Dublin endure white-knuckle ride

LEINSTER SFC FINAL: A joyful liberation in front of the biggest crowd seen at Croke Park for four decades culminated in Dublin's first provincial title in seven years. Yesterday's Bank of Ireland Leinster football final was a gripping match well worth its huge attendance, writes Seán Moran

It was decided by two goals in the space of a minute, which confronted and swept away the doubts that were beginning to cloud Dublin's prospects of winning.

Firstly Alan Brogan pounced on a ball broken by Ray Cosgrove from John McNally's 45 and somehow finding space, he struck a shot with the outside of his right boot that clipped off the far post and into the net.

Within seconds Collie Moran's long ball was broken again by Cosgrove who turned onto the break and swept the bounce into the net.

From trailing desperately by two points, Dublin in a trice led by four. Kildare responded to play their part in a dramatic finish. Dublin seemed unable to put the match away and were under nerve-shredding pressure at the end.

The winners led by three in injury-time when Stephen Cluxton saved brilliantly from a Tadhg Fennin snap shot in the crowded area. The Dublin goalkeeper can barely have seen the shot flashing in but he beat the ball away and although Kildare managed a point subsequently, time ran out and the Hill exhaled a long sigh of relief.

So Tommy Lyons's target of two Leinster titles has been met (the under-21s having already been successful). More than the regained title, Dublin supporters will prize the manner of the victorious campaign. Wins over their most regular tormentors Meath and Kildare have helped build confidence both among the new-look team and the supporters who turned out in their hordes for the final.

His stamp as a coach has been on the team. Quick, early ball into the attack and constant, bewildering movement among his attack, especially the new full-forward line that yesterday bagged 2-9 of the team's total. They use their pace and the vast acreage of the new Croke Park pitch to good effect and like all of Lyons's teams, have an instinctive understanding of the attacking plan. This stood them in good stead in the final quarter when the match appeared to be running against them.

But the Dublin management will know that All-Irelands are even harder won these days and as they await the emergence of quarter-final opponents, there remains plenty of work to be done, especially in defence. Too often and too easily, Dublin were sliced open by hard-running opponents.

Eddie McCormack beat Peader Andrews at will in the opening stages yesterday - until the will seemed to fail him.

John Doyle put Barry Cahill under constant pressure and although Coman Goggins was maligned by Fennin's closing total of 2-2, the Kildare man was sharp and threatening whenever he got possession.

Alone of his sector, Paddy Christie was masterful - wrapping up and postmarking Martin Lynch for early delivery to the sideline - and dealing equally effectively with Karl O'Dwyer, as the occasion demanded. He even had the scope to kick a point himself in the first half.

Dublin got little return from centrefield until the fraught final quarter when Ciarán Whelan flexed his muscles. Up until then Dermot Earley ruled the middle and more infuriatingly for Lyons and his selectors, both Earley and Killian Brennan treated the centre of Dublin's defence like a motorway with no speed limit.

The impunity with which they charged through was at the heart of Fennin's first goal and nearly cost a second but Earley was narrowly wide with a good shot in the 40th minute.

But sufficient to the day. Dublin will be hopeful that Jonny Magee can recover in time for the next match. His imposing presence would have constituted a formidable roadblock in the middle of the champions' defence.

There were some lovely scores taken by both teams, but Dublin looked particularly impressive when on-message.

Pride of place goes to Brogan, whose appetite and flair for the unpredictable created his 1-2 and other good chances.

Altruism finds no purchase on his footballing instincts, as it rarely does with natural scorers. But if he occasionally might have laid off the ball, there's no real point in quibbling with the overall package, which has transformed Dublin's attack this season just as his goal transformed yesterday's final.

The match swung through different phases. In the first quarter Dublin were making their possession pay with some accurate, long passes and smartly-taken points by Brogan, Cosgrove and John McNally. They led 0-6 to 0-2 by the 18th minute before conceding the initiative. Kildare's confidence grew with a couple of points before the match was turned by the first goal.

Cahill over-committed himself on the right, allowing the sprightly John Doyle a clear run down the wing. He passed inside to the unmarked Brennan who bore down on the goal with Goggins trying to mark Fennin and cover the incoming threat. In the end Fennin was given a clear shot and tucked away the goal.

The first half yielded other goal chances with Cluxton saving well from McCormack in the eighth minute and McNally getting two chances, one being blocked by Enda Murphy and the other foiled by Padraig Mullarkey's nimble dispossession.

At the interval Dublin, having played with the wind advantage, led by only a point, 0-9 to 1-5.

The next phase saw Kildare establish a grip on the game as Dublin became more and more anxious. Once more it was a goal that defined the phase. Substitute Darren Magee did well in the 45th minute to pick up a loose ball in the goalmouth but a suicidal handpass set Fennin up in front of the goal and he roofed the shot.

After they had recovered the lead Dublin were able to steady the ship by bringing on Des Farrell and Jason Sherlock, with Farrell in particular lending an air of calm to the frenzy. But the team still managed to contrive scarcely-believable misses and so ensure a white-knuckle ending.

HOW THEY LINED OUT

DUBLIN: 1. S Cluxton; 2 B Cahill, 3 P Christie, 4 C Goggins; 5 P Casey, 7 P Curran, 6 P Andrews; 8 C Whelan, 9 D Homan; 10 C Moran, 11 S Ryan, 12 S Connell; 13 A Brogan, 14 R Cosgrove, 15 J McNally. Subs: 18 D Magee for Curran (42 mins); 20 J Sherlock for Connell (55 mins); 19 D Farrell for McNally (58 mins); 17 D Henry for Homan (60 mins).

Booked: R Cosgrove (47 mins), P Casey (53 mins).

KILDARE: 1 E Murphy; 2 B Lacey, 3 P Mullarkey, 4 K Doyle; 5 K Duane, 6 D Hendy, 7 A Rainbow; 8 K Brennan, 9 D Earley; 10 E McCormack, 11 K O'Dwyer, 12 R Sweeney; 13 T Fennin, 14 M Lynch, 15 J Doyle. Subs: 17 G Ryan for Hendy (49 mins); 26 S McKenzie-Smith for Lynch (66 mins); 21 P Murray for O'Dwyer (66 mins); 18 T Harris for Duane (68 mins).

Booked: P Mullarkey (50 mins), D Earley (65 mins).