Senior footballers prove to be extra special

Sun, 25th January 2015

DUBLIN 0-24 KILDARE 0-19

(after extra-time)

Dublin held the upperhand in extra-time to capture the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup final honours in Sunday’s all-action decider at St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge.

Four points from Dean Rock as well as scores from Cormac Costello, Jonny Cooper, Kevin McManamon (two) and Tomás Brady helped the Dubs to a 0-9 to 0-3 lead inside the opening 23 minutes, however, the likes of Darroch Mulhall, Eamon Callaghan and Podge Fogarty inspired a Lilywhite comeback and with ten minutes remaining the sides were level 0-13 each.

Late points from Mulhall (free) and Fogarty saw Kildare forge into a one-point lead as the game entered injury-time and their grip on the O’Byrne Cup looked to be strengthening.

However, two minutes into added time corner-back Eoin Culligan slotted the equaliser to force the contest into extra-time while the Dubs were reduced to 14 men late on following Michael Darragh Macauley's straight red card dismissal in the fourth minute of added time (ruling the Ballyboden St Enda's man out of Dublin's first game in the 2016 O'Byrne Cup).

The first half of extra-time was evenly balanced with points from Shane Carthy (two), McManamon and Brady helping the Dubs to a 0-20 to 0-19 interval advantage.

On the restart Dublin kicked for home with scores from Michael Deegan, McManamon and Rock (two frees) seeing Dublin lift the trophy for the first time since 2008.

Dublin could also afford to miss a 84^th minute penalty when McManamon was denied from the spot by Mark Donnellan.

Dublin face Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn next Sunday to commence their defence of their NFL Division 1 title.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-10 (0-8f, 0-1 ‘45’), K McManamon 0-4, T Brady 0-3, S Carthy 0-2, C Costello, J Cooper, E O’Gara, E Culligan, M Deegan 0-1 each. Kildare: D Mulhall 0-7 (0-7f), E Callaghan, P Fogarty 0-3 each, E Murphy (0-2f), P O’Neill 0-2 each, F Dowling, G White 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Currie; E Culligan, R O’Carroll, M Fitzsimons; N Devereux, J Small, J McCaffrey; D Bastick, E Ó Conghaile; T Brady, D Rock, N Scully; K McManamon, E O’Gara, C Costello. Subs: J Cooper for Devereux (inj 13), S Carthy for Scully (ht), P Ryan for Costello (ht), MD Macauley for Bastick (47), D Daly for McCaffrey (53), G Hannigan for Cooper (black 62); D Bastick started ET with Dublin restored to 15, M Deegan for O’Gara (80), H Dawson for Brady (88), N Collins for McManamon (90).

KILDARE: M Donnellan; C Fitzpatrick, P Kelly, O Lyons; K Murnaghan, M O’Grady, E Doyle; H Lynch, P O’Neill; D O’Brien, E Callaghan, E Murphy; D Mulhall, T O’Connor, F Dowling. Subs: K Cribbin for Doyle (44), G White for Lynch (49), G Farrell for Fitzpatrick (51), P Fogarty for Murphy (55), S McNally for Kelly (inj start of ET), D Whyte for Dowling (78), B Kinahan for O’Grady (86), W Burke for Murnaghan (90).

REF: D Gough (Meath).