All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final: Dublin 1-19 Cork 1-16
Saturday evening started poorly for Dublin with the news that captain, Con O’Callaghan was out. He was replaced by Lorcan O’Dell but only a few weeks ago, in his absence, Armagh had won much as they liked on a visit to Croke Park and an air of apprehension settled on the disappointing crowd of 36,546.
Manager Dessie Farrell later disclosed that they had effectively put O’Callaghan behind glass – to be broken in case of emergency but in the event, that was not deemed necessary although it was at times a close-run thing.
He said that his captain “should be” ready for next week’s quarter-final. That will be the hope, as Dublin in his absence look ordinary enough going forward.
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Initially, however, there looked no issue and the favourites sprang into a four-point lead, with a brace of points from Paddy Small and others from Ciarán Kilkenny and Seán Bugler.
Cork’s calm persistence characterised the first half. Chris Jones was allowed to get too close and opened the scoring in the ninth minute, followed shortly after by Mark Cronin’s free to halve the lead.
In the 12th minute a line ball from Brian Hurley into Ian Maguire was carried towards the Dublin goal before he spotted Jones making a run and like that the ball was in the net and the lead changed hands.
Hurley’s follow-up point meant that his team had shot an unanswered 1-3 in seven minutes. Approaching half-time the margin was out to four, 1-8 to 0-7 but Bugler hoisted a valuable two-pointer to halve the deficit going in at the break.
Dublin had been having success on kick-outs, as Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne got his hand to most, landing in his vicinity but Cork’s intervention on the breaks improved.
Their inside forwards were constantly threatening and appeared able to score almost at will. Goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton came to his team’s rescue when Jones was in on goal again but his opposite number Micheál Aodh Martin landed the 45.
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Cork manager John Cleary afterwards outlined how they had played to their strengths.
“We knew we couldn’t take it into the tackle and we knew we couldn’t push forward with the ball, because Dublin are very, very good tacklers and we had to make space outside. We tried to get at times there, the shooters on the ball, and I think Mark Cronin and Chris Óg, in fairness, they came when we were on, attacking 11 v 11, and we were very patient, and chipped over the scores.”
Dublin did level the match by outscoring their opponents 0-3 to 0-1 in the first 10 minutes of the second half and even better, almost immediately hit the front. Brian Howard rediscovered his scoring touch, not from one of those sidestep and kick points, but having pushed up front, he broke inside the D, lost the defence with a turn and rifled the ball into the net to put his team in front, 1-12 to 1-9.
It will have disappointed Dessie Farrell that his team didn’t use this as a turning point, instead continuing to play loosely and without much conviction. Cork to their credit took the goal in their stride and within three minutes, Colm O’Callaghan and Jones, from a turnover, reduced the deficit by two.
Dublin needed to keep the scoreboard moving but Paddy Small kicked a terrible wide and after Ó Cofaigh-Byrne provided an assist for Gannon, his shot from an ambitiously tight angle was swallowed up by the Cork defence.
Going into the final quarter, Seán Walsh restored Cork’s lead and all the momentum of the Howard goal had evaporated.
There was some energy off the bench for Dublin with the arrival of Cian Murphy and Luke Breathnach and the match teetered.
To the winners’ credit, they finally asserted themselves and after replacement Cathail O’Mahony levelled for Cork for the last time, Costello clipped a point from a Murphy assist and Paddy Small extended the lead. Cronin pulled one back but Daniel O’Mahony fouled Costello off the ball, giving his victim an easy free.
In the 67th minute, the last chance came for Cork but Seán McDonnell’s attempt at a two-pointer fell short into Cluxton’s grateful embrace. The final play saw Howard set up Breathnach for the insurance score.
“I think overall, the best way to describe it is us playing in fits and starts,” said Farrell. “We struggled to get consistency across the whole performance. It’s never going to be plain sailing, an opposition is always going to get a purple patch, and it’s how you can contain them in that period.
“We struggled to be clinical at times and there were opportunities maybe to put a little bit of distance between ourselves and Cork at different stages. We didn’t do that, we didn’t take those opportunities, so it was always going to be a dogfight to the very end.”
Dublin make it into the quarter-final draw. It wasn’t easy but what has been, this season?
Dublin: S Cluxton; E Murchan, D Byrne, S McMahon; B Howard (1-0-0), J Small (0-0-1), L Gannon (0-0-1); P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, C Kilkenny (capt; 0-0-1); K McGinnis, S Bugler (0-1-3), N Scully (0-0-1); P Small (0-0-4), C Costello (0-0-5 2f), L O’Dell
Subs: C Murphy for O’Dell (45 mins), L Breathnach (0-0-1) for McGinnis (56 mins), T Lahiff for Gannon (59 mins), N Doran for Scully (68 mins).
Cork: MA Martin (0-0-1 45); D O’Mahony, M Shanley N Lordan; B O’Driscoll, S Brady, M Taylor; I Maguire (0-0-1), C O’Callaghan (0-0-2); P Walsh, S Walsh (0-0-1), S McDonnell; M Cronin (0-0-4, 2f), B Hurley (capt; 0-0-2), C Óg Jones (1-0-4).
Subs: E McSweeney for P Walsh (48 mins), C O’Mahony (0-0-1) for Hurley (55 mins), S Powter for Taylor (58 mins), L Fahy for Lordan (63 mins).
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).
