Dublin survive rigorous Monaghan examination to reach the All-Ireland final

All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Dublin 1-17 Monaghan 0-13

In the end it looked comfortable but it was anything but. Monaghan pushed hard for most of this All-Ireland football semi-final and did exceptionally well to bend the contest to their will or at least their preferred tempo. They never led but equally, they never trailed by much.

It wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that Dublin managed to put three points between the teams and finally in injury-time with a goal conjured by Con O’Callaghan and scored by Dean Rock, they put daylight between the teams.

Semi-finals are of course for winning and Dublin did that to reach a first All-Ireland final in three years. It will be to their benefit that they were stretched to this extent.

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Conor McManus started for Monaghan, his usual role as impact sub clearly deemed potentially a locking of the stable door after the horse may have bolted but that’s not how it played out.

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Michael Fitzsimons marked him well but the Clontibret forward made a big impression in the second half as his team tussled for an edge, drawing level three times before the match began to slip away from them.

Dublin kept their nerve throughout, raiding for scores at the right time – four times restoring the lead almost immediately after it had been eliminated. Cormac Costello was paramount, scooping the Man of the Match award with 0-7, three from frees, and no misses.

He was abetted by a superb second half from Brian Fenton, seizing the initiative and increasingly controlling the middle of the field, adding two critical points in the 61st and 69th minutes, on each occasion just after Monaghan had scored.

The first half unfolded as Monaghan would have wished. They controlled the ball for extensive periods and chilled the tempo with plenty of lateral play. Yet this was not sterile stuff and they also created chances.

Dublin’s defence was sharp, though and they successfully closed down Monaghan with alert blocks from David Byrne on Stephen O’Hanlon and the indefatigable Fitzsimons, who intervened to thwart Ryan McAnespie – who might have passed to the unmarked O’Hanlon.

Fitzsimons also put McManus off scoring at the cost of a 45. It was good defending by the veteran but the problem with 45s was that Rory Beggan kicks them in his sleep, as he did three times in the first half, including after Stephen Cluxton fumbled a dropping McManus shot.

Conor McCarthy’s breaks from wing back caused Niall Scully plenty of anxiety and he fouled him twice – the second time, fatally as referee Seán Hurson brandished a black card and the Dublin wing forward had only emerged from the sin bin when he was replaced by Ciarán Kilkenny.

Gary Mohan boomed one from about 40 metres after half an hour to leave just a point between the teams before Beggan’s final 45 levelled it.

A free for Colm Basquel, the championship’s highest scorer from play but well marked by Ryan Wylie, after a foul by Killian Lavelle was converted by Costello to restore the lead.

The contrast with Mayo was that the third quarter did not open up obligingly with a tap on the rock. The initiative was remorselessly hard to seize.

After good leadership by captain James McCarthy, turning over ball thanks to sterling work by the excellent Brain Howard and combining with Eoin Murchan to create a point for Costello and another assist for Con O’Callaghan’s first score, Dublin renewed a two-point lead.

Yet again it proved fragile.  And what must have spooked Dublin was the self-sabotage of a couple of chances. Costello fired over but it didn’t count, as Fenton had fouled the ball earlier in the move.

A minute later, the same happened O’Callaghan after he had taken too many steps. Another minute and Beggan, on his travels, slipped to present Dublin with the tools for a devastating counter but Costello overcooked the lobbed ball into Paul Mannion.

The phase ended in the 54th minute when O’Callaghan, having nearly executed a perfect turnover, fouled the ball on the ground to present McManus with the equaliser.

To their credit Dublin didn’t panic and went again but McManus hauled them back – a point from play and a terrific mark sent in by Darren Hughes. It was now the territory where a score here or there would win the match, an ideal scenario for Monaghan with an hour gone.

Dublin were at full strength now, as Jack McCaffrey had entered the fray in the 44th minute and played largely in attack where his pace was a constant threat.

Under that peculiar pressure of favourites finding the match still not settled with time running out, Dessie Farrell will have been pleased with his team’s response – to outscore their opponents 1-5 to 0-1.

Fenton, Mannion, a free from the tightest of angles and McCaffrey wound up the ratchet and although Jack McCarron, retained as an impact sub, responded, Dublin picked them off in the end.

No glorious procession, then but no stunning upset either.

DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; Eoin Murchan, Mick Fitzsimons, David Byrne; James McCarthy, John Small, Lee Gannon (0-1); Brian Fenton (0-2), Brian Howard; Paul Mannion (0-2, one free, one mark), Paddy Small (0-1), Niall Scully; Cormac Costello (0-7, three frees, one mark), Con O’Callaghan (0-2), Colm Basquel. Subs: Ciarán Kilkenny for Scully (29 mins); Jack McCaffrey (0-1) for Basquel (44); Lorcan O’Dell for P Small (63); Dean Rock (1-1, one free) for Mannion (69); Tom Lahiff for Costello (72).

MONAGHAN: Rory Beggan (0-3, three 45s); Kieran Hughes, Killian Lavelle, Ryan Wylie; Karl O’Connell, Conor Boyle, Conor McCarthy; Kieran Hughes, Darren Hughes; Stephen O’Hanlon (0-1), Micheál Bannigan (0-1), Ryan McAnespie (0-1); Conor McManus (0-5, three frees, one mark), Gary Mohan (0-1), Dessie Ward. Subs: Karl Gallagher for Ward (45 mins); Jack McCarron (0-1) for K Hughes (46); Colm Lennon for D Hughes (temp, 51-54); Ryan O’Toole for Boyle (60); Seán Jones for McAnespie (66); Colm Lennon for Lavelle (70).

Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone).