NFL - Dublin 3-13 Cork 0-16

Dublin 3-13 Cork 0-16

Goals win games.  Dublin got three, Cork got none.  Two league points for the Dubs and the 2^nd All Ireland scalp of the night.

The Dubs started best Mossy Quinn kicking the 1^st score and the Dubs would nver trail from that point.  Bernard set up all 3 goals the 1^st inside teh 1^st 20 minutes when seeing Mossy free inside he deftly flicked on the ball to the Vincents man who ran through on goal & gave the keeper no chance.  Less than 5 minutes later Kevin Mc got onto a one two with Bernard and used his strength and speed to blast to the Canal end net. 

Cork stuck to their task however, kicking a number of points & were only 3 down at the interval.  It was a generally open game with Denis Bastick and Barry Cahill, who had started instead of the injured Michael Dara, in impressive form.

More Cork pressure ensued but with Declan Lally kicking well the Dubs stayed ahead.  With 50 minutes gone the 3^rd goal.  Barry Cahill ran forward & played the ball into Eoghan O’Gara, who although knocked to the ground released the ball to Bernard.  The Plunketts man saw barry C free fed the fall through to him & he hit the net under the keepers body.  There was still need for a few fine save from Clucko but the competition for score of the match wasn’t over.  First Bernard fielded brilliantly at the Hogan Stand side of the field turned his man & kicked brilliantly over the bar.  Then up stepped an impressive James McCarthy who drove from his own line before powering the ball over straight & fast like an arrow from way out.

The ref blew up & the crowd looked back on a fantastic night.  There were many critics of the Spring Series in Croker.  But the 2 games on the night served up superb entertainment, with Jedward even contributing.  The Dubs beating both All Ireland champions on the one evening.  How good can gaelic games get.

A final postscript – An excellent & funny piece of writing from Tom Humphries in the match programme “You’re a Dub If.....” Great stuff Tom.

Dublin - Stephen Cluxton, Alan Hubbard, Sean Murray, Michael Fitzsimons, Paul Casey, James McCarthy (0-01), Declan Lally (0-02) (Dara Nelson (45)), Denis Bastick (0-01), Barry Cahill (1-00), Paul Flynn (Colm Murphy (65)), Kevin McManamon (1-00), Diarmuid Connolly (0-01) (Bryan Cullen (45) (0-01)), Bernard Brogan  (0-06), Eoghan O’Gara (Alan Brogan (55)), Tomás Quinn (1-01) (Paddy Andrews (60)).

Cork - Paddy O’Shea, Ray Carey, Jamie O’Sullivan, Michael Shields, Colm O’Driscoll, Paudie Kissane, D O’Sullivan (0-01) (Eoin Cotter (65)), Alan O’Connor (Nicholas Murphy (45)), Aidan Walsh (0-01), Pearse O’Neill (0-03) (Fiachra Lynch (55)), Patrick Kelly (0-03), Fintan Goold (0-01) (Ciaran Sheehan (55)), Daniel Goulding (0-05), Colm O’Neill, Donncha O’Connor (0-02).