Senior footballers victors in epic duel with Kingdom

DUBLIN 0-22 KERRY 2-14

The Dubs and the Kingdom have served up some of the most fabled duels over the years and Sunday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final was another epic game for the ages.

Jim Gavin's men led 0-9 to 0-4 by the 24th minute and were well in control of the game but by the break were 2-8 to 0-9 in arrears after Kerry had shocked them with 2-4 without reply.

It proved to be only a temporary blip in the Dublin defence who for the most part defended heroically in the face of some great Kerry interplay and movement.

Time and again the likes of Jonny Cooper provided a high-wire act as the timing of his interceptions was perfect to help his team out of what looked tricky situations.

In the 30th minute Kerry pressured Dublin on their kickout and then quickly transferred the ball for Darran O'Sullivan to fire to the net and disaster struck again for the Dubs before half-time when Paul Geaney got a flick on Anthony Maher's point effort dropping short and the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line by ref David Gough's umpires at the Hill 16 end.

Before the interval Colm Cooper tagged on a free to see the Kerry boys enter the break in ecstatic fashion and five points to the good.

While the walls might have looked to have caved in on the Dubs a strong restart to the second period was imperative.

They got out of the blocks well with deadball expert Dean Rock, who contributed a massive 0-12 (0-8f, 0-2 '45'), converting a 37th minute free after his Ballymun Kickhams club-mate John Small had been fouled.

Bernard Brogan fisted over following good work by Diarmuid Connolly and David Byrne and a fine Rock point from play in the 40th minute added to Dublin's momentum.

The Gooch halted the rising blue tide with a free but a Rock free and '45' was followed by a super Brian Fenton point off his left to bring the sides level 0-15 to 2-9 in the 50th minute.

However, Dublin could not edge in front and Kerry bounded back with points from BJ Keane, Geaney and James O'Donoghue to go three clear.

It set up a pulsating ending to the game and once again it was the Dubs who staged the grandstand finish.

Philly McMahon, Rock (two) and the tireless Kevin McManamon had Dublin in front 0-20 to 2-13 by the 70th minute but it was only momentarily as Stephen O'Brien equalised and a replay loomed large.

But Dublin continued to drive forward and were rewarded with two brilliant late, late scores from Eoghan O'Gara and Diarmuid Connolly to seal victory and see the Dubs record their fourth senior championship victory in-a-row against Kerry.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-12 (0-8f, 0-2 '45'), D Connolly 0-3, K McManamon, B Brogan 0-2 each, P McMahon, B Fenton, E O'Gara 0-1 each. Kerry: P Geaney 1-4, C Cooper 0-5 (0-4f), D O'Sullivan 1-0, D Moran, P Murphy, S O'Brien, J O'Donoghue, BJ Keane 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; J Cooper, P McMahon, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small; B Fenton, MD Macauley; P Flynn, D Connolly, C Kilkenny, K McManamon, D Rock, B Brogan. Subs: P Andrews for Flynn (46), P Mannion for Small (50), E O’Gara for MacAuley (60), M Fitzsimons for Cooper (67), C Costello for Brogan (71).

KERRY: B Kelly; S Enright; M Griffin, K Young; A O'Mahony, P Crowley,T Morley; A Maher D Moran; P Murphy, D O'Sullivan, D Walsh; P Geaney, K Donaghy, C Cooper. Subs: S O’Brien for O’Sullivan (39), J O’Donoghue for Donaghy (50), B.J. Keane for Walsh (52), B Ó Beaglaoich for Morley (56), B Sheehan for Maher (58), M Ó Sé for Geaney (67).

REF: D Gough (Meath).