Dublin’s Huge Second-Half Comeback Secures Thrilling Win Over Kerry

Picture Courtesy Matthew Burke

DUBLIN 0-19

KERRY1-15

Dublin produced a superb second-half performance as they pipped Kerry by the slimmest of margins in their thrilling Allianz National Football League Division 1 encounter at Austin Stack Park on Saturday evening.

The hosts, backed by a strong breeze, seized control of matters and pushed eleven points clear by half-time, with Paul Geaney’s goal in the 31st minute reaffirming their dominance at the turnaround.

However, Dublin’s determination and character was hugely evident upon the restart and their comeback was complete as substitute Luke Breathnach kicked the winning score in the 69th minute.

The leadership shown by the likes of Ciarán Kilkenny, Brian Howard and Seán Bugler proved telling by the final whistle while Breathnach and Lorcan O’Dell made telling contributions on the scoreboard in the final quarter.

While Dublin enjoyed a fair degree of possession in the early stages, they fell behind in the 3rdminute as Mícheál Burns fisted over and Graham O’Sullivan doubled their lead two minutes later.

Kerry could well have netted in the 8th minute but Joe O’Connor fired wastefully wide when his driving run from midfield was not matched by his low but imprecise finish.

Seán O’Shea and Bugler exchanged frees soon after but the hosts put further distance between the sides courtesy of two-point scores from both O’Shea and Brian Ó Beaglaoich.

Burns and Paul Geaney pushed Kerry eight points clear by the start of the second quarter but Dublin replied with two scores of their own through Eoghan O’Donnell and Greg McEneaney to keep themselves in the hunt.

However, O’Shea added his second two-point score in the 26th minute and Dublin were further inconvenienced as the returning Evan Comerford failed to deal adequately with a delivery from deep from Ó Beaglaíoch, allowing Paul Geaney the simplest of tasks of kicking into the empty goal.

The visitors did manage to limit the damage in the closing stages of the half with McEneaney, fresh from his Sigerson Cup success with DCU during the week, finishing the scoring as the Dubs trailed by 1-12 to 0-4 by the turnaround.

Unfortunately, that proved McEneaney’s last action of the contest butscores by Ciaran Kilkenny and Tom Lahiff were just reward for a concerted period of pressure at the start of the second-half before O’Shea halted their growing momentum with another classy score, into the breeze on this occasion.

Kerry were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the 43rd minute as Michael Breen appeared to block a David Byrne shot with his foot but from a Dublin perspective, they gained some return as Bugler popped over as they regained possession from another turnover.

The visitors slowly but surely clawed their way back into the contest as two points from Bugler were sandwiched by two-point attempts from Lee Gannon and Kilkenny to leave just a goal between the teams by the 58th minute.

Kerry replied through an O’Shea free and a Paudie Clifford score but O’Dell’s accuracy from distance was reflected in a brace of two-point scores, leaving Breathnach with the opportunity to settle the issue with a cracking score off his left boot.

The win marked Dublin’s first win over the Kingdom in Tralee since 1982 and they could move further up the league table when they host Derry in Round 4 at Croke Park next Saturday evening (7.30).

Scorers – Dublin:S Bugler (1f), L O’Dell (2 2pt) 0-4 each; C Kilkenny 0-3 (1 2pt); G McEneaney, L Gannon (1 2pt), L Breathnach 0-2 each; E O’Donnell, T Lahiff 0-1 apiece.Kerry:S O’Shea 0-7 (2f, 2 2pt); P Geaney 1-1 (0-1m); M Burns, B Ó Beaglaoich (1 2pt) 0-2 each; G O’Sullivan, C Geaney, P Clifford 0-1 apiece.

Dublin:E Comerford; S MacMahon, T Clancy, D Byrne; G McEneaney, C Murphy, A Gavin; B Howard, T Lahiff; K Lahiff, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; S Lowry, E O’Donnell, N Scully. Subs:L Gannon for McEneaney (half-time),L Breathnach for Lowry (45),L O’Dell for K Lahiff (53),N O’Callaghan for O’Donnell (58),D Keogh for Gannon (63).

Kerry:S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; G O’Sullivan, M Breen, B Ó Beaglaoich; D O’Connor, J O’Connor; P Clifford, S O’Shea, D Lyne; C Geaney, P Geaney, M Burns.Subs:D Casey for T. O’Sullivan (9),C Ó Beaglaoich for Lyne (46),A Heinrich for B. Ó Beaglaoich (temp 47-ft),D Clifford for C Geaney (51),K Evans for Burns (59),S O’Brien for J O’Connor (65).

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).