MATCH REPORT: Last Gasp Cormac Costello Point Seals Comeback Win For Dublin Against Clare

Sun, 26th February 2023

DUBLIN 0-16

CLARE 1-12

Dublin preserved their perfect record in Division 2 of the Allianz National Football League when edging Clare by the bare minimum at Croke Park on Saturday evening.

The Dubs found themselves in a perilous position midway through the second-half as they trailed by six points, but a string of seven unanswered scores kept Dessie Farrell’s charges on track for promotion.

It was Cormac Costello that proved the match-winner for Dublin as he calmly fisted over four minutes into added time to seal the victory.

The visitors opened the scoring through Dermot Coughlan’s 3^rd minute score but Dublin soon levelled matters via a Dean Rock free and took the lead in the 5^th minute through late replacement Sean Lowry.

Dublin enjoyed a monopoly on possession at this stage and extended their advantage through Brian Fenton and Rock before Emmett McMahon pointed from a free at the opposite end in the 13^th minute.

Rock’s second point from play from a bright counter-attack a minute later reflected well on Dublin’s movement in attack but Clare then began to impress with their shooting from distance.

McMahon and Gavin Cooney kicked cracking points to leave the teams deadlocked at 0-5 apiece by the 19^th minute, with Con O’Callaghan denied a goal a minute previously as Stephen Ryan blocked his low shot as the Cuala attacker looked certain to find the net.

Dublin edged two points clear by the 29^th minute through Rock and James McCarthy but the remainder of the half belonged to their opponents as Eoin Cleary kicked an excellent point by way of riposte.

O’Callaghan was harshly judged to have fouled when netting in the 34^th minute and that decision looked doubly costly for the hosts when Cooney showed strength to gain possession and fire smartly past David O’Hanlon from eight yards.

The lively Padraic Collins added another point in added time as The Banner bounced into the Hogan Stand tunnel with a healthy 1-8 to 0-8 interval lead.

McMahon extended that lead within thirty seconds of the restart and although Lee Gannon replied six minutes later with a fine score of his own, Dublin struggled in the ensuing ten minutes.

Cooney, Cleary and McMahon all tagged on points and it took a 58^th minute point from substitute Colm Basquel to help get Dublin back on track, ending a barren period of sixteen minutes in the process.

Ciarán Kilkenny and Rock added to Dublin’s momentum as they hoovered up the bulk of possession in the middle third and their deficit was down to a single point by the 67^th minute as O’Callaghan and Rock spilt the uprights.

Rock’s superb ‘45’ restored parity entering injury time and after a frantic conclusion and a string of handpasses, Costello was in the right place at the right time to complete a brave and successful comeback by the Dubs.

Scorers – Dublin: D Rock 0-8 (5f, 1 ’45), S Lowry, B Fenton, C O’Callaghan, L Gannon, C Costello, C Kilkenny, C Basquel, J McCarthy 0-1 each. Clare: G Cooney 1-2, E McMahon 0-4 (1f), E Cleary 0-4 (1f), D Coughlan, P Collins 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: D O’Hanlon; D Newcombe, S McMahon, D Byrne; L Gannon, J Small, C Murphy; B Fenton, J McCarthy; T Lahiff, R McGarry, C Kilkenny; D Rock, C O’Callaghan, S Lowry. Subs: C Costello for McGarry (half-time), N Scully for Lowry (half-time), J McCaffrey fort Lahiff (45), C Basquel for Gannon (51), E Murchan for Murphy (61).

CLARE: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, R Lannigan; C O’Dea, P Lillis, A Sweeney; C Russell, D Bohannon; J Malone, E Cleary, D Coughlan; G Cooney, E McMahon, P Collins. Subs: A Griffin for Collins (half-time), B Rouine for Bohannon (64-66 Blood), Rouine for Russell (67), K Sexton for Griffin (70).

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).