Rebels tested to the limit but find an answer

PAT GILROY, his management team, and the Dublin players will wake up to a dull ache this morning that will transcend bumps and bruises. The memories of yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cork will perhaps smart even more than the physical pains and aches.

It will come as no consolation that for most of the match Dublin looked like winners or that the management and players have gone on a momentous journey from the bitter disappointment and underachievement of the Leinster Championship to being within the kick of a ball of reaching an All-Ireland final.

It should but it won’t until the bitter disappointment recedes.

The Dubs received a harsh lesson in the vital importance of playing out the 70 minutes, of keeping their shape and, crucially, of retaining discipline as the temperature soars. Cork have the personnel both in terms of the starting team and, more pertinently at Croke Park yesterday, among their replacements to chase a game.

Every substitution Conor Counihan made had a positive impact in rescuing the game for Cork: Colm O’Neill’s was the most striking but the introduction of Nicholas Murphy and Eoin Cadogan also worked in the team’s favour.

A lesser team would have capitulated mentally on a day when so much that Cork tried did not come off. But they drew on their experiences from previous years while Dublin would be undone by a little naivety and impetuousness.

Ironically, Cork, who had found more cul-de-sacs in carrying ball into the Dublin half for most of the match, profited from a well-directed long ball into the heart of their opponents’ defence. It was surprising to see Ross McConnell, a player who has played at full back for Dublin, give away such a blatant penalty.

At a time when he needed to just stand tall, he threw himself forward and into O’Neill. It provided the key to the outcome of the match. Cork, buoyed by the momentum of scoring the penalty, became re-energised while the goal deflated a tiring Dublin team.

The latter lost their discipline and in conceding needless frees handed the game on a plate to Cork.

O’Neill was pivotal in changing the face of this match. He hasn’t been in the best of form this season but there is no doubting his ability and, when introduced, he possessed the body language of a man intent on silencing the critics.

Donnacha O’Connor had been struggling in open play but he took responsibility when it mattered most, scoring 1-3.

Cork will reflect on a day when they enjoyed a certain amount of good fortune. It was a mistake to start Ray Carey on Bernard Brogan and Graham Canty quite simply wasn’t fit.

A more experienced player than Dublin full forward Eoghan O’Gara would have exploited that fact. Cadogan’s introduction helped if not quite negate then reduce the impact of Dublin’s twin strike-force of Brogan and O’Gara.

Brogan offered a truly brilliant display of forward play until his tiring limbs could no longer propel him free of his marker. He almost single-handedly won the game for his team and if he’d enjoyed a little more support from those around him in terms of scoring he might just have nudged his team into the final.

The Dublin template of conceding kick-outs to the opposition continued only this time, especially in the second half, it gave Cork a cheap method of launching their attacks. It did work to a certain extent while the Dubs brought what has been under Gilroy a familiar and exemplary work ethic and energy to their defending.

They turned over a lot of ball, forced Cork into some ridiculous long-range shooting and, but for the final stanzas, kept their opponents at arm’s length on the scoreboard. One moment, the penalty, changed that; a self- destructive instant compounded by some overly-robust tackling that suggested tired minds as well as limbs.

Dublin will reflect on the number of easy chances that they failed to take in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, points that might have broken Cork’s spirit if the latter could see no leeway in their comeback.

The introduction of Paul Flynn, Eamonn Fennell and Conal Keaney didn’t have the desired effect, especially after the Cork goal.

Dublin needed the fresh legs to provide fresh impetus, to carry ball forward and support their tiring mainstays. Instead it was Cork who demonstrated the desire, the character and the athleticism to surge to the winning post.

They have suffered many time in the past at Croke Park but seemed to draw on those memories to demand more from themselves. There is no doubting the skills and talent of this team and, after yesterday, their character. This game will stand to them. They were tested to the limit and found an answer.

Dublin should have no recriminations given their starting point in the championship.

They are a young team with a strong bond, a great work ethic and a structure that will be tweaked and developed for the future.

Experience must be earned no matter how painful the lesson and the Dubs will be able to harness what happened in Croke Park yesterday in their favour at some point in the future.