Stephen’s Day at Croker despite a Red Hand revival
trol on the Tyrone kickout turned the game in their favour.
After Ciaran Kilkenny ended a 15-minute scoring drought, Dublin won three successive restarts off Niall Morgan and plundered 1-2 - the goal coming from a Paul Mannion penalty in the 21st minute after the Kilmacud Crokes man was bundled over by Tiernan Mccann.
Con O’callaghan teed Niall Scully up for an easy second goal seven minutes later and by half-time Dublin were 2-7 to 0-6 clear.
Their lead peaked at eight as they appeared to be comfortably holding Tyrone off but a madcap few minutes saw Peter Harte convert a penalty after Philly Mcmahon hauled down Colm Cavanagh, John Small sent off for a second bookable offence and the lead halved to just four points with seven minutes
POSSESSION
SCORING CHANCES FROM PLAY FREES CONCEDED
OWN KICKOUTS WON WIDES
TURNOVERS
CARDS
of injury time to come.
But Dublin struck three of the last four points to dispel any worries, two of them off the bench via Kevin Mcmanamon and Michael Darragh Macauley, who joined Cluxton, Mcmahon, James Mccarthy, Cian O’sullivan, Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Michael Fitzsimons, Darren Daly and Eoghan O’gara as the first men from the capital to win six All-ireland medals.
They lost O’sullivan early on to injury and still won well with Flynn, Brogan and Diarmuid Connolly, so central to All-irelands past, not on the pitch.
With Jack Mccaffrey, Brian Fenton, O’callaghan, Scully, Brian Howard, Mannion, Eoin Murchan and Ciaran Kilkenny with their peak years still to come, it will take something very special to deny them in 2019. HUNGRY, relentless, ruthless - these are the words Jim Gavin uses to describe is captain incredible, Stephen Cluxton.
Gavin could, of course, have been describing his Dublin team and the group that had just collected their sixth All-ireland final win in eight years.
He could also be describing himself, after cutting Bernard Brogan from his matchday squad and Paul Flynn from any involvement off the bench.
But those words fit Cluxton like a glove. Yesterday the Parnells man played his 200th League and Championship game between the posts for his county – his 98th in the Championship.
Cluxton has won six All-irelands – a record five as captain, and his fourth in a row in that leadership role.
Asked what this achievement says about the 36-year-old, Gavin said: “It demonstrates his determination, the character of the man he is.
“He has volunteered so much of his time, committed so much of his life to Gaelic Games.
“He’s in the vocation of teaching, he’s an outstanding teacher in St David’s in Artane.
“It’s just the example he sets in his leadership – and for me leadership is all about the influence piece.
“The leadership he gives to other players, the standards that he demands from himself first and foremost... I mean, he’s the first to training and the last off the pitch. He’s hungry, he’s relentless, he’s ruthless, and that’s a great trait in any captain.”
But for almost 20 minutes at the start of this All-ireland final, Cluxton must have wondered what was going on.
The air crackled over Croker. Tyrone led by four.
Hearts and minds raced. Could it really be the day when David slays Goliath?
Normality was restored, however, in a matter of four ruthless minutes as Dublin outscored Tyrone by 2-6 to 0-1 from the 18th minute to the break. Game over. And after making that familiar climb up the Hogan Stand steps, Cluxton (inset) delivered his own message to the naysayers who put Dublin’s success down to economic bias.
“To the officers of the county board and the staff at Parnell Park, I’d like to thank you for your endless work, your dedication to the team... and regardless of what people say about money and population, put these teams out, and really, really go as hard as we can.”
Right now it’s impossible not to think they won’t go one further and go where no GAA side has gone before. It’s going to take something extra-special to knock these Blues off their perch.