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Allianz Football League Division 1 – Dublin 2-8 Kerry 1-10

February 1, 2014 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Dublin defeated Kerry by 2-8 to 1-10 in round 1 of the Allianz Football League Division 1 on Saturday February 1^st at Croke Park.

Dubs go the distance in night of shadow-boxing

Dublin 2-8 Kerry 1-10

Report by Dermot Crowe for the Sunday Independent newspaper

EARLY February, and a familiar sight, Dublin emptying their bench and beating Kerry in a strong finish. This will not matter a great deal in the larger scheme of things but the pattern is being established. Those two big championship wins stand out from the last three years, turning this rivalry firmly in Dublin’s favour, and has fed a neat winning habit.

The winning score came from that flying Clontarf man Jack McCaffrey who some day may end up in the stand such is the velocity of movement that sees him thunder up the field. He finished his run after coming on as a sub with a fisted point in the 65th minute and that edged Dublin one to the good. They left it at that, Kerry unable to conjure up another score.

You couldn’t deny that it had been coming. Michael Darragh Macauley came on in the second half and the Footballer of the Year made his presence felt. Paul Mannion entered and scored two frees. Dublin’s varied options were reflected, less auspiciously, in their spread of free-takers, with five kickers. They struggled with long-range place-kicking.

Costello was one of four players making their first league start for Dublin and he put in an impressive shift. His direct running style led to their opening goal in the 10th minute when he rounded Paul Murphy and teed up Kevin McManamon. The St Jude’s player might have had three goals in the first half, a great save by Brendan Kealy denying him, then Kealy’s upright.

Kerry were not without some element of danger, the All Star James O’Donoghue the pick of a lively forward line. O’Donoghue finished with 1-3 and should have had a second goal in the first half. He made the evening very uncomfortable for Michael Fitzsimons.

At the break Kerry led 1-7 to 2-3. They did not find the same openings in the Dublin defence in the second half, the highlight being two stylish points by Stephen O’Brien. His second, in the 56th minute, would be their last score, putting them 1-10 to 2-5 ahead. Dublin’s pressing from there on had the Kerry defence stretched and the final three scores, from Mannion’s frees and McCaffrey, had a sense of the inevitable.

Dublin’s win had added merit given that they played from the 45th minute with 14 men after one of their newcomers, Sean George, was red-carded after the referee consulted with his umpires. Alan Brogan made his first start since the 2012 Leinster final and took his place at centre-forward. Though eager, his time out of the game was evident. George, part of the Dublin under-21 team that won the All-Ireland in 2012, looked tidy in defence until his departure. Along with Costello, Eric Lowndes and Shane Carthy were on the successful minor team of the same year. Carthy stood up well, looking a confident and natural midfield man.

Dublin were deprived Bernard Brogan and Paddy Andrews, both injured, and the suspended Paul Flynn, with Diarmuid Connolly club-tied. Dr Crokes’ interest in the club championship ruled out Colm Cooper. Tomas O Se watched his first Kerry-Dublin match since retirement, while his brother Marc and Declan O’Sullivan are enjoying a rest. Injuries ruled out Darran O’Sullivan, Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan and Killian Young. This was like going to see a great play shorn of great actors. To be fair the available cast still served up a fine evening’s entertainment.

Kealy’s kickouts weren’t always pinpoint and on the half-hour one such punt fell to Ciaran Kilkenny who transferred to Ciaran Reddin and the latter’s precise pass landed in the lap of Eoghan O’ Gara. He finished confidently. That score had Dublin 2-3 to 1-5 in front but Kerry finished with the last two points to lead at the interval. McManamon then hit the upright, while O’Gara combined with Costello and sent a shot along the wet surface inches outside Kealy’s post approaching the interval.

Scorers – Dublin: K McManamon 1-1, E O’Gara 1-0, J Costello (0-2fs), S Carthy (0-1 f), P Mannion (0-2 fs), 0-2 each, J McCaffrey 0-1. Kerry: BJ Keane 0-4 (0-3 fs), J O’Donoghue 1-3, S O’Brien 0-2, D Moran 0-1 (1 ’45’).

Dublin: S Cluxton; S George, M Fitzsimons, P McMahon; E Lowndes, C O’Sullivan, J Cooper; D O’Mahony, S Carthy; C Kilkenny, A Brogan, C Reddin; K McManamon, E O’Gara, C Costello.

Subs: MD Macauley for O’Mahony (45), J McCaffrey for Reddin (49), P Mannion for McManamon (53), D Byrne for O’Gara (56), K Nolan for Carthy (64), D Nelson for Cooper (67).

Kerry: B Kealy; P Murphy, M Griffin, S Enright; P Crowley, B McGuire, J Sherwood; A Maher, D Moran; J Lyne, M Geaney, D Walsh; BJ Keane, J O’Donoghue, S O’Brien. Subs: A O’Mahony for Geaney (47), C Cox for J Lyne (53), D Culhane for Sherwood (59), P Geaney for Walsh (62), P Kilkenny for Murphy (67), A Fitzgerald for Crowley (69).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).

Team News

The Kerry Senior Football Team to play Dublin in Round 1 of the Allianz League in Croke Park on Saturday shows 8 changes in personnel from the side that went down to the Metropolitans in the All Ireland semi final back in September. Bryan Sheehan joins the injury list following a knock picked up in a recent trial game.

Paul Murphy (Rathmore) and Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare), both of whom featured in the recent McGrath Cup competition, make their Allianz League debuts. Paul Galvin and Aidan O’Mahony, who returned to training in recent weeks, are included among the subs.

The Kerry team is as follows:

1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)

2. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)

3. Mark Griffin (St Michaels/Foilmore)

4. Shane Enright (Tarbert)

5. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)

6. Brian McGuire (Listowel Emmets)

7. Jack Sherwood (Firies)

8. Anthony Maher (Duagh)

9. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)

10. Jonathan Lyne (Killarney Legion)

11. Michael Geaney (Dingle)

12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane) (Captain)

13. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys)

14. James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion)

15. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)

Fir Ionaid:

16. Brian Kelly (Killarney Legion)

17. Paul Galvin (Finuge)

18. Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore)

19. Barry Shanahan (Austin Stacks)

20. Conor Cox (Listowel Emmets)

21. Paul Geaney (Dingle)

22. Pa Kilkenny (Glenbeigh/Glencar)

23. David Culhane (Ballylongford)

24. James Walsh (Knocknagoshel)

25. Alan Fitzgerald (Castlegregory)

26. Shane O’Callaghan (Austin Stacks)

Bainisteóir: Eamonn Fitzmaurice (Finuge)

Traenálaí: Cian O’Neill (Moorefield, Kildare)

Róghnóirí: Diarmuid Ó Murchú (Daingean Uí Chúis), Mikey Sheehy (Austin Stacks).

Additional Player/Team Information

Club Tied:

Colm Cooper (Dr Crokes)

Daithí Casey (Dr Crokes)

Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes)

Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes)

Kieran O’Leary (Dr Crokes)

Rehabbing from Injury

Bryan Sheehan (St Marys)

Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar)

Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)

Killian Young (Renard)

Extended Break

Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) (Due back March)

Declan O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses) (Due Back April)

• Paul Murphy (Rathmore) Played with the Kerry Under 21s in 2012 and played Sigerson Cup with UCC last year. He won a Kerry Club Championship (senior) medal with Rathmore in 2012.

• Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare) was a Kerry Minor panellist in 2009 and played Under 21 with the County in 2011 and 2012. He is the holder of a Cork Senior Football Championship medal and a Sigerson Cup medal, both with UCC (2011). He holds Kerry and Munster Junior Championship medals with his club.

DUBLIN (SF v Kerry)

1 Stephen Cluxton Parnell’s

2 John Cooper Na Fianna

3 Seán George Ballymun Kickhams

4 Michael Fitzsimons Cuala

5 Eric Lowndes St. Peregrine’s

6 Cian O’Sullivan Kilmacud Crokes

7 Philip McMahon Ballymun Kickhams

8 Declan O’Mahony Ballyboden/St. Enda’s

9 Shane Carthy Naomh Mearnóg

10 Ciarán Kilkenny Castleknock

11 Bryan Cullen Skerries Harps