Dublin 0-16
Clare 1-12
DUBLIN HAVE KEPT their 100% record intact in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League. Just about, after they denied Clare a famous result in the sides’ first league meeting in Croke Park since 1974.
Cormac Costello fisted over in the 74th minute tonight to secure a one-point win over the battling Banner. Dean Rock’s 0-8 (5f, 1 ’45) haul was also key as the Sky Blues moved to the summit — momentarily, at least.
In the 50th minute, Dessie Farrell’s side were six points down — 1-12 to 0-9 — but they rattled off the last seven scores of the game to make it four wins from four ahead of next week’s top-of-the-table showdown in Derry.
Clare, for whom Gavin Cooney top-scored with 1-2 and Eoin Cleary and Emmett McMahon hit 0-4 a-piece, were pipped at the post for the second week in-a-row after previously falling short to Kildare.
It was 1-8 to 0-8 at the break in the wake of Cooney’s goal, and Colm Collins’ side continued to move into the ascendancy thereafter, assuming complete control for a period.
But Dublin’s experience shone through down the home straight, their bench power crucial with Costello, Niall Scully, Eoin Murchan, Colm Basquel and the returning Jack McCaffrey all making their respective impacts felt.
Their middle two quarters were worrying, though, a massive blow arriving on the stroke of half time and silencing a typically vocal Hill 16.
In the 34th minute, Collins’ charges perfectly executed what Dublin had been trying the entire opening period. After Con O’Callaghan had a goal chalked off for a foul committed in the process of winning a long ball in, the Banner struck at the other end.
It was Ciaran Russell who delivered the perfect pass to Cooney after a lung-bursting run from Manus Doherty. Podge Collins, who struggled with injury and was hooked at the break, extended Clare’s lead to three at the halfway point.
They originally drew first blood, but Dublin were 0-5 to 0-2 up by the 13th minute with Rock, Sean Lowry — on his full league debut — and Brian Fenton all finding their range.
The Sky Blues failed to register for the next 10 however, a variety of excellent scores from McMahon, Cleary and Cooney eventually drawing Clare level.
The Dublin forward line dropped well back and were wasteful into Hill 16 when they broke, registering six first-half wides while Stephen Ryan expertly denied O’Callaghan and John Small flashed across goal. Ronan Lannigan and Cillian Brennan won big turnovers for Clare, who stayed in touch at the other end, and maintained their momentum early in the second half.
Lee Gannon looked to inspire the Dubs with his response to McMahon’s quick restart, but to no avail. Put simply, Clare looked like they wanted it more in the third quarter. Cooney and Cleary added two more points, before full-forward McMahon blazed over in the 49th minute to make it 1-12 to 0-9. It could well have been a goal, Dublin’s challenge surely dead in the water had that happened.
Buoyed by the fresh legs and McCaffrey’s first outing at Croke Park since the 2019 All-Ireland final, the comeback began. Dublin surged forward once more, showing much-needed energy and hunger. Basquel and an off-colour Ciarán Kilkenny chipped away at the deficit, the Dublin crowd finding their voice once more around the hour-mark.
Rock clipped two frees — an O’Callaghan effort sandwiched in between — and the Ballymun Kickhams star levelled matters from a ’45 in the 69th minute.
Chaos descended in four minutes’ additional time. Jamie Malone was shown a black card amidst a bit of rowing and other questionable refereeing calls as the clock ran down. But as it read 74:47, Costello fisted over — finishing a superb move orchestrated by McCaffrey — to complete the comeback and seal victory.
It’s onto Celtic Park for the Dubs, their promotion bid more alive than ever. Clare, meanwhile, desperately need to move up the table and they welcome Cork to Ennis next.
Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 0-8 (5f, ’45), Sean Lowry, Brian Fenton, James McCarthy, Lee Gannon, Colm Basquel, Ciaran Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan, Cormac Costello all 0-1.
Scorers for Clare: Emmett McMahon 0-4 (1f), Eoin Cleary 0-4 (1f), Gavin Cooney 1-2, Diarmuid Coughlin, Podge Collins both 0-1
Dublin
1. David O’Hanlon (Na Fianna)
2. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. Seán MacMahon (Raheny), 4. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille)
5. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams), 6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 7. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. Tom Lahiff (St Jude’s)
10. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock), 11. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St-Enda’s), 17. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)
21. Sean Lowry (St Vincent’s), 14. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams), 15. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
Subs
- 13. Cormac Costello for Ross McGarry (HT)
- 12. Niall Scully for Sean Lowry (HT)
- 22. Jack McCaffrey for Tom Lahiff (44)
- 18. Colm Basquel for Lee Gannon (50)
- 24. Eoin Murchan for Cian Murphy (60)
Clare
1. Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)
2. Manus Doherty (Éire Óg, Ennis), 3. Cillian Brennan (Clondegad), 4. Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg, Ennis)
5. Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora), 6. Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare), 7. Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s)
8. Ciaran Russell (Éire Óg, Ennis), 9. Darragh Bohannon (Shannon Gaels)
10. Jamie Malone (Corofin), 11. Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay — captain), 12. Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13. Gavin Cooney (Éire Óg, Ennis), 14. Emmet McMahon (Kildysart), 15. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
Subs
- 19. Aaron Griffin for Podge Collins (HT)
- 24. Brendy Rouine for Darragh Bohannon (63-66, temp)
- 24. Brendy Rouine for Ciaran Russell (67)
- 25. Keelan Sexton for Aaron Griffin (70)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Meath).
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