DUBLIN 3-10 KERRY 1-15
An injury-time point from Bernard Brogan saw Dublin preserve their 100 per cent start to this year’s Allianz NFL Division 1 at Croke Park on Saturday night in front of an attendance of 23,720.
The class of Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper looked to have earned the Kingdom a share of the spoils with his slotted two points towards the close of normal time but as they had done against both Armagh and Cork, the Dubs have the final word to seal their third victory of this campaign.
Once again goals proved crucial, much as they had seven days earlier against reigning All-Ireland champions, Cork, as the Dubs raised another three flags to bring their goal-scoring tally to eight for the league and 20 in all competitions (one in O’Byrne Cup, 11 in O’Byrne Shield, eight in NFL).
Tomás Quinn got the goal-scoring underway in the third minute when he clinically blasted to the net after Bernard Brogan had turned Aidan O’Mahony along the endline in front of Hill 16 before threading the ball across to Quinn who made no mistake.
Five minutes level the sides where level after Bryan Sheehan slotted home from the penalty spot. However, two Brogan frees before Kevin McManamon grabbed the Dubs’ second goal had the home side leading 2-2 to 1-1 after 14 minutes. While McManamon’s finish has no element of luck to it, its creation did as Eoghan O’Gara’s point effort was blocked straight to the St Jude’s predator to score his second goal of this year’s league programme.
By the interval the sides were level, 2-3 to 1-6, with Stephen Cluxton having to show his brilliant reflexes midway through the first half after a long delivery cannoned off of Seán Murray’s had an accelerated goalward.
The introduction of Michael Darragh Macauley at half-time added greater energy to Dublin’s midfield play and in the 51st minute the Ballyboden St Enda’s powerhouse brilliantly finished a move involving Bernard Brogan and Barry Cahill to the net to lift his side.
Dublin’s counter-attacking style was at it’s most effective during this period of play with Paul Flynn’s point hightlighting Dublin at their economical best – Stephen Cluxton denying Cooper from close range and initiating a move which culminated in a fine point for the Fingallians man following contributions from Alan Brogan and Barry Cahill.
A minute later another sub, Alan Brogan, fisted over a point to make it 3-5 to 1-9 following good work by the Dublin defence to force Kerry into coughing up possession.
Inside the last seven minutes the Dubs were three points to the good but then the brilliance of Gooch came to the fore as he weaved his magic to bring Kerry level by kicking three points from play. Cooper proved to be Kerry’s chief scoring threat as Seán Murray stuck manfully to the task of frustrating Kieran Donaghy for the majority of the game.
A draw looked on but Brogan showed his class and composure to kick the winner in the first minute of added time for Dublin to record their first victory over Kerry in league or championship in Croke Park since October 1993 as the Kingdome paid the price for shooting 15 wides, compared to six by the Dubs.
SCORERS – Dublin: B Brogan 0-4 (0-3f), K McManamon, MD Macauley 1-1 each, T Quinn 1-0, E O’Gara, D Lally, A Brogan, P Flynn 0-1 each. Kerry: B Sheehan 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f, 0-1 ‘45’), C Cooper 0-6 (0-1f); Darran O’Sullivan 0-2, D Moran, D Walsh 0-1 each.
DUBLIN – S Cluxton; A Hubbard, S Murray, M Fitzsimons; D Lally, J McCarthy, P Casey; D Bastick, B Cahill; P Flynn, K McManamon , D Connolly; B Brogan, E O’Gara, T Quinn. Subs: MD Macauley for Bastick (ht), B Cullen for Connolly (49), A Brogan for Quinn (49), G Brennan for McCarthy (52), P Andrew for Flynn (64).
KERRY – B Kealy; P Reidy, K Young, M O Sé; T O Sé, E Brosnan, A O’Mahony; S Scanlon, B Sheehan; D Moran, Darran O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, D Geaney. Subs: K O’Leary for Geaney (21), J Lyne for T O Sé (54), A Maher for Brosnan (58), A O’Connell for O’Mahony (66).
REF – M Duffy (Sligo).
