spot.

The beaten Munster finalists wouldn’t score again. Considering referee Niall McKenna played almost nine minutes of injury-time, they went the last 26 minutes of action without adding to their total. Coakley was their sole second-half contributor, only a point of his 1-2 coming from play.

Much has rightly been made of McKenna’s call not to award a Cork free for a blatant Ryan Mitchell foul on Denis O’Mullane just outside the Dublin 20-metre line four minutes into injury-time. A converted free would have edged the young Rebels two in front with less than two of the six allotted minutes remaining.

And while Cork can rightly feel a deep sense of injustice at not being given a free at this crucial juncture, they should have had the result long tucked under the duvet.

Their game-management and protection of a healthy lead was shockingly poor. They retreated into themselves and began to play laterally. Their naive decision-making in possession spoke to the fact that they are but 15, 16, and 17-year-old boys.

Dublin sub Shane Mullarkey, with a left-footed free out on the left flank, tied proceedings in the 66th minute. The winner, a minute later, came gift-wrapped. Cork sought to work a short restart back to ‘keeper Billy Curtin. The pass was intercepted by Paddy Curry for the Dublin goal that completed a nine-point swing.

LATE DRAMA: Cork's David O’Leary with Ryan Mitchell of Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

In what was a most chaotic conclusion, Dublin finished with 13 after Mitchell received a second yellow and Luke O’Boyle was black carded. Cork, meanwhile, almost forced extra-time in the 69th minute. Mark O’Brien’s equalising goal attempt was deflected just wide of the target.

“I have to take my hat off to Cork. They were by far superior in that game. They outsmarted us, outfoxed us, outworked us. But this Dublin team are never dead,” Fennelly continued.

“They showed again the steel, resilience, and the bond that is there. They just pressed a little harder late on. We got a sniff. We managed to take it.” 

In the Cork camp, there was disbelief mixed with devastation.

“We knew we were as good as this Dublin team, and we were better than them, if I'm being honest,” said Cork manager Ray O’Mahony.

“We just made some silly mistakes. We got tired. We took too many plays out of the ball. This is just the dark side of sport where you don't always get what you deserve. And that's what's after happening to us today.” 

Scorers for Dublin: P Curry (1-4); L Cahill (0-6, 0-4 frees); S Mullarkey (0-1 mark, 0-1 free), R Mitchell (0-2 each); J O’Sullivan, J Young, A O’Reilly (0-1 ‘45), H Curley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: S Coakley (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees); D O’Mullane (1-2); D Sheedy (0-2); G Daly, D Clifford, T Cullinane (0-1 each).

Dublin: C Murray (Ballyboden St Enda’s); S Keogh (St Vincent’s), C Emmett (Skerries Harps), J O’Sullivan (Clanna Gael Fontenoy); J Young (Castleknock), E Costello (St Jude’s), R Mitchell (Erin’s Isle); S Ryan (Clontarf), A Carolan (Parnells); P Coleman (Ballinteer St John’s), L O’Boyle (Clontarf), N Byrne (Kilmacud Crokes); P Curry (Ballyboden St Enda’s), H Curley (St Vincent’s), L Cahill (Castleknock).

Subs: S Mullarkey (Thomas Davis) for Coleman (37); A O’Reilly (Ballinteer St John’s) for Ryan (44); N O’Brien (St Peter’s) for Curley (50); C O’Connor (St Vincent’s) for Emmett (53, inj); C McAweeney (Raheny) for Young (66).

Cork: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s); T Kiely (Doneraile), G Daly (Mallow), O Foley (Bishopstown); M O’Brien (Ballinora), D Clifford (Éire Óg); T Cullinane (Ballinascarthy), D Sheedy (Bantry Blues), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); D O’Mullane (Kilmurry), S Coakley (Douglas), O O’Callaghan (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels).

Subs: J O’Leary (Douglas) for O’Callaghan (43); A Dineen (Cill na Martra) for Clifford (52); C Mullins (Mallow) for Cullinane (57); L Shorten (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) for O'Mullane (67).

Referee: N McKenna (Monaghan).