All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Dublin 0-20 Kerry 2-18 (report)
The couple of controversial decisions notwithstanding, Kerry’s victory over Dublin was comfortable enough towards the end. The goals from Seán O’Brien and David Clifford made the difference, and Dublin couldn’t get enough consistency up front in the second half to claw their way back into the game. Seán Moran’s match report is with us now and you can read it below.
Anyways, there’s only one game of intercounty football left this year, and it’s Kerry-Mayo in the All-Ireland final. It’s a surprise to see Andy Moran’s side at that stage in his first year at the helm; slightly less so with Jack O’Connor’s charges. Hopefully it’ll be a cracker.
Thanks for joining us this weekend for the semi-finals and make sure you check in for live updates on the All-Ireland hurling and football finals in the next couple of weeks.
[Kerry march on to All-Ireland final but need rub of the green to overcome Dublin]
It’s been a hard season to grade for Ger Brennan in his first year with the Dubs. On the one hand, their league relegation and Leinster final defeat to Westmeath were fairly disastrous, but their run to the semis was excellent. Those performances against Donegal, Galway and even Kerry today definitely show that there’s something to build on next year. Brennan will definitely take a lot from the fact that his return to the sideline saw Dublin win three in a row before meeting Kerry today.
Here’s a great image of three lads who have had superb seasons this year. A Dublin win today would probably have had Niall Scully in footballer of the year contention, but the man in green and gold looks set to earn that honour again. It’ll be interesting to see how many of the Dublin old guard will be back next year.
In Jack O’Connor’s post-match interview, he gave a lot of praise to the Dublin team today, saying Kerry had a bit more experience and luck that carried them through. He also highlighted how good Mayo were yesterday, especially in their full-forward line. Plenty to look forward to in a couple of weeks now.
The slow-mo replay of the Dublin goal chance seems to show it just over the line. Paul Flynn is not happy about it on RTÉ, but I saw it myself plenty of times, and that’s the first replay to actually show it to be over the line, so the umpires had a ridiculously hard call to make there. Flynn makes the point that they only have a small few jobs to do, but that was basically impossible to see in real time.
Seán Moran sends on a final update after full-time at Croke Park:
“Kerry closed out a comfortable if not overly impressive win over a battling Dublin. Assisted by a certain amount of good fortune at both ends, their two goals and sundry escapes ended up defining the difference on the scoreboard. The champions though were always in control once they squashed the brief Dublin uprising after half-time and turned around a three-point deficit. A goal by Seán O’Brien touched in from Dylan Geaney’s dropping two-point attempt, changed the dynamic and then orchestrated by Paudie Clifford, Kerry picked off Dublin to stay ahead and book a first All-Ireland final against Mayo in 20 years.”
Diarmuid O’Connor joins The Sunday Game’s panel with a wry “bit tired after that one.” He says that they were happy enough with their first half, but tidied things up a lot in the second.
That was a game decided by a few crucial moments and Kerry capitalised on them better than Dublin. The Dubs threw away a massive amount of scoring chances in both halves there, but will still feel unlucky to be on the wrong side of calls for the penalty, the square ball and their goal attempt which looks like it was probably just stopped on the line by Mike Breen.
Full-time: Dublin 0-20 Kerry 2-18
Kerry have beaten Dublin! We’re going to have the first Kerry-Mayo final since 2006. Jack O’Connor will be looking for Kerry’s first two in a row since 2009.
68 Mins: Kerry get a shot kickout off but Dublin turn it over. Scully has a half chance at goal and kicks it just over. That was the chance really. Dublin 0-20 Kerry 2-17
67 Mins: Kerry win their kickout and a Seán O’Shea switch grants Tomás Kennedy a simple score. Dublin have it but there’s a load of green and gold bodies blocking the area. Dublin 0-18 Kerry 2-17
66 Mins: Terrible miss from Charlie McMorrow, who has way too much time to kick it and hits a wide. Dublin 0-18 Kerry 2-16
65 Mins: Dublin finally have it back, and Howard bundles in towards goal, smashing it over. They win the kickout though and come again through Guiden, who hits a really disappointing effort. Dublin 0-18 Kerry 2-16
63 Mins: Apologies, Guiden is only on now for Paddy Small and Costello is still on. Kerry win the kickout and keep it again. Then Clifford drills in a super ball to Ó Beaglaoich, who misses, but has the advanced mark. Dublin 0-17 Kerry 2-16
62 Mins: Kerry are just keeping the ball, going over and back again and again. Then Clifford loses it, Clancy lifts it but gives it back to Clifford and he puts it over. Dublin 0-17 Kerry 2-16
60 Mins: Heinrich has a shot immediately that drifts wide. O’Callaghan is fouled from the kickout, but Dublin overcomplicate again in the forwards, trying to force a goal chance. Less than ten minutes left now. Dublin 0-17 Kerry 2-15
58 Mins: Dublin bungle their next attempt at an attack. Evan Looney is on for Paul Murphy and Armin Heinrich is on for Gavin White. Dublin 0-17 Kerry 2-15
57 Mins: Dublin dispossess Dylan Casey from the free out and Costello swings over a lovely score. Seán Bugler and Sean Guiden are on now for Cormac Costello and Eoin Kennedy. Dublin 0-17 Kerry 2-15
57 Mins: How was there no score for Dublin? What a waste by them. A great save by Murphy from McGarry, and the follow is maybe cleared off the line? It’s hard to tell whether it crossed fully, but the umpires didn’t give it. Then it’s blocked down on the follow-up by Costello. Dublin 0-16 Kerry 2-15
56 Mins: That’s a poor miss from Ó Beaglaich, who curls his effort just wide. Dublin just barely hang onto a kickout, but Costello drives it wide. Rushing things now. Dublin 0-16 Kerry 2-15
54 Mins: Kerry look totally on song now, holding the ball until the right option comes up. Dylan Geaney ends up booting the ball just wide though from inside the arc. Ross McGarry is on for Ó Cofaigh Byrne, apparently through injury. Dublin 0-16 Kerry 2-15
52 Mins: Really poor defending from Dublin, letting Seán O’Shea get a two-pointer off under no pressure. It was a very good kick from the Kerry man, and at the other end, Howard slashes one way wide. Dublin 0-16 Kerry 2-15
51 Mins: Costello does some very neat work to get around Paul Murphy and chip another over. Dublni 0-16 Kerry 2-13
50 Mins: Cian Murphy is on for Alex Gavin. Comerford’s kickout is poor and it ends up gifting David Clifford a two-pointer. Four in it now. Dublin 0-15 Kerry 2-13
49 Mins: Alex Gavin is very lax trying to get to a ball that he won’t thank Eoin Kennedy for giving him later. Kerry get it up quickly this time and David Clifford shales off Byrne, only for Howard to block his fisted point effort. 45′ from Paudie Clifford and he puts that wide. Dublin 0-15 Kerry 2-11
47 Mins: A really poor miss for Paddy Small on the right foot. Keith Evans is on for Seán O’Brien. Dublin concede the short kickout. Some loose handling by Breen is not exploited by the overly cautious Dublin defence. Kerry are just working it around and around, and eventually Paudie knocks over his fifth. Dublin 0-15 Kerry 2-11
45 Mins: Kerry slow attack and it ends up with a great two-pointer by Paudie Clifford after a nice jink to get beyind the man. Another angle is shown of the goal and the goalscorer was clerly in the square as the ball was kicked. Dublin 0-15 Kerry 2-10
44 Mins: Dublin do well to scrap and win the kickout after that goal. They work it to McMorrow who gets his second of the game. Dublin 0-15 Kerry 2-8
43 Mins: GOAL for Kerry! Dylan Geaney hits a two-point effort that drops short and it’s helped on by Seán O’Brien. It just squeezes over the line. Dublin 0-14 Kerry 2-8
42 Mins: Lee Gannon breaks up a Kerry attack brilliantly. Dublin go again and Cormac Costello drives a ball well wide under pressure from Paul Murphy. The corner-back lands on the corner-forward, so there’s medical attention on for him. Kerry on the ball again now. Dublin 0-14 Kerry 1-8
41 Mins: Diarmuid O’Connor does really well to gather the kickout along the Cusack sideline. Now Dublin sit in immediately after losing that kickout. Kerry work it around but Clifford is blocked down really well outside the arc. Dublin counter attack. O’Callaghan hits the post! Good save from Murphy. Dublin 0-14 Kerry 1-8
38 Mins: Howard seems to have taken too much out of the ball but eventually fires over a low shot under pressure. Dublin win the kickout again then. Looks like it will be all slow attacks for Dublin, because they’re working right now. Basquel curls over a lovely effort. Dublin 0-14 Kerry 1-8
37 Mins: Ó Cofaigh Byrne smahses the kickout away from O’Shea and Paddy Small gets through for the half’s opening score. Dublin win the next kickout to thanks to Kilkenny and set up to try and create something slowly again. Dublin 0-12 Kerry 1-8
36 Mins: Dublin win the throw-in again. It’s a slow attack again, this time into the breeze, and Basquel has a shot that HawkEye is called in for. Looks wide and it is. Dublin 0-11 Kerry 1-8
Here’s Seán Moran’s half-time update:
“Dublin and Kerry are level at half-time but the Dubs have been backed by a big wind and their inaccuracies may come against them. Kerry were insulated from the elements by a third-minute penalty after a foul on Joe O’Connor by Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne. David Clifford’s kick was saved by Evan Comerford but the rebound was easily netted.
Kerry will be pleased to have dominated possession against the wind and Dublin have allowed Paudie Clifford free rein beyond the 40-mettre arc. The price to date hasn’t been exorbitant but it’s a risky strategy.
Dublin’s forwards have made a mark amidst the six wides. Cormac Costello, Colm Basquel and Con O’Callaghan all chipped in as Kerry have defended the arc well, conceding just two two-pointers. A capacity crowd awaits the second half."
This is one of these decisions that we’ve become accustomed to throughout the World Cup. If you look at it from different angles, it seems to tell you different stories. The Sunday Game panel have had their say; Paul Flynn and Paul Conroy both agree that it was soft but Ó Cofaigh Byrne could have stood his ground instead of tackling. Tomás Ó Sé says that it isn’t a penalty.
Half-time: Dublin 0-11 Kerry 1-8
Level at half-time after a very good final score from Seán O’Shea, his first real flash of brilliance today.
34 Mins: Costello just about gets around O’Sullivan and pops one over for Dublin to lead. Dublin win the kickout again, but Scully hoofs it to nothing. Dublin 0-11 Kerry 1-7
32 Mins: Charlie McMorrow makes a great arcing run and curls over a right footed effort to level the game. Dublin win the kickout, a rarity today. Dublin 0-10 Kerry 1-7
31 Mins: Kerry are mirroring Dublin now, going at a snail’s pace. Dublin aren’t coming out to meet them outside the arc though, so why would they? This time it gets to David Clifford who shoots Kerry’s first wide of the game. Dublin 0-9 Kerry 1-7
28 Mins: Dublin go very slow this time. Eventually, Kilkenny works it in to Costello, who turns and lashes it over off the left foot. At the other end, Paudie Clifford leaves a shot very short. Dublin 0-9 Kerry 1-7
26 Mins: Paddy Small goes for a two-pointer, but it curls too far in and goes wide on the near side. Then there’s a great fetch from the kickout by Joe O’Connor. Dublin 0-8 Kerry 1-7
25 Mins: Scully, O’Callaghan and Basquel combine well to let the latter get a handy score. So far Dublin have been doing a decent job on David Clifford, but are perhaps paying him too much attention, leaving gaps for his brother and Graham O’Sullivan. This time though, it is the big man who lets off a great shot just inside the arc and points it. Dublin 0-8 Kerry 1-6
23 Mins: Good defending from Howard, turning over O’Shea. In the end though, Scully’s effort tails wide. Miscommunication at the back for Dublin sees Paudie Clifford ghost right through to fist one over. Dublin 0-7 Kerry 1-6
20 Mins: Seán O’Shea mishits a simple looking point effort. Dublin bring it up slowly. Colm Basquel eventually injects the pace and gets a good score off his left. Dublin 0-7 Kerry 1-5
19 Mins: Dublin win the Kerry kickout, but Howard drops it under no pressure and possession is wasted. Kerry go into their usual shape, passing it around. Eventually it comes to O’Sullivan who gets a second great point. Costello wastes a chance at the other end for a two-pointer. Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-5
17 Mins: Mark O’Shea puts a strong tackle in on O’Callaghan, so free out for Dublin. Niall Scully eventually takes the shot on his left foot, which nearly drops in under the bar, but Shane Murphy makes a decent save to paw it out for a 45′. Costello hits it and makes it. Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-4
15 Mins: Kerry are happy to ship the ball around and wait for the right opportunity to emerge. Dublin have not opted to man-mark Paudie Clifford anyways, which makes this style a lot easier for the Kingdom. Eventually he plays a super pass over the top for O’Shea, so it’ll be an advanced mark. O’Shea is a lot more comfortable on placed balls than Eoin Kennedy was and slots it. Dublin 0-5 Kerry 1-4
12 Mins: Dublin just about win a Kerry kickout and work it up. Con O’Callaghan very cleverly stays outside the arc and slots it over. Dublin 0-5 Kerry 1-3
11 Mins: Terrible effort from outside the arc by Paddy Small, but the advanced mark had been called. Eoin Kennedy has a go, but puts it well wide from the placed ball. Dublin 0-3 Kerry 1-3
10 Mins: Kerry work it around, finding Paudie Clifford who makes a dash inside and slots one over on his left. Then Comerford hits a kickout way too short and Dylan Geaney gets in for a goal chance, putting it over. Dublin 0-3 Kerry 1-3
8 Mins: Niall Scully hits a good ball inside to O’Callaghan, but the shot is eventually blocked. Paddy Small does well to rescue things with a point in the end. Dublin 0-3 Kerry 1-1
7 Mins: Diarmuid O’Connor gets through the Dublin cover and lays off for Graham O’Sullivan to get Kerry’s first point. Dublin’s kickout is good and quick, but Gannon kicks it away wastefully. Dublin 0-2 Kerry 1-1
6 Mins: Kerry’s break comes to nothing so Dublin go slow again. Jason Foley stands up O’Callaghan well in a one-to-one. Eventually the Cuala man gets on it again and goes for two, but it’s wide. Murphy’s kickouts look good again today so far. Dublin 0-2 Kerry 1-0
4 Mins: Kerry force Dublin’s first kickout over the sideline. They carry it up, but Dylan Geaney fouls the ball under pressure. Howard adds some pace to things, but Dublin circle around for a slow attack. Kerry surround Basquel eventually to win it back. Dublin 0-2 Kerry 1-0
2 Mins: Penalty for Kerry! Joe O’Connor powers into the area and meets Ó Cofaigh Byrne who turns his shoulder into the Kerry man. It is frontal, but it is harsh enough at the same time. Yellow for the Dublin man too. O’Shea throws the ball off to Clifford.
GOAL for Kerry! Comerford saved the peno, but it comes right out to Clifford who roofs it to the net. Dublin 0-2 Kerry 1-0
1 Min: We’re a tiny bit delayed throwing in, but it’s off now! Ó Cofaigh Byrne wins the throw-in and Dublin are playing into the Canal End, which was a big advantage yesterday. Alex Gavin takes a solo and go, and Mark O’Shea is adjudged to have been impeding him, so it’s moved in. That’s pretty harsh, but Costello takes the free and lands the two-pointer. Dublin 0-2 Kerry 0-0
Right, the teams are parading now, so it’s nearly time to go. This should be something else.
If you want a quick preview before throw-in, now is the time to read Seán Moran’s piece. He sees the champions as being a little too strong for Dublin.
[Kerry v Dublin preview: Champions to get the job done against liberated challengers]
Here are the teams to start today’s semi-final including the late changes:
Dublin: Evan Comerford; Alex Gavin, Eoin Kennedy, David Byrne; Lee Gannon, Theo Clancy, Charlie McMorrow; Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Brian Howard; Colm Basquel, Con O’Callaghan, Niall Scully; Cormac Costello, Ciarán Kilkenny, Paddy Small.
Kerry: Shane Murphy; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Graham O’Sullivan, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Mark O’Shea, Seán O’Brien; Joe O’Connor, Paudie Clifford, Diarmuid O’Connor; David Clifford, Seán O’Shea, Dylan Geaney.
Seán Moran is in Croke Park today and brings us news of changes before throw-in at 4pm:
“As Croke Park fills up on a hot summer afternoon for the latest iteration of Kerry-Dublin, news of two changes. The champions introduce All Star Seán O’Shea, now full restored after coming off the bench against Tyrone. He replaces Paul Geaney, who drops out of the panel, presumably with injury. Killian Spillane will wear 14 in the Kerry replacements.
Dublin announce that as expected, Seán MacMahon won’t start after the knock he sustained against Galway in the quarter-finals. Alex Gavin comes into the defence.
Dublin haven’t beaten their rivals in an All-Ireland semi-final for 10 years but have in that time won two finals, 2019 and ’23 while losing in the last four to Kerry in 2022."
Ger Brennan is no stranger to Dublin-Kerry games, but this is the first championship meeting where he’ll be managing. He admits that the ones he’s enjoyed the most are the games he hasn’t been involved with, but is looking towards history to inspire his charges today.
[Ger Brennan drawing on past lessons to inform latest instalment of Dublin-Kerry rivalry]
Earlier in the week, Paul Galvin discussed the competitiveness and energy of Kerry’s legendary manager Jack O’Connor. Gordon Manning reports.
[‘Jack was born to manage teams and win things’: Paul Galvin ranks Jack O’Connor among Kerry’s greats]
With David and Paudie Clifford up front for Kerry, it seems obvious that they should be the players kept on the closest watch. That just leaves you with Paul and Dylan Geaney and maybe the returning Seán O’Shea to contend with. It’s definitely not ideal for a defence. Dylan Geaney in particular has shined this year and may need more defensive attention than any team can afford to give him. His performance against Tyrone was sensational, and Stephen Rochford explains how he fits into the Kingdom’s attack.
[Stephen Rochford: Kerry’s prolific Dylan Geaney yet another attacking problem for rivals Dublin]
One of the great Kerry players of this current crop has not had it easy, despite his famous name. From the forgotten man of the late 2010s, to becoming the brains up front, Denis Walsh analyses the key ball handler for this Kerry side, Paudie Clifford.
[Paudie Clifford: How Kerry’s overlooked talent became an indispensable star]
So it’s another semi-final and another packed house at Croker. It was all set up for an incredible game yesterday, but Louth never really got going and Mayo booked their spot in the final. Let’s hope that we see a more entertaining game today on another sweltering day in Dublin.
Kerry enter the game as favourites, but will be wary of this resurgent Dublin team. In any case, Jack O’Connor certainly isn’t the type of manager to let his team get carried away with any pre-match talk. However, Darragh Ó Sé agrees with Ger Brennan saying that the pressure is on Kerry is, regardless of whether it’s a little bit of mind games from the Dublin coach.
[Darragh Ó Sé: It’s not mind games – Ger Brennan is right about all the pressure being on Kerry]
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second All-Ireland football semi-final; Dublin-Kerry. It’s Gaelic football’s greatest rivalry, renewed today for the 34th meeting of these sides in the championship. Kerry hold the edge in head-to-head meetings, but Dublin won their last championship clash, the 2023 All-Ireland final.
The odds favour the reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry today though. Led by David Clifford, they have bounced back since defeat to Donegal, hammering Armagh and overcoming Tyrone in the quarters. On the other hand, Dublin’s season looked to be nearly over a few weeks ago, but they have bounced back, dumping Donegal and Galway out en route to the semis.
Today’s game will be played in front of a sold out Croke Park, and will throw in at 4pm.
