All-Ireland
football final previews
Sunday, September 18
All-Ireland MFC final
Dublin v Tipperary, Croke Park, 1.15pm
This year’s Tom Markham Cup decider will evoke memories of 1984 when
Dublin defeated Tipperary by 1-9 to 0-4 and future Aussie Rules star Jim
Stynes – who is now battling cancer – was their marquee name.
Incredibly, Dublin haven’t won an All-Ireland minor title since, losing
the 1988 decider to Kerry and the 2001 and 2003 finals to Tyrone and Laois
after replays.
It’s an appalling record for a county with a population of 1.5 million
and where Gaelic football has been the predominant sport over the years.
Tipperary may not have graced the All-Ireland minor football final stage
since 1984, but they are first and foremost a hurling county and are a regular
fixture in All-Ireland hurling finals at all levels.
Hopes are high in the capital that their long wait for an 11th All-Ireland
in the under 18 grade will finally come to an end on Sunday. Under the guidance
of Dessie Farrell – who played in the 1988 final defeat to Kerry –
they have blitzed all-comers with the exception of Galway in their last
outing and Longford in Leinster. They are one of the biggest minor teams
ever to come out of Dublin and have plenty of talent to boot. For dual players
Cormac Costello, Emmet O Conghaile, Eric Lowndes and the classy Ciaran Kilkenny,
the prospect of losing a second All-Ireland final (they were on the losing
side against Galway in the hurling) in a fortnight doesn’t bear thinking
about.
Tipp, who won their one and only Tom Markham Cup back in 1934, are reaping
the rewards of a successful underage policy which is the envy of many counties,
including the traditional powers. They captured their first ever Munster
under 21 football title last year and followed it this year with their first
provincial minor success since 1995. They did it the hard way too, coming
from 11 points down to beat Kerry in sensational fashion before easing to
a 3-11 to 1-9 victory over Cork in the Munster final.
Immediately after the Cork game, Tipp’s ambitious manager David Power
set his sights on adding the All-Ireland crown and they are now just 60
minutes away from achieving that goal after All-Ireland quarter-final and
semi-final wins over Meath and Roscommon respectively.
Dublin were installed as All-Ireland favourites after an impressive Leinster
campaign which saw them record landslide wins over Westmeath, Kildare and
Meath, and dethrone holders Longford with five points to spare in Pearse
Park. They romped past Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-final – holding
them scoreless in the first half – but almost came a cropper against
Galway in the semi-final when they conceded an unanswered 1-4 at the start
of the second half and needed the brilliant Ciaran Kilkenny to bail them
out.
For much of that game, Dublin looked like a team that believed in their
own hype, and it’s likely they will be much more focused on All-Ireland
final day when they will have a huge Dublin following to cheer them on.
Tipp are big outsiders going into this final, but have a winning pedigree
going back to their under 14 days and won’t be fazed by the task in
hand.
They will look to the likes of John Meagher, Stephen O’Brien, Michael
Quinlivan and Liam McGrath, who’s a cousin of county hurling star Noel,
for inspiration. However, the huge scare Dublin received from Galway should
eliminate any complacency that may have crept into their ranks and they
are taken to live up their favourites’ billing.
Verdict: Dublin.
Paths to the final
Dublin
Dublin 4-15 Westmeath 0-8
Dublin 0-10 Longford 0-5
Dublin 2-18 Meath 1-11 (Leinster final)
Dublin 1-11 Cork 1-3 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Dublin 1-11 Galway 1-9 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Average For: 1-15 Average Against: 0-9
Tipperary
Tipperary 1-13 Limerick 0-9
Tipperary 2-12 Kerry 3-8
Tipperary3-11 Cork 1-9 (Munster final)
Tipperary 0-11 Meath 0-7 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Tipperary 1-11 Roscommon 0-12 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Average For: 1-13; Average Against: 0-12
All-Ireland SFC final
Kerry v Dublin, Croke Park, 3.30pm
An unprecedented demand for tickets, particularly in the capital, reflects
the phenomenal interest there is in the first All-Ireland final meeting
of Kerry and Dublin since 1985.
Where once there was a time when neutrals had become tired of the old rivals
contesting football’s showpiece game, times have changed and this was
the final pairing everyone wanted in 2011. The Jackeens against the Culchies,
Colm Cooper versus Bernard Brogan, Leinster versus Munster, Gaelic football’s
two most successful counties going toe-to-toe – is it any wonder the
hype machine has gone into overdrive?
Kerry are appearing in their eighth All-Ireland final in 10 years, with
2003 and last year, when they were shocked by Down at the quarter-final
stage, the only years they have missed out in that period. By contrast,
Dublin are preparing for their first final since 1995 when they scored a
controversial win over Tyrone to claim a 22nd All-Ireland crown.
It’s incredible to think that it has taken the Dubs 16 years to get
back into a final and even more remarkable to think that they have lifted
the Sam Maguire just twice in 28 years. The Kingdom are way out in front
on the All-Ireland roll of honour with 36 titles and are the bookies’
favourites to make it 37 come Sunday evening.
While football has changed a lot since the classic meetings of Kerry and
Dublin in the 1970s (many still claim the 1977 All-Ireland semi-final was
the greatest game ever played), it’s not unreasonable to expect the
two rivals to serve up another great contest this weekend. While both teams
have gone with the recent trend of adopting defensive tactics, they remain
essentially attack-minded and this should make for a spectacle worthy of
the occasion.
When the sides last met in the championship two years ago, Kerry produced
one of their best ever performances to win by 17 points. Since then, Pat
Gilroy has transformed his ‘Startled Earwigs’ into genuine All-Ireland
contenders. It was a massive weight off their shoulders to finally break
their semi-final hoodoo against Donegal and, despite the hype surrounding
them, they are likely to go into the decider feeling more relaxed than they
have for some time.
The Metropolitans have been highly consistent this year. They reached the
National League final in April and looked odds-on to claim a long-overdue
piece of national silverware until they suffered a late collapse which allowed
Cork to snatch the title from their grasp.
The manner of that defeat raised all the old questions about Dublin’s
shortcomings in high-pressure situations. But in fairness to them, they
have answered every question that has been asked of them since. They strolled
to a 1-16 to 0-11 victory over Laois in their Leinster championship opener
before benefiting from a highly contentious refereeing decision to edge
out Kildare in the semi-final.
They were staring at a shock defeat to Wexford after half-time in the Leinster
final, but another piece of good fortune, which saw the Model County’s
full back Graeme Molloy deflect into his own net after goalkeeper Anthony
Masterson had inadvertently punched the ball against him, paved the way
for an unconvincing 2-12 to 1-12 success.
The Wexford performance certainly didn’t inspire confidence, but Dublin
answered their critics with a breathtaking 0-22 to 0-15 victory over bogey
side Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-final. They struggled to break through
Donegal’s ultra-defensive set-up in the semi-final, but got there in
the end thanks to a late scoring surge that gave them an 0-8 to 0-6 win.
Kerry also had a solid National League campaign, and while they missed out
a final place, Jack O’Connor was more than pleased with how it went.
They subsequently made light work of both Tipperary and Limerick to reach
another Munster final where a dominant first half performance was the platform
for a 1-15 to 1-12 victory over neighbours Cork.
They renewed their rivalry with Limerick in the All-Ireland quarter-final
and once again had things very much their own way with Darran O’Sullivan’s
cheeky back-heeled goal illuminating an otherwise pedestrian affair. The
Kingdom were given a far more searching examination by Mayo in the semi-final,
but still had all of nine points to spare at the final whistle, with Colm
Cooper producing a virtuoso display.
Now, after another long season that was notable for the fact that all four
provincial champions made it to the semi-final stage, Dublin and Kerry are
just 70 minutes away from All-Ireland glory. While Dublin haven’t beaten
Kerry in championship football since 1977, they have had the upper hand
in recent league meetings and will feel their poor championship record against
the Kingdom has to end some time.
Dublin are a younger and possibly fitter team than their Munster counterparts.
However, the same was said about Tipperary before the hurling final and
look what happened to them against an older Kilkenny side that showed an
insatiable appetite for work?
The Metropolitans will try to target a Kerry defence that has been leaking
a lot of scores this year. Mayo scored one goal against them, but they could
easily have had three or four. With Diarmuid Connolly available after successfully
overturning the red card he received against Donegal and Paul Flynn also
back to full fitness, Dublin feel confident of posting a match-winning score.
One obvious improvement in the Dublin team this year is the fact that they
are no longer as reliant on Bernard Brogan for their scores. Alan Brogan
and Diarmuid Connolly have taken much of the scoring burden off last year’s
Footballer of the Year.
Midfield is another area where Dublin will feel they are capable of gaining
an advantage. But despite the question marks surrounding them, Anthony Maher
and Bryan Sheehan have rarely let Kerry down this year.
Like Dublin, Kerry’s strength is an attack which has averaged 1-20
in this year’s championship so far. How other counties would love to
have attackers of the quality Paul Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan, Kieran
Donaghy, Darran O’Sullivan and Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper, who Kerry
are desperate to win the All-Ireland for in his year as captain. Cooper
was out of this world against Mayo and Dublin will need to devise a plan
to stop him from getting on the ball. If he gets enough possession, he is
capable of beating them on his own.
It has the makings of a superb final which should restore the purists’
faith in Gaelic football after the dreadful Dublin-Donegal semi-final. Dublin
showed against Tyrone what they’re capable of and will believe their
time has come. But playing in an All-Ireland final will be a completely
new experience for them and it remains to be seen how they will fare against
a team that played in six finals between 2004 and ’09, and who thrashed
them in their last championship head-to-head.
The Kingdom will relish this test, and while they are suspect at the back
and midfield, they possess the firepower to compensate for such deficiencies
in what promises to be a high-scoring and fascinating affair.
Verdict: Kerry.
Paths to the final
Dublin
Dublin 1-16 Laois 0-11 (Leinster quarter-final)
Dublin 1-12 Kildare 1-11 (Leinster semi-final)
Dublin 2-12 Wexford 1-12 (Leinster final)
Dublin 0-22 Tyrone 0-15 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Average For: 1-14; Average Against: 0-13
Kerry
Kerry 2-16 Tipperary 0-11 (Munster quarter-final)
Kerry 1-26 Limerick 3-9 (Munster semi-final)
Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-12 (Munster final)
Kerry 1-20 Limerick 0-10 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Kerry 1-20 Mayo 1-11 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Average For: 1-20; Average Against: 1-11
Top Scorers
Dublin
Bernard Brogan…….0-23
Dermot Connolly…..1-10
Alan Brogan………..0-11
Stephen Cluxton……0-10
Paul Flynn…………..1-4
Bryan Cullen………..0-5
Kerry
Colm Cooper…….....1-24
Bryan Sheehan……..2-14
Darran O'Sullivan….3-10
Declan O'Sullivan…0-14
Kieran O'Leary…….0-6
Kieran Donaghy…...0-6
Last Championship Clash…
Kerry 1-24 Dublin 1-7 (2009 All-Ireland Quarter-final)
Dublin were well fancied after winning the Leinster title for the 5th successive
year but were overwhelmed by Kerry right from the start. Kerry led by 1-6
to 0- 1 at the end of the first quarter and by 1-14 to 0-3 at half-time.
Kerry: Diarmuid Murphy; Marc Ó Sé, Tommy Griffin, Tom O'Sullivan
(0-1); Tomas Ó Sé (0-2), Mike McCarthy, Killian Young; Darragh
Ó Sé, Seamus Scanlon (0-1); Donnacha Walsh (0-1), Tommy Walsh
, Paul Galvin (0-2); Colm Cooper (1-7), Declan O'Sullivan (0-3), Darran
O'Sullivan (0-3). Subs: Tadhg Kennelly (0-2), for Tommy Walsh; Paul O'Connor
(0-2) forDonnacha Walsh; Sean O'Sullivan for Darran O'Sullivan; Aidan O'Mahony
for Young; Micheal Quirke for Darragh Ó Sé.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Paddy Andrews, Denis Bastick, David Henry; Paul
Griffin, Barry Cahill (0-1), Bryan Cullen; Ross McConnell, Darren Magee;
Paul Flynn, Alan Brogan (0-3), Diarmuid Connolly; Conal Keaney (1-0), Bernard
Brogan (0-3), Jason Sherlock. Subs: Ciaran Whelan for Magee; Pat Burke for
Sherlock; Cian O'Sullivan for Cullen; Alan Hubbard for Henry; Shane Ryan
for Connolly.
Last Competitive Clash….
Dublin 3-10 Kerry 1-15 (Allianz Football League, 26 February 2011), Croke
Park.
Dublin: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, S Murray, A Hubbard; D Lally (0-1), J McCarthy,
P Casey; D Bastick, B Cahill; P Flynn (0-1), K McManamon (1-1), D Connolly;
T Quinn (1-0), B Brogan (0-4), E O'Gara (0-1) Subs: MD Macauley (1-1) for
Bastick; A Brogan (0-1) for Quinn; B Cullen for Connolly; G Brennan for
McCarthy; P Andrews for Flynn.
Kerry: B Kealy; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, K Young; T Ó Sé,
E Brosnan, A O'Mahony; S Scanlon, B Sheehan (1-5); D Moran (0-1), Darran
O'Sullivan (0-2), D Walsh (0-1); C Cooper (0-6), K Donaghy, D Geaney. Subs:
K O'Leary for Geaney; J Lyne for T O Se; A Maher for Brosnan, A O'Connell
for O'Mahony.
Dublin v Kerry: Championship History
This will be the 26 th championship meeting between the counties since they
first met in 1892. Kerry have won 17 times to Dublin's six while there were
two draws.
2009: Kerry 1-24 Dublin 1-7 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
2007: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-16 (All-Ireland semi-final)
2004: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 1-8 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
2001: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 1-12 (All-Ireland quarter-final replay)
2001: Kerry 1-14 Dublin 2-11 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
1985: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 2-8 (All-Ireland final)
1984: Kerry 0-14 Dublin 1-6 (All-Ireland final)
1979: Kerry 3-13 Dublin 1-8 (All-Ireland final)
1978: Kerry 5-11 Dublin 0-9 (All-Ireland final)
1977: Dublin 3-12 Kerry 1-13 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1976: Dublin 3-8 Kerry 0-10 (All-Ireland final)
1975: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 0-11 (All-Ireland final)
1965: Kerry 4-8 Dublin 2-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1962: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 0-10 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1959: Kerry 1-10 Dublin 2-5 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1955: Kerry 0-12 Dublin 1-6 (All-Ireland final)
1941: Kerry 2-9 Dublin 0-3 (All-Ireland semi-final replay)
1941: Kerry 0-4 Dublin 0-4 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1934: Dublin 3-8 Kerry 0-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1932: Kerry 1-3 Dublin 1-1 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1924: Kerry 0-4 Dublin 0-3 (All-Ireland final)
1923: Dublin 1-5 Kerry 1-3 (All-Ireland final)
1908: Dublin 0-10 Kerry 0-3 (All-Ireland final)
1904: Kerry 0-5 Dublin 0-2 (All-Ireland final)
1892 Dublin 1-4 Kerry 0-3 (All-Ireland final)
Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland Finals
They have met in twelve All-Ireland finals with the score 8-4 in Kerry's
favour.
1985: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 2-8
1984: Kerry 0-14 Dublin 1-6
1979: Kerry 3-13 Dublin 1-8
1978: Kerry 5-11 Dublin 0-9
1976: Dublin 3-8 Kerry 0-10
1975: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 0-11
1955: Kerry 0-12 Dublin 1-6
1924: Kerry 0-4 Dublin 0-3
1923: Dublin 1-5 Kerry 1-3
1908: Dublin 0-10 Kerry 0-3
1904: Kerry 0-5 Dublin 0-2
1892: Dublin 1-4 Kerry 0-3 |