Galway pay the penalty as Dublin secure All-Ireland SFC semi spot

Dublin book their place in the All-Ireland semi-finals alongside Kerry, Louth and Mayo.

Dublin's Niall Scully celebrates after being fouled by Galway's Sean Mulkerrin. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

DUBLIN 1-25 (1-4-17) GALWAY 1-21 (1-4-13)

Six points down with 13 minutes remaining, Dublin recorded eight of the last nine scores (1-7 to 0-1) to win this gripping All-Ireland quarter-final.

A John Maher goal appeared to put Galway in the driving seat but Dublin cancelled it out quickly and a Con O’Callaghan penalty goal along with Liam Silke’s black card paved the way for a third win on the trot for Ger Brennan’s men.

Dublin led 0-14 to 0-13 at the break but Galway’s press early in the second half was pinning them in their own half and they were hit for four points include a Rob Finnerty orange flag. One at the other end from Colm Basquel was relieving but a skewed Dylan McHugh goal attempt was a reminder of how threatening Galway could be.

After Céin D’Arcy put Galway two up, Dublin themselves had sight of goal in the 49th minute but Basquel lost his balance as he unloaded and the ball flew wide.

Galway were racking up a lot of second half wides but such was their transformation on the kick-out that the opportunities weren’t going to dry up. Kieran Molloy picked off a second and third point to put three between the sides.

Dublin's Con O'Callaghan scores a penalty

Then came the first goal. Shane Walsh’s shot was smothered but not enough to prevent an anticipating Maher to palm it beyond Evan Comerford. It was a deserving goal for the dynamic Galway captain.

And yet within two minutes it was cancelled out by three Dublin points, O’Callaghan providing a couple of them. And then arrived his penalty goal in the 61st minute. Colm Basquel was brought down by Silke and in denying a goal-scoring opportunity he was black carded and a penalty awarded. Connor Gleeson guessed correctly but didn’t get enough purchase on the ball to stop it.

Galway hit the post three times in the second half including a Walsh two-point effort but at least he was on hand to pick off a one-pointer following the goal.

Dublin’s response was decisive, though. Niall Scully sent over a two-pointer and Basquel, O’Callaghan (free) and Seán Guiden put the game beyond doubt.

Dublin were the team expected to make the pre-game changes but neither O’Callaghan nor Paddy Small showed any ill effect of the injuries they sustained in the extra-time win over Donegal the previous Sunday.

Instead, it was Galway who were forced to make the 11th hour alterations. Seán Kelly was a big loss and Kieran Molloy took his spot, while Shane McGrath was replaced by Finnian Ó Laoi.

Kelly’s ability to win break ball was sorely missed in the first half where Galway retained just eight of their 18 kick-outs. Most of Gleeson’s restarts were being lost long and to the right.

Referee David Gough shows a black card to Galway's Liam Silke during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Dublin and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

It gave Dublin such a leg-up and they were five points to two ahead after 10 minutes. Those injury concerns O’Callaghan and Paddy Small were to the fore early on, Small landing a two-pointer in the ninth minute.

Rob Finnerty struck the equivalent in the 14th minute to even up the score and Galway strung together four points, half of them provided by a Céin D’Arcy two-pointer, to go ahead for the first time in the 24th minute, 0-9 to 0-7.

The teams exchanged the next four points before Dublin turned the screw with their own four-point flurry. In between a Cormac Costello free as Cian Hernon was forced to foul O’Callaghan a second time and a lovely Eoin Kennedy effort, Niall Scully boomed over a two-pointer.

He had early put two shots wides as Dublin chalked up six before the break whereas Galway recorded none in the first half although they dropped two short to Dublin’s one.

A typical Paul Conroy two-pointer drew Galway level in the 34th minute but there was time for O’Callaghan’s second fisted point to give Dublin the advantage going into half-time.

Scorers for Dublin: C. O’Callaghan (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees); C Costello (2 frees), P. Small (1 tp), N. Scully (2 tps), C. Basquel (1tp) (0-4 each); E. Kennedy, S. Guiden (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: R. Finnerty (0-6, 2 tps, 1 free); C. D’Arcy (0-4, 1 tp); K. Molloy (0-3); J. Maher (1-0); D. McHugh, P. Conroy (tp), F. Ó Laoi (0-2 each); C. McDaid, S. Walsh (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: E. Comerford; S. MacMahon, E. Kennedy, D. Byrne; C. McMorrow, T. Clancy, L. Gannon; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, B. Howard; C. Kilkenny, N. Scully, C. Basquel; P. Small, C. Costello, C. O’Callaghan (c).

Subs: R. McGarry for C. Costello (49); J. Bannon for S. MacMahon (inj 55); T. Deering for E. Kennedy (59); S. Guiden for P. Small (65); L. Smith for C. McMorrow (69).

GALWAY: C. Gleeson; L. Silke, J. Glynn, C. Hernon; D. McHugh, J. Daly, K. Molloy; P. Conroy, J. Maher (c); C. D’Arcy, F. Ó Laoi, C. McDaid; R. Finnerty, M. Tierney, S. Walsh.

Subs: D. Comer for C. McDaid (47); J. McGrath for J. Glynn (temp, 60-64); S. Ó Maolchiaráin for K. Molloy (61); S. McGrath for F. Ó Laoi (65); J. McGrath for P. Conroy (67).

Black card: L. Silke (black, 59-ft).

Referee: D. Gough (Meath).