Farrell’s driven charges finally earn their All-Irland reward

Dublin 1-21 Roscommon 3-6

Nine years ago Dessie Farrell took over a panel of promising young footballers and promised them nothing. But if they could keep their heads while those around them fell – and a lot of other ifs too – then he would lead them to the Promised Land.

It felt like they reached it in Tullamore on Saturday, because under-21 football finals are not meant to be like this. They should be jagged, desperate even, as both teams wrestle for the edge of superiority. Instead Dublin gave Roscommon the sort of smoothly devastating football lesson that turns a contest into an exhibition. It was decided long before Dublin ran up a 13-point lead by half-time, such was their confident frame of mind.

“Every player on this team has played in an All-Ireland final already, at minor, under-21, or even senior,” was how Conor McHugh helped explain their inexplicable dominance, having shot 1-6. “We were very relaxed coming in, and that experience creates calmness. You could feel it. None of the lads were nervous at all.”

Promising team
While Farrell's promising team perhaps let their nerves get the better of them when losing the All-Ireland minor final in 2011, this time there would be no mistake. This was Dublin's third under-21 All-Ireland in five years. Roscommon haven't won the title since 1978, and must feel further away than ever after this.

“I did get a sense, during the week, that it was coming,” said Farrell, “that fellas were in the right frame of mind. And in fairness they stuck to exactly what we wanted them to do on the pitch . . . .

“I first took this team as under-13s, and I really do feel very privileged, because we have seen them grow from boys to me, if you like. That’s been special to witness, to see how they’ve developed as players on the field, and men off the field. It’s been a great journey, and I’m delighted for them. . . ”

Few teams will ever create the sort of first-half dominance that Dublin did here: of 17 scoring chances they converted 14, Paul Mannion and Cormac Costello every bit as lethally clinical as McHugh. The tactical execution was faultless, each kick-out deftly finding its man, then driven forward – with Dublin captain Jack McCaffrey as crucial to that tactic as ever, as was the positioning of Eric Lowndes in the half forwards.

With that Roscommon were limited to a single point, on three minutes, and when Donie Smith’s 13th minute penalty was saved by Lorcan Molloy (Dublin full back David Byrne black-carded for the foul) it was game over for Roscommon.

Five minutes into the second half McHugh scored his goal, and even if Roscommon followed that with three goals in four minutes – two coming from Diarmuid Murtagh – Dublin drove on comfortably.

With players like 20-year-old McHugh back in the grade next year, and the expectation that Farrell will be too, the promise of further Dublin success beckons, at all grades.

Special era
"Well I think it's a just a special era," said Farrell, "and I don't think it's going to last forever. I think the challenge for Dublin people is to try to sustain that period for as long as possible.

“But we’re just really fortunate that we’ve a good crop of players at senior and under-21 level. I wouldn’t be getting carried away with it, though . . . .

“A lot of good work has gone in at county board level, and we’re reaping the rewards for that. But it’s an era, that’s all it is, and it could come to a grinding halt very shortly.”

Roscommon manager Nigel Dineen made no excuses for him team being outclassed:

“What can I tell you? Other than Dublin blew us away in the first 30 minutes. We had no answer. We said at the start we’d push up on their men, for their short kick-outs, but they just won one after another and pushed on from there. Our lads were found wanting the whole time.

“There is gap there now between Dublin and the rest of us. It could be a myth, but right now the myth is paying off. But everyone else in the country will have to look at Dublin, see what they’re doing, and try to get up there. But having said that they can only have 15 players out on the pitch. I suppose the next year or two will tell a bit more about just how well Dublin are going compared to the rest of the country.”

McCaffrey, the Dublin captain, was asked what tasted sweeter, this All-Ireland, or the 2012 version? "I never know how to answer that question, except to say this feels every bit as good. And these are all your friends, and you can't beat winning with your friends. . . ."
DUBLIN: L Molloy; R McGowan, D Byrne, R McDaid; C Mullally, J Small, J McCaffrey (capt, 0-1); P O'Higgins, B Fenton; S Boland, C McHugh (1-6), E Lowndes; P Mannion (0-8, five frees, one 45), C Costello (0-4, two frees), N Scully (0-1). Subs: E O Conghaile for Byrne (15 mins, black card), G Hannigan for Boland (44 mins), G Ivory for O'Higgins (45 mins), S Cunningham (0-1) for Costello (50 mins, inj), N Walsh for Mannion (61 mins).
ROSCOMMON: C Lavin; D Murray, C Kenny, S Mullooly; C Daly, J McManus, R Daly; U Harney (0-2), T Corcoran; K Kilcline (1-0), M Healy, E Smith (0-1); D Murtagh (2-3, two frees), M Nally, D Smith. Subs: M Gunning for Nally (22 mins), T Featherston for Kenny (25 mins), N McInerney for Daly (29 mins, inj), A Gleeson for Gunning (half-time), S Flynn for Daly (51 mins), S Killoran for Healy (58 mins).
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).