Dessie Farrell’s side had more right answers after intense decider at Croke Park
Everything seemed to be coming easier to Dublin. Kerry were struggling to get David Clifford into the game. He scored with his first involvement after six minutes, taking Mick Fitzsimons for a run down the Cusack Stand side before cutting back for a towering point. But otherwise, he had to live off scraps.
It meant that Kerry brought an unlikely lead into the break with them, 1-4 to 0-6. Dublin had been the better side, more coherent in most of what they were doing. But Jack O’Connor’s side had hung in there and won the biggest moment of the half. In polling, you’d have called the numbers soft. But it was a lead all the same.
What could they do with it? That was the question for the second half. Dublin almost wiped out the goal in short order, O’Callaghan rattling the crossbar on 40 minutes after being left one-on-one with Tadhg Morley. It was ominous for Kerry but they responded in the best way, reeling off the next two points through Paudie Clifford and Geaney. Suddenly, they were 1-7 to 0-7 ahead, the biggest lead of the game.
It came after Kerry held on to the ball for too long around their own 45, struggling to get out past the Dublin press. Gavin White tried one pass too many, only for Basquel to get a touch and set Paddy Small away. Paul Murphy got back to get a despairing half-block in but all he could to was deflect it past Ryan and into the net. Dublin 1-8 Kerry 1-8, 45 minutes on the clock.To Kerry’s credit, they came back like champions.
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