Dublin dethrone Kerry to land first All-Ireland Football title in three years

Captain James McCarthy, Stephen Cluxton and Mick Fitzsimons have now won a record nine All-Ireland medals.

CLOUD NINE: Dublin’s James McCarthy lifts the Sam Maguire Cup. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

DUBLIN 1-15 KERRY 1-13

Dublin twice worked their way back from three-point deficits to claim their first All-Ireland SFC title in three years.

Captain James McCarthy, Stephen Cluxton and Mick Fitzsimons collected record ninth All-Ireland medals as Kerry were made to pay for their wayward second-half kicking.

Dublin went ahead for the final time in additional time as Paul Mannion kicked over his fifth point. David Clifford kicked his third wide of the half four minutes later and a Mike Breen foul on Colm Basquel was penalised by Dean Rock.

The second goal of the game, also against the run of play, although Con O’Callaghan has tested the metal five minutes earlier, had come in the 46th minute. Kerry had begun the second half with more conviction, Paudie Clifford making his presence felt, and led by three points when Paddy Small struck.

Basquel had also made a fine start to the second period and stole a ball from a lax Gavin White pass to put Small through and his half-blocked shot foiled Shane Ryan.

Kerry’s reaction was excellent, particularly Paudie Clifford’s, and within five minutes they were three to the good again. However, they didn’t score for the next 15 minutes by which time Dublin had regained the lead.

As Jack McCaffrey added impetus to Dublin, Mannion scored his third and fourth point, Basquel found his range as did Brian Fenton.

In return, Adrian Spillane spilled a ball wide, Tom O’Sullivan skied a shot and David Clifford kicked wide. Killian Spillane tied the game again before Small made the most of a McCaffrey pass. A Seán O’Shea free levelled it once more but Dublin’s finish was more effective.

David Clifford after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

In a drab first half where missed opportunities threatened to equal those converted before Paul Geaney’s additional time goal, Dublin had been the better, more aggressive outfit.

Sometimes, it spilt over and three Dublin players were yellow carded by the 26th minute and the two-point lead they had before Geaney’s intervention seemed slim given how good they were faring.

Scoring his first point since the 2015 All-Ireland final, Stephen Cluxton sent over the first of two placed balls with the opening score in the fourth minute. He had Brian Howard to thank for being the last line of defence a minute later although Geaney’s shot was going wide.

To square it, David Clifford opened his account after a great turnover by Stephen O’Brien. Paul Mannion put Dublin ahead once more in the ninth minute.

After Seán O’Shea punished a John Small foul on O’Brien, Fenton was off the mark soon after the resultant kick-out. A Cormac Costello free followed another Dublin restart O’Shea had sent over a free when James McCarthy clattered into the free-taker.

After Lee Gannon turned over Gavin White, Mannion’s second stretched Dublin’s lead to two points but after 22 minutes without a point from play O’Shea curled over his third point of the game.

Some of both teams’ kicking was off the boil but Cluxton’s, both from kick-outs and placed balls wasn’t, and he pushed Dublin ahead in the second minute of additional time when Gannon was upended.

That appeared to be that for the half but David Clifford wasn’t yet done, his clever inside pass from the end-line finding Geaney who lost control of the ball first time around but was able to make amends with his second effort, ending Cluxton’s streak of 13 championship games without conceding a goal. 

And somehow Kerry were ahead, 1-4 to 0-6.

Scorers for Dublin: P. Mannion (0-5, 1 free); P. Small (1-1); S. Cluxton (1 free, 1 45), C. Basquel, B. Fenton (0-2 each); C. Costello (free), B. Howard, D. Rock (free) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kerry: S. O’Shea (0-5, 3 frees); P. Geaney (1-1); D. Clifford (0-3, 1 free); P. Clifford (0-3); K. Spillane (0-1).

DUBLIN: S. Cluxton; D. Byrne, M. Fitzsimons, E. Murchan; B. Howard, J. Small, L. Gannon; B. Fenton, J. McCarthy (c); P. Small, C. O’Callaghan, C. Kilkenny; P. Mannion, C. Costello, C. Basquel.

Subs for Dublin: J. McCaffrey for L. Gannon (49); N. Scully for C. Costello (54); S. MacMahon for B. Howard (63); C. Murphy for E. Murchan (65); D. Rock for P. Small (69).

KERRY: S. Ryan; P. Murphy, J. Foley, T. O’Sullivan; G. O’Sullivan, T. Morley, G. White; D. O’Connor, J. Barry; D. Moynihan, S. O’Shea, S. O’Brien; P. Clifford, D. Clifford (c), P. Geaney.

Subs for Kerry: B. Ó Beaglaoich for P. Murphy (56); A. Spillane for D. Moynihan, M. Burns for S. O’Brien (both 58); K. Spillane for P. Geaney (64); M. Breen for J. Barry (67).

Referee: D. Gough (Meath).