Senior footballers show mettle to secure league title

Sun, 1st April 2018

DUBLIN 0-18 GALWAY 0-14

Dublin are NFL1 champions again …. the fifth time in just six seasons and they did it the hard way in Sunday’s top-flight decider at Croke Park.

The Dubs lost James McCarthy, Michael Darragh Macauley and John Small (temporarily) to injury as well as playing out the last 20 minutes with 14 men following the dismissal of Niall Scully (second yellow).

Dublin showed the mettle of champions with Dean Rock ‘45’, the influential Ciarán Kilkenny, Philly McMahon, Eric Lowndes and a Rock free seeing Jim Gavin’s men to a hard-earned success.

Con O'Callaghan, fresh from this All-Ireland club SHC heroics with Cuala, was introduced for the last 15 minutes and played his role in driving his side towards the winners enclosure while Colm Basquel was sprung at the interval, replacing Kevin McManamon, and contributed impressively with two points from play.

The sides entered the break on level terms, 0-8 each, after Galway had scored the last two points of the half through Paul Conroy, off his left, and a superb effort from Johnny Heaney.

Dublin had just hit three on the spin with Paul Mannion having his goal attempt tipped over by keeper Ruairí Lavelle - not the only time in the encounter the Galway netmiders reflexes denied the Dubs - and two Dean Rock frees following fouls on John Small and Ciarán Kilkenny.

The Crokes man also had another ‘point’ disallowed when Kilkenny was adjudged by ref Anthony Nolan, but the Castleknock man looked to have been fouled after fielding a high ball into the square.

Dublin had started the game smartly with Mannion having a goal effort saved by Lavelle but points from Rock, following good work in defence by Mannion, and Mannion himself on the scoresheet.

But Damien Comer enjoyed an influential opening and was fouled for threes that Damien Comer converted to put Galway on their way to a 0-6 to 0-5 lead after 21 minutes.

Worryingly from Dublin’s perspective they lost James McCarthy just before the break through injury, Eric Lowndes coming on in his place.

SCORERS – Dublin: D Rock 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 ‘45’), P Mannion 0-3, C Kilkenny, C Basquel 0-2 each, P McMahon, J Small, N Scully, E Lowndes 0-1 each. Galway: B McHugh 0-6 (0-5f), D Comer 0-3, J Heaney, S Walsh (0-1f) 0-2 each, P Conroy 0-1.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, D Byrne, P McMahon; J McCarthy, J Cooper, J Small; B Fenton, MD Macauley; N Scully, P Mannion, B Howard; K McManamon, C Kilkenny, D Rock. Subs: E Lowndes for McCarthy (35 inj), C Basquel for McManamon (ht), E Murchan for Small (40 inj), C O’Callaghan for MD Macauley (54), S Carthy for Mannion (68), Small for McMahon (72).

GALWAY: R Lavelle; D Kyne, SA Ó Ceallaigh, E Kerin; C Sweeney, G Bradshaw, S Kelly; C Duggan, P Conroy; J Heaney, P Cooke, E Brannigan; S Walsh, D Comer, B McHugh. Subs: G O’Donnell for Heaney (62), T Flynn for Cooke (67), P Sweeney for Conroy (68), A Varley for Walsh (70).

REF: A Nolan (Wicklow).

ATTENDANCE: 36,754.