Senior footballers make history with four in-a-row

DUBLIN 2-17 TYRONE 1-14

Dublin made history when they secured a four in-a-row of All-Ireland SFC titles for a team from the capital for the first time in Sunday's All-Ireland final victory over Tyrone in Croke Park.

The Dubs made a slow start with Tyrone dictating matters in the opening quarter to lead 0-5 to 0-1 inside 16 minutes but then a switch was clicked as Dublin hit a scoring surge to go in at the interval seven points to the good (2-7 to 0-6).

This purple patch was the most crucial part of the game for the Dubs starting with a great kickout from Stephen Cluxton inviting the jet-heeled Jack McCaffrey to accelerate up the Cusack Stand side for the highly influential Ciaran Kilkenny to ignite Dublin with a fine point.

The Dubs landed two hammer blows before the break via goals from Paul Mannion from the penalty spot - expertly dispatched after the Kilmacud Crokes man was fouled himself - and a Niall Scully goal, arriving with impeccable timing, following great work by Con O'Callaghan.

Dublin held Tyrone at arm's length in the second half while keeping the scoreboard moving but had to suffer some late drama when Colm Cavanagh was fouled and Peter Harte fired his spot-kick past Stephen Cluxton.

But there was to be no stopping the Dubs courtesy of their scoring blitz leading into the half-time interval with subs Kevin McManamon and Michael Darragh Macauley getting scores off the bench while the stellar Ciaran Kilkenny also fired over a late point after a lung-bursting run to get himself beyond the ball as a target.

Afterwards the Dublin players tried to put their unbelievable achievements in some sort of context.

“I was standing here a couple of years ago in the same spot saying ‘two in a row is unreal’. To think we did four in-a-row is absolutely off-the-wall. And hopefully we’ll drive on again next year," said Dublin's inspirational midfielder Brian Fenton.

His defensive team-mate Philly McMahon, one of 11 of the current panel to now have six All-Ireland titles (Cluxton, McMahon, Daly, O'Sullivan, McCarthy, Brogan, Flynn, McManamon, O'Gara, Fitzsimons, Macauley) added: "We'll never get tired and going out playing in Croke Park.

“We'll never get tired putting on a Dublin jersey and we'll definitely never get tired of winning All-Irelands.”

Team captain Stephen Cluxton celebrated his 200^th appearance for Dublin's seniors (in league and championship) by again leading his side to glory, the fifth time he has lifted the Sam Maguire as he continues to set new records, new standards.

His manager too, JIm Gavin, continues to raise the bar and since succeeding Pat Gilroy, who led the Dubs to the promised land in 2011, he has won five All-Ireland SFCs, five Division 1 NFL titles and six Leinsters.

Back to the match …. Dean Rock opened the scoring with a third minute free but despite some good opportunities the Dubs did not click early and points from Mark Bradley and Tiernan McCann gave Mickey Harte's men early confidence.

Dublin lost versatile and experienced defender Cian O'Sullivan through injury in the 26th minute, with replacement Mick Fitzsimons coming on to do a good job, and they were back on the right road at that stage and looking strong coming into the interval.

The Dubs drove hard at Tyrone during this spell and turned the game totally in their favour with Mannion's penalty and Scully's goal obviously crucial to the fightback.

Dublin concluded the half with two Dean Rock points, one a free, to leave them with a commanding 2-7 to 0-6 lead.

Tyrone restarted well with points from Connor McAliskey and Kieran McGeary but Dublin showed their big-game experience to blunt this comeback with points from Brian Fenton and his Raheny clubmate Brian Howard.

Tyrone threw everything they had at Dublin but as in previous games the Dubs greater ability to turn possession into scores via Fenton and Paul Mannion ensured they were not going to afford their opponents any openings to launch a late comeback.

As usual Dublin got a few scores from the subs with Kevin McManamon and Michael Darragh Macauley on target while Cormac Costello worked his way in behind the Tyrone defence but was denied by keeper Niall Morgan.

It mattered little . . . the four in-a-row was secured.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-7 (0-3f, 0-1 '45'), P Mannion 1-1 (1-0 pen), C Kilkenny 0-3, N Scullly 1-0, B Fenton 0-2, J McCaffrey, B Howard, K McManamon, MD Macauley 0-1 each. Tyrone: P Harte 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), C McAliskey (0-2f), L Brennan (0-3f) 0-3 each, C McShane, M Bradley 0-2 each, T McCann, P Hampsey, K McGeary 0-1 each

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, C O'Sullivan, J Cooper; J Small, E Murchan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, J McCarthy; N Scully, C O'Callaghan, B Howard; P Mannion, C Kilkenny, D Rock. Subs: M Fitzsimons for O'Sullivan (26, inj), C Costello for Scully (50), K McManamon for Mannion (58), D Daly for Murchan (58, inj), E Lowndes for Cooper (64), MD Macauley for Rock (66).

TYRONE: N Morgan: R McNamee, T McCann, P Hampsey; M Donnelly, M McKiernan, R Brennan; C Cavanagh, C McShane; K McGeary, N Sludden, C Meyler; M Bradley, P Harte, C McAliskey. Subs: L Brennan for Meyler (39), F Burns for Sludden (46), R Donnelly for McAliskey (48), H Loughran for McGeary (48, bc) D McClure for McShane (55), R O'Neill for Bradley (63).

REF: C Lane (Cork).