Dublin 2-17
Tyrone 1-14
Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park
A FAMILIAR OUTCOME as the final act of the 2018 football championship concluded in Croke Park.
Dublin reigning supreme at the end, the fourth year on the spin that it was Stephen Cluxton lifting Sam Maguire.
This was the largest victory margin in a decider in that time frame for Dublin. After a couple of nail-biting recent days against Mayo, and a three-point success over Kerry back in 2015, Dublin held off Tyrone by six this afternoon.
They were full value for it. Not even a red card brandished in John Small’s direction in the finale or Peter Harte tucking away a penalty in the bottom corner, could alter the complexion of this one. Ciarán Kilkenny’s boot and Michael Darragh MacAuley’s fist supplied the last two points of the match, clinching a richly deserved triumph.
If there were doubts swirling around at the end of the first quarter as Tyrone went ahead 0-5 to 0-1, the champions dispelled them in a clinical fashion. As ever they mounted a response, tellingly pouncing for a pair of goals.
The first arrived in the 19th minute, Paul Mannion was the player fouled for a penalty by Tiarnan McCann and the player who kept his cool to convert. The finish was emphatic and powerfully struck to the net. After dragging a shot wide from a penalty in the Leinster final, he was not in the mood to spurn an opening here.
Mannion was joined in the goalscoring ranks nine minutes later by Niall Scully. It was a super raiding attack by Dublin after Jonny Cooper was fouled, he tapped a quick free to Scully who slipped it inside to Con O’Callaghan. The Cuala man’s dummy was exquisite to take Michael McKernan out of the game and as the Tyrone rearguard tried to cover, he offloaded to Scully who palmed the ball home in front of the Davin End.
At the break Dublin were 2-7 to 0-6 to the good, Tyrone seven adrift after a half where they had opened promisingly with some splendid passages of play.
The teams traded points in the second half. Tyrone tried to chip away at Dublin’s advantage but on each occasion they were met with a scoring reply at the other end. A Cathal McShane score in the 48th minute left them 2-11 to 0-11 in arrears but in the next 15 minutes there was only four points served up, Dublin striking three of those courtesy of Brian Fenton and a brace from Dean Rock.
Possessing a 2-14 to 0-12 advantage, Dublin looked to have wrapped it up. Then Harte stuck home the penalty, Small saw yellow for a second time and then red, Lee Brennan tapped over a free and suddenly it was 2-14 to 1-13 with six minutes of injury-time still to be played.
Dublin’s response was superb as they shut the match down and outscored Tyrone 0-3 to 0-1 in the remaining minutes. A sixth All-Ireland crown in eight years left their fans celebrating once more.
Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 0-7 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Paul Mannion 1-1, Niall Scully 1-0, Ciarán Kilkenny 0-3, Brian Fenton 0-2, Jack McCaffrey, Brian Howard, Michael Darragh MacAuley, Kevin McManamon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Peter Harte 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Lee Brennan (0-3f), Connor McAliskey (0-1f) 0-3 each, Mark Bradley, Cathal McShane 0-2 each, Pádraig Hampsey, Tiernan McCann, Kieran McGeary 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
3. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
5. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
10. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)
11. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
12. Brian Howard (Raheny)
13. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes)
14. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
15. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickahms)
Subs
21. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala) for O’Sullivan (inj) (26)
19. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille) for Scully (52)
20. Darren Daly (Fingal Ravens) for Murchan (58)
25. Kevin McManamon (St Jude’s) for Mannion (58)
23. Eric Lowndes (St Peregrine’s) for Cooper (63)
24. Michael Darragh MacAuley (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for Rock (67)
Tyrone
1. Niall Morgan (Clonoe)
2. Michael McKernan (Coalisland)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Padraig Hampsey (Coalisland)
5. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
10. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
18. Rory Brennan (Trillick)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Cathal McShane (Eoghan Ruadh)
12. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
11. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
7. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
13. Mark Bradley (Killyclogher)
25. Conor Meyler (Omagh)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)
Subs
17. Lee Brennan (Trillick) for Meyler (39)
6. Frank Burns (Pomeroy) for Sludden (46)
14. Richard Donnelly (Trillick) for McAliskey (49)
20. Harry Loughran (Moy) for McGeary (black card) (49)
22. Declan McClure (Clonoe) for McShane (55)
26. Ronan O’Neill (Omagh) for Bradley (64)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
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