Shooting Stars down Dublin

Who said pitch invasions in Gaelic Games are a thing of the past? At full-time in yesterday's Dublin-Evening Herald Blue Stars football challenge, the terrace in front of Pairc de Burca, Glenalbyn quickly emptied its occupants and all of them spilled forward onto the pitch.

But neither team were receiving a cup; they were lining up for penalties, the novel way of deciding the annual challenge between Dublin and the Blue Stars selection. And everyone wanted to get a closer look.

After five shots each, the Blue Stars prevailed, thus reversing last year's result, which they certainly deserved on the hour of football that had gone before. It was the last of the five penalties that decided it, with Mick O'Keeffe casually converting for the Blue Stars before Colm Boyle just failed to sneak the ball past his opposite man.

Neither team could be faulted for fitness or enthusiasm throughout the game, especially considering the day that was in it. Sore heads aside, the playing surface was treacherous in places and it wasn't long into the second half before the rain started. Both managers were forced to make the inevitable changes from the teams announced late last week. Worst of the New Year hangover victims appeared to be the Na Fianna squad, half of which didn't make it back from the night in Amsterdam. Jason Sherlock did start for the Blue Stars but it was sometime into the second half before anyone seemed to notice.

As is the rule for this occasion, Dublin will always surrender some class to the Blue Stars selection. But manager Tom Carr has no shortage of young players in his books at the moment, and almost all of them provided further signs of potential. Ken Darcy, younger brother of Declan, made an obvious impact at midfield and Morgan Doran showed no fear at full forward. The young Ciaran McGuinness from St Peregrines was also one of the more notable substitutes.

For Blue Stars and Na Fianna manager Paul Caffrey, the main concern on the sideline was his side's wasted possession. The opening half-hour went heavily in their favour and yet the score was level at the break, 1-4 to 0-7, after Doran graced the end of the half with two fine points.

In the period before that, Dublin were struggling to make an impact on the scoreboard. The Blue Stars had pulled clear on eight minutes when a breaking run by the fast-improving Wayne McCarthy ended with a short hand pass to Vinny Murphy. He showed typical panache to flick the ball into the net past Boyle.

O'Keeffe followed that up with a long-range point and Dublin's apparent limitations didn't bode well for the rest of the game. Yet they gradually chipped away atthe deficit, most significantly through Niall O'Donoghue, who made full use of every ball that came his way and fired over two quick points in succession.

The Blue Stars regained their lead shortly after the restart. Murphy had his radar well tuned and added his second point, quickly followed by a similarly impressive effort from Enda Crennan. But O'Donogue and Darcy responded, and from then on it would remain a closely-fought contest.

Ian Robertson continues to put his injury problems behind him and increasingly influenced the game as time wore on. His first point on 42 minutes brought the sides level again and the introduction of Alan Brogan - son of former long-serving inter-county star Bernard - also helped build some momentum into the Dublin attack.

Although Murphy and O'Keeffe pushed the Blue Stars back in front, Dublin were never that far behind. Robertson had a golden opportunity to win the game with some five minutes left but his shot was well saved by Dave Byrne. O'Donoghue's final free levelled the score once more and although time was called a couple of minutes early, the prospect of penalties ensured no one would complain.

The same thing had happened a few years previously, but still, no one really knew quite what to expect. Murphy made no mistake with the first kick for the Blue Stars, but Robertson then blundered with his. Sherlock then missed, Brogan scored. Ian Foley and O'Donoghue both scored.

Then Mick Casey and Doran both missed. And so O'Keeffe won out the game.

Blue Stars: D Byrne; P Cunny, C Deegan, T Morley; S McGlinchey, J Magee, D Brennan; E Crennan (0-1), D Magee; I Foley (0-2, one free), D Farrell, W McCarthy; J Sherlock, V Murphy (1-6, three frees), M O'Keeffe (0-2). Subs: C O'Dwyer for McCarthy (half-time).

Dublin: C Boyle; A Holly, C Goggins, M Kennedy; K Galvin, M Casey, P Andrews; D Homan (0- 1), K Darcy (0-1); E Sheehy, I Robertson (0-1), K Kelly; N O'Donoghue (0-6, three frees), M Doran (0-3), J Gahan. Subs: C McGuinness (0-2) for Gahan (29 mins), T Lynch for Galvin (31 mins), A Brogan for Lynch (39 mins).

Referee: J Rutherford (Ballyboden).