Dublin v Mayo: Seven championship games for the ages

All-Ireland champions have had better of series of tight encounters over the years

Dublin’s Dean Rock kicks the winning point in the 2017 All-Ireland final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Dublin’s Dean Rock kicks the winning point in the 2017 All-Ireland final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

2017 All-Ireland final, Croke Park

Dublin 1-17 Mayo 1-16

Where to begin? Mayo conceded a goal after 83 seconds, Con O’Callaghan setting Hill 16 alight, only Dublin still couldn’t get properly clear. Diarmuid Connolly came off the bench to find some cracks, but still it took an injury-time free from Dean Rock, despite Lee Keegan’s best efforts to distract him, to win, a first three-in-a-row for Dublin since the 1920s. It was Mayo’s ninth All-Ireland final loss since their last win in 1951, also drawing in two.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; J Cooper, P McMahon, M Fitzsimons; J Small (0-1), C O'Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton (0-1), J McCarthy (0-2); C Kilkenny, D Rock (0-7, four frees), C O'Callaghan (1-0); P Andrews, E O'Gara (0-1), P Mannion (0-3).

Subs: P Flynn for McCaffrey, D Connolly (0-1) for Andrews, K McManamon (0-1) for O'Gara, B Brogan for Paul Flynn, N Scully for O'Callaghan, C Costello for Mannion (black card).

MAYO: D Clarke; C Barrett, B Harrison, P Durcan; L Keegan (1-0), K Higgins, C Boyle (0-1); S O'Shea, T Parsons; K McLoughlin (0-2), A O'Shea, D Vaughan (0-1); J Doherty (0-2), C O'Connor (0-7, four frees), A Moran (0-3).

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Subs: D O'Connor for S O'Shea, S Coen for Boyle, C Loftus for Moran, D Drake for Doherty, D Kirby for McLoughlin, G Cafferkey for Higgins.

Mayo goalkeeper Robert Hennelly fouls Paddy Andrews to concede a penalty in the 2016 final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Mayo goalkeeper Robert Hennelly fouls Paddy Andrews to concede a penalty in the 2016 final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

2016 All-Ireland final replay, Croke Park Dublin 1-15 Mayo 1-14

The carnage game – Mayo manager Stephen Rochford replacing David Clarke with Rob Hennelly in goal, only for that to backfire on 40 minutes: Keegan’s first-half goal had given Mayo the edge, Hennelly’s fumble forcing him to haul down Paddy Andrews, and Connolly drove home the penalty. O’Connor hit three frees in the frantic last 10 minutes, but missed his last, into Hill 16, which drifted just wide.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, P McMahon, J Cooper; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small; B Fenton, P Flynn; C Kilkenny, K McManamon (0-1), D Connolly (1-1, 1-0 penalty); P Mannion, D Rock (0-9, four frees), P Andrews.

Subs: D Byrne for Cooper (black card), B Brogan (0-1) for Andrews, MD Macauley for Mannion, C Costello (0-3) for McManamon, E Lowndes for Small, D Daly for O'Sullivan.

MAYO: R Hennelly; P Durcan (0-2), K Higgins, B Harrison; L Keegan (1-0), C Boyle, D Vaughan; S O'Shea, T Parsons; D O'Connor (0-1), K McLoughlin (0-1), J Doherty; A Moran (0-1), A O'Shea, C O'Connor (0-9, all frees).

Subs: S Coen for Keegan (black card), B Moran for Parsons, C O'Shea for Vaughan, D Clarke for Hennelly (black card), B Moran for A Moran, A Dillon for Doherty, C Barrett for Boyle.

Mayo’s Colm Boyle scores an own goal in the 2016 drawn final. Photograph:  Donall Farmer/Inpho
Mayo’s Colm Boyle scores an own goal in the 2016 drawn final. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho

2016 All-Ireland final (draw), Croke Park

Dublin 2-9 Mayo 0-15

The chaos game – Mayo conceding two own goals in the first half, scored by Kevin McLoughlin and Colm Boyle, before raging back at the finish, Cillian O’Connor’s sweet point deep in injury time forcing the replay. Dublin’s top scorer was Rock, on 0-4, the champions looking shaky.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, J Cooper, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small (0-1); B Fenton (0-1), MD Macauley; R Flynn, K McManamon, C Kilkenny; D Rock (0-4, three frees), D Connolly (0-1), B Brogan.

Subs: P Andrews (0-2) for McCarthy (black card); P Mannion for McManamon, M Fitzsimons for Macauley, E O'Gara for Brogan; D Daly for Byrne, D Bastick for Flynn.

MAYO: D Clarke; B Harrision, D Vaughan (0-2), K Higgins; L Keegan, C Boyle (1-0 og), P Durcan (0-1); S O'Shea, T Parsons (0-1); K McLoughlin (1-0 og), A O'Shea, D O'Connor; J Doherty (0-1), A Moran (0-2), C O'Connor (0-7,five frees).

Subs: A Dillon (0-1) for S O'Shea, C Barrett for Boyle; B Moran for Dillon, S Coen for D O'Connor, E Regan for A Moran; C Loftus for Regan.

Dublin’s Philip McMahon scores a goal in their 2015 semi-final victory over Mayo. Photograph:  James Crombie/Inpho
Dublin’s Philip McMahon scores a goal in their 2015 semi-final victory over Mayo. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

2015 All-Ireland semi-final replay, Croke Park

Dublin 3-15 Mayo 1-14

With Connolly’s red card overturned by the Disputes Resolution Authority on the eve of the replay, due to “to lack of fair procedure”, Dublin appeared a slightly different beast, eight different scorers eventually wearing down Mayo, including a point from rookie midfielder Brian Fenton, Mayo joint managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly later stepped down due to player pressure.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon (1-2), R O'Carroll, J Cooper; J McCarthy (0-1), C O'Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton (0-1), D Bastick; P Flynn, D Connolly, C Kilkenny (0-2); B Brogan (1-1), P Andrews (0-5), D Rock (0-2, two frees).

Subs: MD Macauley for Bastick, M Fitzsimons for Cooper, A Brogan for Flynn, K McManamon (1-1) for Rock, E Lowndes for Connolly, J Small for B Brogan.

MAYO: R Hennelly; K Higgins, G Cafferkey, C Barrett; D Vaughan, L Keegan (0-1), C Boyle; T Parsons, B Moran (0-1); D O'Connor (0-2), S O'Shea, K McLoughlin (0-1); J Doherty, C O'Connor (1-6, five frees), A O'Shea (0-1).

Subs: P Durcan (0-1) for Vaughan, A Moran (0-1, one free) for S O'Shea (black card), D Drake for Boyle, S Coen for Parsons, M Ronaldson for McLoughlin.

Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly is red carded in the 2015 semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly is red carded in the 2015 semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

2015 All-Ireland semi-final (draw), Croke Park

Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-15

The hurricane, as forecast, never let up, Connacht champions Mayo pressing Dublin every step of the way, Cillian O’Connor scoring 1-9, Kevin McManamon coming off the Dublin bench to hit 1-1. Connolly scored 1-2 and was red-carded late on, for a strike on Keegan, which at the time appeared set to rule him out of the replay.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; R O'Carroll, P McMahon, J Cooper; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J McCaffrey (0-1); B Fenton, MD Macauley; P Flynn, P Andrews (0-2), C Kilkenny (0-3); D Rock, D Connolly (1-2, 1-0 pen, one free), B Brogan (0-2).

Subs: M Fitzsimons for O'Carroll (blood), K McManamon (1-1) for Rock, J Small for Cooper, D Bastick for Macauley (black card), A Brogan (0-1) for Andrews, T Brady for Fenton, E Lowndes for Bastick (black card).

MAYO: D Clarke; C Barrett, G Cafferkey, K Higgins (0-1); D Vaughan, L Keegan (0-1), C Boyle; T Parsons, S O'Shea; D Drake, J Doherty, D O'Connor (0-1); K McLoughlin, A O'Shea, C O'Connor (1-9, eight frees, 1-0 pen, one 45).

Subs: P Durcan for Vaughan, A Moran (0-2) for Drake, A Freeman (0-1) for Doherty, B Moran for S O'Shea, M Sweeney for D O'Connor.

Mayo’s Cillian O’Connor celebrates winning a free in the 2013 final. Philip McMahon would have the last laugh. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Mayo’s Cillian O’Connor celebrates winning a free in the 2013 final. Philip McMahon would have the last laugh. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

2013: All-Ireland final, Croke Park

Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-14

Jim Gavin, his first season as manager after Pat Gilroy, just about got Dublin over the line, forced to leave on a clearly concussed Rory O’Carroll and a hamstrung Eoghan O’Gara, after Mayo start strong, up 0-8 to 1-2 after 26 minutes, only to surrender at the death. Cillian O’Connor’s injury-time free reduced the gap to one, the suggestion afterwards being he thought there was more time to be added. There wasn’t.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton (0-2, one free, one 45); J Cooper, R O'Carroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, G Brennan (0-1), J McCaffrey; MD Macauley, C O'Sullivan (0-1); P Flynn (0-1), C Kilkenny, D Connolly (0-1); P Mannion, P Andrews (0-1), B Brogan (2-3, one free).

Subs: E O'Gara (0-2) for Mannion (inj); D Daly for McCaffrey; D Rock for Kilkenny; K McManamon for Andrews; D Bastick for Cooper (inj).

MAYO: R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, G Cafferkey, C Barrett; L Keegan (0-2), D Vaughan, C Boyle; A O'Shea, S O'Shea (0-1); K McLoughlin, K Higgins (0-1), A Dillon; C O'Connor (0-8, eight frees), A Freeman, A Moran (1-2).

Subs: M Conroy for Freeman; C Carolan for Cunniffe; E Varley for Dillon; B Moran for S O'Shea; J Doherty for A Moran.

Mayo’s Seamus O’Shea celebrates a late score as they overcome Dublin in 2012. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Mayo’s Seamus O’Shea celebrates a late score as they overcome Dublin in 2012. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

2012 All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park

Mayo 0-19 Dublin 0-16

After winning a first All-Ireland since 1995, seeking back-to-back triumphs for the first time since 1976-1977, Dublin find themselves undone by Mayo’s intensity, nine different scorers – without the injured Andy Moran – helping them surge ahead 0-17 to 0-7 by the 51st minute, a brilliant late save by David Clarke denying Bernard Brogan a likely goal.

MAYO: D Clarke; K Keane, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; L Keegan, D Vaughan, C Barrett; B Moran (0-1), A O'Shea; K McLoughlin (0-2), J Doherty (0-1), A Dillon (0-3); E Varley (0-2, one free), C O'Connor (0-7, three frees, three 45s), M Conroy (0-1).

Subs: R Feeney (0-1) for Keegan, A Freeman for Varley (blood), C Boyle for McLoughlin (blood), J Gibbons for Feeney, S McHale for Keane, McLoughlin for Doherty, S O'Shea (0-1) for A O'Shea.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton (0-3, three 45s); M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, C O'Sullivan; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; E Fennell, D Bastick; P Flynn (0-2), MD Macauley, B Cullen; C Kilkenny (0-3), D Connolly (0-2), B Brogan (0-6, all frees).

Subs: A Brogan for Cullen, P McMahon for Fitzsimons, E O'Gara for Bastick, K McManamon for A Brogan, C Dias for Fennell.

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics