Dublin Kerry

SEÁN O'SHEA STOOD over the free, 50 yards from goal with the ball placed on the ground in front of him and a packed Croke Park focusing their gaze on the ...

Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock), 7. 13. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille), 14. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams), Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams), 25. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 21. 11. Brian Howard (Raheny) 12. 2. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna), 3. David Clifford (Fossa), 15. 13. Paudie Clifford (Fossa), 14. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle) Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks) 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes), 6.

There was an irony in Seán O'Shea's late booming winner coming from almost the same spot as Stephen Cluxton's iconic free in the 2011 All-Ireland final.

He had two wides from play in the second half but David was fouled for that late free. Yet, even so, all Dublin needed was for their shooting to be a handful of per cent higher and they would have won the match. The wind was a factor but after just six minutes yesterday, Dublin had seven shots to Kerry’s two but they still trailed by one point. Kerry didn’t have any designated man-marker on Kilkenny yesterday, with the job equally shared by Graham O’Sullivan, Brian Ó Beaglaíoch and Gavin White but Kilkenny’s possession numbers (24) were nowhere near his normal levels. They didn’t kick the ball in again throughout the fourth quarter but they did when the need was greatest. His breakthrough year was all the more sensational again because nobody saw Clifford coming like the whirlwind he whipped up in last year’s championship up until the All-Ireland semi-final. When Dublin twice levelled the match after the 69th minute, they were in territory they have become so comfortable operating in, while Kerry were in a tricky place they have consistently failed to negotiate their way out of in recent years. The wide count was 4-0 to Dublin after only 15 minutes, while Kerry didn’t have their first wide until the 18th minute. Doing so against Dublin was a further endorsement of the direction which O’Connor wanted this team to take and they proved as much again on Sunday. Kerry looked to have burned Dublin off when they went three ahead in the 60th minute but Dublin had shaved the margin down to one just three minutes later. His first long kick-pass inside was turned over and Dublin mined their opening point from that source. The irony was dripping all over the moment.