Nine Of The Best For Our Footballers

Dublin's Leinster SFC final victory over Meath marked another historic milestone for our senior footballers as they became the first county to win nine provincial senior championship titles in-a-row.

It was Dublin's 58th Leinster SFC title overall and they can know focus on the All-Ireland quarter-finals Group phase (three games).

As of now Dublin's only confirmed opponents are Connacht champions, Roscommon, who the Dubs will face in Croke Park in Phase 2 of games (Saturday/Sunday, July 20/21).

The other counties in Group 2 along with the Dubs and the Rossies will be Cork or the team that defeats them and Cavan or the county that defeats them.

Dublin also faced Roscommon in the 'Super 8s' last summer when they defeated them 4-24 to 2-16 in Croke Park in the last round of the quarter-finals.

Jim Gavin's men had already secured their semi-final berth at that stage so only five of the starting 15 were handed starting berths for the next day out, their semi-final against Galway - Stephen Cluxton, Philly McMahon, John Small, Jack McCaffrey and Cian O'Sullivan.

However, Roscommon are a much improved side this summer and have already beaten Mayo in Castlebar and Galway in Salthill to be crowned Connacht champions.

Manager Anthony Cunningham looks to have instilled more grit and resilience into Roscommon who are looking ahead with optimism.

In last year's Super 8s, their inaugural year, the emergence of Eoin Murchan was the Dublin storyline out of their Group 2 round-robin stages.

The young Na Fianna man made his senior championship starting debut against Donegal and was handed the very difficult task of tracking Ryan McHugh - he did a very good job, a key factor in Dublin's 2-15 to 0-16 success.

The following game against Tyrone in Healy Park, Omagh Murchan was tasked with a marking job on Niall Sludden and again proved more than up to the task to see the Dubs book their semi-final spot with a game to spare (against Roscommon).

Will this summer will have a new Dublin storyline in the quarter-final stage, as the championship really picks up pace?

There were many positives in Dublin's Leinster SFC final victory over Meath, but plenty of 'works-ons' with injury worries also a concern.

Jack McCaffrey showed he is coming right back to his best while Cian O'Sullivan enjoyed his best display to date of the summer while Dublin have yet to concede a goal in their three championship encounters (versus Louth, Kildare, Meath).

Dean Rock also returned from an injury-enforced lay-off and tallied 0-4 (0-1f) in little over 20 minutes while Philly McMahon is right back in the fold showing all his big-game experience against the Royals.

Dublin, however, will look at aspects of their display, especially in the opening half, and know there is plenty of room for improvement.

Last weekend was a good weekend for football in the Capital as apart from our senior victory the minor footballers secured their place in the Leinster MFC decider.

The Dubs, who are managed by Jim Lehane, defeated Westmeath 0-18 to 1-11 in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar and will now face Kildare in the Electric Ireland Leinster MFC final in Navan on Saturday, July 6 (2.0).

Saturday's victory was Dublin's fourth victory 'on the road' as after their opening Group 2 win over Meath in Parnell Park (4-10 to 2-10) they have overcome Wexford (3-12 to 1-10 in Bellefield, Enniscorthy), Offaly (2-13 to 0-13 in O'Connor Park, Tullamore) before their quarter-final victory over Wicklow (0-20 to 1-9 in Joule Park, Aughrim) and Westmeath in last Saturday's provincial semi-final (0-18 to 1-11 in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar).

While Dublin's ability to create and take goal-scoring opportunities was one of the most eye-catching aspects of their displays in the Group (nine goals in three games) it has been their point-kicking that has seen steered them to victory in their last two games (against Wicklow and Westmeath).

Fionn Murray continues to lead they way as their top-scorer with 3-23 (0-15f, 0-3 '45'), ahead of Robbie Bolger (3-9) while Alex Rogers has kicked four points from play against both Wicklow and Westmeath.

Dublin's last MFC provincial success was in 2017 (when an U18 competition) while Kildare's came a year earlier. They last met in a Leinster MFC final in 2014 when Dublin prevailed 3-16 to 1-12 - Con O'Callaghan scoring 1-6 (0-2f) in a team that also included Eoin Murchan and Brian Howard, then a first year minor who came on as a sub in the Leinster MFC final when replacing Chris Sallier late in the second half.

2019 ALL-IRELAND SFC QUARTER-FINALS

GROUP 1: Kerry, Donegal, Galway or Round 4 Qualifier, Meath or Round 4 Qualifier.

GROUP 2: DUBLIN, Roscommon, Cork or Round 4 Qualifier, Cavan or Round 4 Qualifier.

DUBLIN'S ALL-IRELAND SFC QUARTER-FINAL: Schedule

Phase 1: DUBLIN v Cork/Round 4 Qualifier, Saturday/Sunday, July 13/14, Croke Park

Phase 2: DUBLIN v Roscommon, Saturday/Sunday, July 20/21, Croke Park

Phase 3: Cavan/Round 4 Qualifier v DUBLIN, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, August 3/4/5, venue tbc

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2019 LEINSTER SFC: Dublin's Scoring Chart

Dublin have scored 6-64 and conceded 0-25 in their three Championship game to date (wins over Louth, Kildare, Meath). Fifteen players have contributed to the scoring tally.

Cormac Costello 1-24 (0-14f, 0-4 '45')

Paul Mannion 0-12

Con O'Callaghan 2-3

Brian Fenton 1-4

Ciarán Kilkenny 0-5

Philly McMahon 1-1

Dean Rock 0-4 (0-1f)

Michael Darragh Macauley 1-0

Niall Scully 0-2

Jack McCaffrey 0-2

Paddy Small 0-2

Brian Howard 0-2

Michael Fitzsimons 0-1

Paddy Andrews 0-1

Kevin McManamon 0-1 (0-1f)

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2019 LEINSTER SFC: Game-By-Game

LEINSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL

SATURDAY, MAY 25: O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

DUBLIN 5-21 LOUTH 0-10

SCORERS - Dublin: C Costello 1-12 (0-10f, 0-1 '45'), B Fenton 1-1, C O'Callaghan, P McMahon, MD Macauley 1-0 each, P Mannion, N Scully 0-2 each, C Kilkenny, P Small, K McManamon (0-1f), M Fitzsimons 0-1 each. Louth: E Burns 0-4 (0-2f), J McEneaney 0-2, C Downey, C McKeever, A McDonnell, E Callaghan 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Byrne, C O'Sullivan, M Fitzsimons; J McCaffrey, J Small, J McCarthy; B Fenton, D Gavin; N Scully, C Kilkenny, B Howard; P Mannion, C O'Callaghan, C Costello. Subs: MD Macauley for Gavin (40), P McMahon for O'Sullivan (40), R O'Carroll for McCaffrey (47), P Small for O'Callaghan (47), K McManamon for Scully (54), S Bugler for Costello (63).

LOUTH: F Sheeky; F Donohoe, E Carolan, J Craven; A Williams, B Duffy, J Clutterbuck; T Durnin, J Califf; C Downey, J McEneaney, C McKeever; A McDonnell, R Burns, D Byrne. Subs: D Corcoran for Donohoe (ht), S Mulroy for Byrne (ht), C Early for Califf (43), D Maguire for Clutterbuck (46), E Callaghan for Craven (bc, 54), E Duffy for McEneaney (60).

REF: J Henry (Mayo).

LEINSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL

SUNDAY, JUNE 9: Croke Park

DUBLIN 0-26 KILDARE 0-11

SCORERS - Dublin: C Costello 0-9 (0-2f, 0-2 ’45’), P Mannion 0-7, C O’Callaghan, C Kilkenny 0-3 each, B Fenton 0-2, B Howard, P Small 0-1 each.Kildare: A Tyrrell 0-4 (0-1f), B McCormack 0-3, N Flynn (0-1f), M O’Grady, K Feely, D Hyland 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, C O’Sullivan, D Byrne; J McCarthy, J Small, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, MD Macauley; N Scully, C Kilkenny, B Howard; P Mannion, C Costello, C O’Callaghan. Subs: P Small for Macauley (53), P McMahon for O’Sullivan (53), E Murchan for McCaffrey (62), D Gavin for Kilkenny (62), P Andrews for O’Callaghan (64), R O’Carroll for Fitzsimons (65), D Gavin (inj, 72).

KILDARE: M Donnellan; P Kelly, M O’Grady, M Dempsey; D Hyland, E Doyle, K Cribbin; K Feely, T Moolick; D Slattery, F Conway, C Healy; A Tyrrell, B McCormack, N Flynn. Subs: K O’Callaghan for Flynn (29), C O’Donoghue for Moolick (57), J Hyland for Healy (59), E O’Flaherty for Cribbin (61), C Hartley for Slattery (67).

REF: C Lane (Cork).

LEINSTER SFC FINAL

SUNDAY, JUNE 23: Croke Park

DUBLIN 1-17 MEATH 0-4

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-4 (0-1f), C O'Callaghan 1-0, C Costello (0-2f, 0-1 '45'), P Mannion 0-3 each, J McCaffrey 0-2, C Kilkenny, B Howard, P McMahon, B Fenton, P Andrews 0-1 each. Meath: M Newman 0-3 (0-1f), B Menton 0-1.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, M Fitzsimons, J McCaffrey; D Byrne, C O'Sullivan, J Small; B Fenton, J McCarthy; N Scully, C Kilkenny, B Howard; C Costello, P Mannion, C O'Callaghan. Subs: MD Macauley for McCarthy (32), D Rock for Howard (51), K McManamon for Costello (58), P Small for Kilkenny (61), P Andrews for P Small (64), R O'Carroll for McCaffrey (67).

MEATH: A Colgan; S Lavin, C McGill, S Gallagher; J McEntee, D Keogan, R Ryan; B Menton, S McEntee; C O'Sullivan, B McMahon, G Reilly; B Brennan, J Conlon, M Newman. Subs: S Tobin for Brennan (38), E Devine for Reilly (40), T O'Reilly for Conlon (53), B Dardis S McEntee (58), S Curran for Gallagher (65), T McGovern for McMahon (65).

REF: S Hurson (Tyrone).

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DUBLIN'S LEINSTER SFC ROLL OF HONOUR

58 TITLES: 1891, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1941, 1942, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019