Immortality.
Dublin are the All-Ireland football champions for a fifth time in succession and they have written themselves into the annals of history.
1-18 to 0-15 was the final score at Croke Park as Dublin and Kerry were finally separated and here’s how the players got on the second day.
KERRY
Shane Ryan 7
Could do nothing about that tidy Eoin Murchan finish. Found his men all day and was clean with his possessions in hand.
Tom O’Sullivan 4
Met Con O’Callaghan very much in the mood and struggled to contain him. Had to be moved onto Mannion in the second half.
Tadhg Morley 5
Didn’t do bad on Mannion… but that doesn’t really matter sometimes when we’re living in a Paul Mansion world. Kept Con quieter than O’Sullivan managed.
Jason Foley 6
Snuffed Dean Rock out at the second time of asking. Didn’t take on a sure shot for himself though when it was on in the second half.
Paul Murphy 5
Ineffective as a free man in defence and not as influential as he can be going forward.
Gavin Crowley 5
One of the stars of last week got taking for a tour of Croke Park by a Ciaran Kilkenny with the smell of blood in his nostrils.
Brian O Beaglaoich 7
Did well. Cut out ball, and was able to live with Scully.
David Moran 7
Composed for most of the game. Influential for most of the game. A vital bit of steel at the spine of Kerry’s rearguard and the man they looked to to get them motoring again. Bad wide late on and will kick himself for not catching the throw-in unchallenged – the ball was in the Kerry net nine seconds later.
Jack Barry 6
Did his job again, if he had less influence in an attacking sense. Brilliant piece of soccer skill under mammoth pressure at centre back to drop the shoulder on two Dubs.
Diarmuid O’Connor 8
Had a massive game for Kerry. One very bad wide after putting James McCarthy to the turf but kept McCaffrey silenced, intercepted ball, caught kickouts and stepped up.
Sean O’Shea 8
How could you not love Sean O’Shea? Tough, strong, skilful accurate. Scores under serious pressure, picks dangerous passes.
Stephen O’Brien 6
Some incisive runs as usual. Won some great ball on his own 45′ and turned the game on its head. but was indecisive with a crucial goal chance in the second half that would’ve levelled it.
David Clifford 9
Brilliant. Kicking off left and right. Never shooting when he didn’t have to. Teeing up big chances with those darting hand passes of his. And doing all this with Michael Fitzsimons marking him.
Paul Geaney 7
So, so involved. So good in patches. Overplayed it in others. Missed a big goal chance in the first half and lost the ball in the second when an easy point was on.
Adrian Spillane 5
Had the thankless task of marking Brian Howard. Won’t be thanking anyone for it.
Subs
Tommy Walsh 8
Should’ve come on earlier. Won everything.
Jack Sherwood 5
Needlessly dropped a ball that led to a Dublin goal chance and then point late on.
Gavin White 6
Tried to drive at them, won a kickout and picked a nice pass.
Killian Spillane 5
Not the impact he was hoping for like last week.
Dara Moynihan 5
The game lost all shape when he came in and he didn’t get involved in it.
James O’Donoghue 5
Bravely ran at them but couldn’t make inroads with that many bodies back.
DUBLIN
Stephen Cluxton 8
Dealt with every high ball, strong around his square, tidy in possession and had a free man to hit every time with his kickouts – so he hit him.
Michael Fitzsimons 8
Must be one of the most respected players in the game amongst his peers. Absolutely one of the greatest one-on-one defenders. Had a big game, even with Clifford kicking so many scores – it was that sort of match.
Davy Byrne 7
Misplaced pass in second half but a couple of big turnovers. Found Geaney a handful but got tighter to him when it mattered most.
Johnny Cooper 6
Deployed as the free man in defence. Didn’t have much influence in that regard but got on a lot of ball going forward.
Eoin Murchan 10
Christ almighty. Was like a nat all over Stephen O’Brien and took a sensational goal, running from centre-field to finish like a seasoned pro for his first ever score for Dublin.
John Small 7
Quiet game but tasked with tracking Sean O’Shea everywhere.
Jack McCaffrey 6
Obviously he was watched way more than last week – Kerry players took turns at pushing him. Didn’t get driving at the posts but didn’t do anything wrong and didn’t let it scupper his defensive game. Had to come off at half time.
Brian Fenton 7
Striding, striding, striding. Fenton got back to basics and worked his arse off. He was vital, if not dominating.
James McCarthy 7
Kept Moran more nullified than he was the last day out.
Niall Scully 7
Harshly blown for too long, couldn’t make in roads in attack but you know what you get from him as his very baseline every day – energy and brains.
Ciaran Kilkenny 10
Having the time of his life. All over the pitch, all over the scoreboard.
Brian Howard 10
Fucking animal.
Con O’Callaghan 9
Just takes men on all the bloody time. Too hard to contain. Might thank Conor Lane for not picking him out for the foul on Morley. He’s going to be irrepressible for the next decade.
Paul Mannion 9
Back to Paul Mannion again. Back to being brilliant.
Dean Rock 8
Came into the game in a big, big way at the depth for Dublin. Great score from play, beautiful 45′.
Subs
Diarmuid Connolly 5
Sublime pass after a big, big turnover – straight like an arrow to Con O’Callaghan and over the ball. But two lazy hand passes turned the ball over and blown up for too long later on.
Cormac Costello 6
Put his ego aside and came on not to score, but to work his balls off for the cause.
Kevin McManamon 5
Pulled one wide when it would’ve gotten the biggest cheer of the day.
Bernard Brogan 6
Legend.
