Tom O'Sullivan and Mikey Geaney strike late to snatch All-Ireland title for Dingle in final for the ages 

Paul Geaney of Dingle celebrates. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

All-Ireland Club SFC final: Dingle 0-23 St Brigid’s 1-19 (after extra-time)

And you thought Dingle had spent their reserves.

From the jaws of defeat, Tom O’Sullivan twice and then match-winner Mikey Geaney secured glory for Daingean Ui Chúis and the clean sweep of All-Ireland club football titles for Kerry.

In front of 25,392 in Croke Park, St Brigid’s were an inspired sort, Ruaidhrí Fallon was outstanding and Conor Hand and Brian Stack weren’t too far behind.

And the Connacht champions led by two points with the clock reading the 78th minute. Shane Cunnane and substitute Charlie O’Carroll points had opened the gap.

But then, with the comfort of a man out for a kickabout, Tom O’Sullivan twice eased his way forward to pick off points. Brigid’s advanced but Tom Leo O’Sullivan snuffed out a Brian Stack pass into the arc and Dingle advanced and Dingle’s Dublin-based veteran Geaney sent over the ultimate score.

Dingle’s Mikey Geaney celebrates after scoring the winner. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Extra-time was in keeping with their rollercoaster ride to this final and this game delivered as much excitement as the St Finbarr's and Ballyboden St Enda’s victories.

St Brigid’s had the edge at the turnaround in extra-time, 1-17 to 0-19. Ruaidhri Fallon, whose two-pointer forced the 20-minute period, carried on where he left off with three points including a second orange flag inside the first four minutes.

Brigid’s didn’t score for the rest of the half but it was enough to remain ahead as Dingle’s return was two single-point contributions, a Conor Geaney free and a wonderful curler from Dylan Geaney.

Dylan was off the mark seconds into the new half to tie matters for a seventh time before St Brigid’s moved ahead once more only to be caught by O’Sullivan and Geaney’s interventions.

Dingle’s two-point deficit at the break in normal time disappeared with Mark O’Connor’s two-point effort in the 36th minute. His midfielder partner and namesake Billy then squandered not his first scoring chance when he blasted against the post from close range. From the rebound, Brian Stack blocked Aidan O’Connor.

Doubly foiled, Dingle sure were cursing it three minutes when Brigid’s found the net. Conor Hand’s two-point attempt fell short and Mark Daly managed to get a hand to it and it came off the crossbar and Fallon followed up for the green flag.

Dingle’s Tom O’Sullivan celebrates at the final whistle. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Dingle, who were grateful at least for Ben O’Carroll’s erratic shooting, ate into those three-point arrears with a Dylan Geaney two-pointer. Their equaliser was twice the punishment for Brigid’s as Pearse Frost was sin binned for tripping Paul Geaney, who sent over the free.

Geaney was a tad fortunate not to follow him off for a suspicious third man tackle on Brian Stack in completing a one-two for Dylan Geaney’s 45th minute and Dingle just as lucky that the score was allowed to stand.

Hand’s third point levelled the final once more but then accuracy escaped Brigid’s as Dingle snared it. Browne sent over a point either side of substitute Ronan Stack being denied by Gavin Curran with only the Dingle goalkeeper to beat and out-of-sorts Ben O’Carroll dropped a free short.

As Paul Geaney cancelled out a dubious Shane Cunnane 45 after Mark O’Connor had stretched to deny Brian Stack, Dingle were clearly in the ascendancy. 

All danger seemed averted when Conor Carroll’s additional time two-point free attempt fell far short but Hand was able to play the ball diagonally over five Dingle defenders to Fallon whose beautiful kick forced extra-time.

Dingle were the only team performing in the opening 10 minutes. St Brigid’s looked sluggish and one-paced, characteristic which belied their remainder of their first-half display. Tom O’Sullivan was slaloming his way through their defence with relative ease, kicking two points and teeing up Conor Flannery for a seventh minute two-pointer.

A post denied Dingle a goal in the fourth minute. A move that began with Niall Geaney feeding Dylan Geaney ended with the former taking a pass from Billy O’Connor and his shot striking the metal work and going wide.

Billy O’Connor was left to his own devices by the St Brigid’s on a number of occasions in the opening half. He struck a 12th minute wide from a handy position but may have been half-minded to go for goal.

Dingle captain Paul Geaney lifts the cup. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Dingle were 0-5 to 0-1 to the good by that stage. St Brigid’s opener came from Shane Cunnane in the 10th minute and he landed a fine two-pointer in the 15th minute, the second of five Brigid’s scores without reply.

Conor Hand exploded into the game and his 17th minute score put the Roscommon men ahead for the first time. 

After that, Dingle threatened for scores through Dylan Geaney but he kicked a free wide in the 22nd minute and Fallon intercepted at the perfect time to deny a Billy O’Connor pass to him.

Ben O’Carroll doubled St Brigid's advantage in the 23rd minute as Dingle struggled to get a foothold on their kick-outs. 

However, Tadhg Browne ended a 16-minute spell without a score in the 26th minute following a succession of passes.

O’Sullivan meandered his way up for a third point in an attack he helped initiate to square the game. However, their opponents went into the break two to the good, 0-9 to 0-7, as Bobby Nugent curled over a point and then supplemented it with a converted free.

Scorers for Dingle: D. Geaney (0-6, 1 tp); T. O’Sullivan (0-5); T. Browne, P. Geaney (1 free) (0-3 each); C. Flannery (1 tp), M. O’Connor (1 tp) (0-2 each); C. Geaney (free), M. Geaney (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Brigid’s: R. Fallon (1-6, 2 tps); S. Cunnane (0-5, 1 tp, 1 45); C. Hand (0-3); B. Nugent (0-2); B. Stack, B. O’Carroll (0-1 each). C. O’Carroll (0-1 each).

DINGLE: G. Curran; B. O’Connor, T.L. O’Sullivan, P. O’Connor; T. O’Sullivan, C. Flannery, A. O’Connor; M. O’Connor, B. O’Connor; N. Geaney, M. Flaherty, T. Browne; P. Geaney (c), D. Geaney, C. Geaney.

Subs for Dingle: N. Ryan for B. O’Connor (50); M. Geaney for M. Flaherty (58); S. Moran for T. Browne (inj e-t h-t); M. Flaherty for A. O’Connor (78).

ST BRIGID’S: C. Carroll; R. Dolan, S. Trundle, P. Frost; R. Fallon, B. Stack (j-c), P. McGrath (j-c); S. Cunnane, E. Nolan; B. Nugent, C. Hand, C. Sugrue; M. Daly, B. O’Carroll, B. Derwin.

Subs for St Brigid’s: R. Stack for B. Nugent (48); C. O’Carroll for B. O’Carroll (55); S. Kilbride for M. Daly (58); E. Derwin for C. Sugrue, B. O’Carroll for B. Derwin (e-t h-t); E. Sheehy for P. McGrath (76).

Black card: P. Frost (44-55).

Referee: M. McNally (Monaghan).