DUBLIN
Leinster SFC quarter-final, Nowlan Park, Saturday, June 4
Dublin 2-21 Laois 2-10
FIFTEEN seconds had elapsed at Nowlan Park when Dublin got their Championship summer off to a familiar beginning with a Dean Rock major.
By the five-minute mark, they had a second through Diarmuid Connolly. At half-time, the Dubs had scored 2-12 to Laois’ 0-7. Although at one point in the second-half, a Paul Cahillane penalty had cut the gap to six, Dublin never looked in danger of being caught.
As far as wins go, this was as routine as they come.
Leinster SFC semi-final, Croke Park, Saturday, June 26
Dublin 0-21 Meath 0-11
THIS win ensured Dublin’s progress to their 11th provincial final in 12 years, an indicator of their complete dominance of Leinster in recent times.
Although the men from the capital were only three to the good at the break, Meath manager Mick O’Dowd called it right when he said Dublin’s “pace and experience” made all the difference in the second period. Dean Rock was again imperious, top scoring with 10 points on the day, nine of them coming from placed balls.
Leinster SFC final, Croke Park, Sunday, July 17
Dublin 2-19 Westmeath 0-10
ANOTHER year, another comfortable victory over Westmeath in the Leinster final.
More than the result itself, which was never in any doubt, the story of this game was manager Tom Cribben’s post-match admission Westmeath attempted to get Diarmuid Connolly sent-off. Connolly survived, but the idea his absence alone would have swung this game in the Lake county’s favour is somewhat fanciful. The one-point interval difference in Dublin’s favour was never going to be an accurate marker of what would transpire. The Dubs’ 2-12 second-half salvo was the real indicator of where power resides in Leinster.
Bernard Brogan with 1-4 and Kevin McManamon with 1-2 were the picks of the bunch, while the appearance of Paul Mannion and five other quality players off the bench appeared designed as a warning to the nation of Dublin’s strength in depth.
All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, Croke Park, Saturday, August 6
Dublin 1-15 Donegal 1-10
IF THIS game appeared to be a last hurrah for an illustrious crop of Donegal players, it also left the country wondering for just how long Dublin are set to dominate the Championship.
That warning of Dublin’s strength in depth in the Leinster final came to fruition here, as Paul Mannion was sprung from the sidelines to deliver the killer blow with a goal in the dying stages. Donegal gave it their absolute all, but it should be remembered the reigning All-Ireland champions finished this game with 13 men - with Diarmuid Connolly walking after two yellows and Eoghan O’Gara dismissed for a strike on Neil McGee - and still they finished it the stronger.
Their self-belief and stamina were the telling factors.
All-Ireland SFC semi-final, Croke Park, Saturday, August 28
Dublin 0-22 Kerry 2-14
FOR anyone tempted to trot out the line Dublin always have it easy en route to All-Ireland finals, this game should suffice as a firm rebuttal.
Quite simply, this was epic. Dublin’s peak condition was never really in doubt, especially after the Donegal game, but what made this win so impressive was the fact Kerry were brilliant on the day. Dublin were rocking at half-time after goals from Darran O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney and again midway through the second-half, when Kerry threatened to pull clear. But they aren’t the best team in the land for nothing. The injury-time points from Eoghan O’Gara and Diarmuid Connolly were immense, made even more so by the cliff-edge nature of the game.
This was a match deserving of the biggest stage, if the final comes anywhere close, we’re in for a treat.
MAYO
Connacht SFC quarter-final, Ruislip, Sunday, May 29
Mayo 2-16 London 0-9
ALTHOUGH Mayo were slightly rusty in this encounter, hitting a total of 15 wides, it was always a cruise against the Exiles.
Evan Regan was instrumental for the Connacht champions, hitting seven points, and they were more or less out of sight by half-time on a scoreline of 2-8 to 0-5. The westerners used their bench to full effect, with 1-5 contributed by the substitutes, including 1-2 from Conor Loftus, who replaced the black-carded Cillian O’Connor after just 14 minutes.
Connacht SFC semi-final, MacHale Park, Saturday, June 18
Galway 1-12 Mayo 0-12
MANY critics of the Mayo players’ actions in the aftermath of last summer’s Championship exit will have been rubbing their hands with glee after this result.
Had the wheels come off? Had hubris just struck Mayo low? As it transpired, no, but on a more practical level, it was Mayo’s failure to score more than once in the closing 20 minutes that done for them against Galway.
Tom Flynn’s 55th minute goal proved vital as Galway hit 1-5 without reply late on to deny Mayo a tilt at a sixth successive Nestor Cup.
All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers round 2B, MacHale Park, Saturday, July 9
Mayo 2-14 Fermanagh 1-12
“AIDAN O’Shea is a marvellous footballer… but he dived, big time, no doubt about it,” was Fermanagh manager Pete McGrath’s assessment of the late penalty which was crucial to Mayo’s victory here.
Whatever about the controversy, what was to crucial to Mayo was they got that Connacht semi-final defeat to Galway out of their system and beat decent opposition in the process. Cillian O’Connor’s late penalty conversion, coupled with points from O’Shea, Lee Keegan and Alan Dillon ensured they did just that.
There was no bandwagon just yet, but the wheels were being fastened at least.
All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers round 3B, MacHale Park, Saturday, July 16
Mayo 2-17 Kildare 0-14
HOME comforts continued to work for Mayo as they easily disposed of Kildare in the latest stage of their Championship redemption.
The westerners had this game won by half-time, with Diarmuid O’Connor filling his boots early on to give them a four-point lead and later blasting to the net in a ruthless display. Evan Regan also hit a major before the interval, allowing Mayo to ease up in the second-half, allowing substitutes Alan Freeman and Conor O’Shea to make their own contributions to the scoreboard.
All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers round 4B, Croke Park, Saturday, July 30
Mayo 3-15 Westmeath 1-14
MAYO’S season has undoubtedly been a slow burner, but they stepped it up a notch here in a Headquarters’ win against a Westmeath side coming off the back of that Leinster final loss to Dublin.
Mayo roared into a 12-point lead early on, with goals from Jason Doherty and Cillian O’Connor leaving the scoreline 2-10 to 0-4 approaching the break. Almost inevitably, it was downhill from there on in for the westerners, with Westmeath hitting 1-1 before half-time to give them a glimmer of hope.
Ultimately, Mayo hung on despite Westmeath twice reducing the deficit to three-points in the second-half.
All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, Croke Park, Saturday, August 6
Mayo 0-13 Tyrone 0-12
IF MAYO have a habit of choking when on the precipice of All-Ireland glory, rarely do they do so at the quarter-final stage, and so it proved against Tyrone.
When Mayo edged ahead late on through Lee Keegan, Tyrone had several chances to equalise, but they didn’t take them. And this is why Mayo, ultimately, deserved this victory, if only by a hair’s breadth. When they were presented with scoring opportunities, they took them, keeping the scoreboard ticking over throughout the afternoon.
In contrast, Tyrone managed a single point in the final quarter. If there was anyone who failed to learn the lessons of that Connacht semi-final, it wasn’t Mayo.
All-Ireland SFC semi-final, Croke Park, Sunday, August 21
Mayo 2-13 Tipperary 0-14
FAMILIAR surroundings, unfamiliar opposition, familiar result for the Mayo men, who prevailed to reach their third All-Ireland final in five years.
Luck was unquestionably on Mayo’s side on the day, however, as evidenced by Conor O’Shea’s 64th minute goal and the dismissals of Tipperary’s Bill Maher and Robbie Kiely. Come the semi-final stage, a win is a win though, and the optimist would suggest Mayo have yet to deliver a truly mammoth performance in this summer’s Championship.
Have they finally worked out how to save the best for last?
