NFL - Kerry 1-10 Dublin 1-12

No more moral victories, no more defeats Dublin put 28 years of hurt behind them as stood up to Kerry in Killarney and despite late pressure won out.

From the start the Jacks showed their intention with Eamonn Fennell lauding it at midfield. He kicked the opening score powering through the Kerry defence ala Ciaran Whelan. The Dubs setup with henno palying as a sweeper and this tactic frustrated the Kerry forwards who saw a strong physical display at the back led by the Crokes newboys O'Carroll & O'Sullivan. Dublin should ahve been further ahead wasting some good ball but the pressure fianally told when 2 minutes before the half time whistle the very impressive Michael McAuley brilliantly flicked on to see Paul Flynn blast the ball to the net. The Fingallians man continued where he left off in the 2nd period kicking the opening point & it wasn't too long before the Dubs had a 6 point lead. The All Ireland champions fought back and when Barrry John Walsh netted in injury time there was real tension with the Dubs now only up by the narrowest margin. However cometh the hour cometh the man & the Dubs #11 Michael Daragh McAuley showed no nerves in his 1st big start & kicked over to see the Dubs home.

A few footnotes to the game - First how good was it to see the Dubs give the Kerrymen a guard of honour as they entered the field as All Irealnd champions. A classy touch from a classy team. Second the Club sends its condolences to the O'Connor family on the sad passing way of Jack's father. And equally our thoughts are also with the Spillane family who lost their matriarch this week. Ar dheis Dhe go raibh a hanamacha.

Dublin-- Stephen Cluxton; Paul Conlon, Rory O'Carroll, Philip McMahon; Paul Griffin, Cian O'Sullivan, James McCarthy; Eamonn Fennell (0-03), Ross McConnell; Alan Hubbard (0-01) (Dean Kelly (65)), Michael McAuley (0-01), Paul Flynn (1-02); David Henry, Blaine Kelly (0-02) (Bernard Brogan (50) (0-01)), Kevin McManamon (0-02) (Tiernan Diamond (65)).

Kerry - G Reidy; P Reidy, T Griffin, A O'Connell; M Corridan (Paudge O'Connor (50)), A O'Mahony, K Young; S Scanlon, M Quirke (A O'Sullivan (50); P Galvin (0-04), Declan O'Sullivan (K O'Leary (69)), D Walsh (BJ Keane (65)); BJ Walsh (1-01), K Donaghy, P O'Connor (0-05) (J O'Donoghue (55)).