#DUBvKER: The moments that mattered

Sat, 14 Sep, 2019 - 21:53

Eoghan Cormican

1: Having wrestled momentum back from Dublin when managing to draw level on the stroke of half-time (this was the first time since the 15th second the Kingdom had stood on level terms with their opponents), Kerry found themselves on the backfoot once again when Eoin Murchan supplied the sole goal of this All-Ireland final nine seconds after the restart.

David Moran had risen highest for the throw-in but it was Murchan who collected his knock-down on the Dublin ‘65, proceeding to gallop right the way through to the Kerry 13-metre line where he planted the ball into the right corner of Shane Ryan’s net.

Kerry never once led and our maths would indicate that they were level with Dublin for all of one minute of this All-Ireland. You can’t expect to win an All-Ireland from that position of submission.

Stephen Cluxton of Dublin saves a shot from Stephen O'Brien of Kerry, in the 54th minute, during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

2: The same as the drawn game, Kerry were far from economical when goal chances presented themselves.

Their outstanding green flag opportunity in this replay fell to Stephen O’Brien on 53 minutes but the Kenmare forward directed his shot straight at Stephen Cluxton.

Whether or not he saw him, Paul Geaney was unmarked on the other side of the square when O’Brien pulled the trigger.

Hindsight, of course, is a great weapon but perhaps O’Brien should have fisted possession across the Dublin danger area.

Geaney himself blasted over with his first-half goal chance. Kerry needed a goal, particularly so after Murchan’s three-pointer, but were unable to fashion one.

James McCarthy of Dublin in action against Jack Barry of Kerry during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

3: Dublin’s second-half lead was cut to the minimum on only one occasion, that following a superb Sean O’Shea point on the three-quarter hour mark to leave the scoreline reading 1-11 to 0-13.

From the ensuing Stephen Cluxton restart, Kerry momentarily held possession as Jack Barry knocked the kick-out away from James McCarthy and into the grasp of a green and gold shirt.

Dublin, though, forced an almost instant turnover and from there, Diarmuid Connolly launched a beautiful missile to Ciaran Kilkenny who put two between the sides (1-12 to 0-13).

Four of the next five scores, thereafter, were landed by men in blue.