Dessie Farrell will be thrilled with how Dublin beat Cork – but will need Con O'Callaghan to mount All-Ireland challenge

THERE were pros and cons for Dublin as they outlasted Cork last night at Croke Park.
But the Con they will need in order to mount an All-Ireland title challenge was sitting in the stand.
2
Con O'Callaghan of Dublin reacts during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final against Cork
Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
2
Graham Geraghty believes Dublin will need Con O'Callaghan to win the All-Ireland
Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Dubs boss
However, the uncertainty surrounding Con O'Callaghan's availability for
next
weekend's quarter-final is a huge concern.
Having missed the defeat to Armagh, normal service seemed to resume for the
His shock absence gave
Read More on GAA
And just like the Dublin hurlers did in the curtain raiser, John Cleary's men very nearly pulled off the upset.
Cork are a team I have seen plenty of this year. They are capable of blowing hot and cold. But you have to hand it to them for the way they took the game to Dublin.
Farrell's team were under massive pressure and Brian Howard's goal was a big turning point because the Dubs had played second fiddle to Cork for long
periods
.
Dublin are not the force they once were — that much is clear. With O'Callaghan in the team, they
remain
contenders nonetheless.
Most read in GAA Football
Without him, their attacking threat is diminished significantly.
Regardless of who they are paired with in the last eight, Dublin's chances of advancing will lessen considerably if the three-time All-Star is not fit to play a part.
'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter
In Killarney,
fire
as
The problem for Kerry as their attention turns to
Seán O'Shea's return was a boost. Jack O'Connor will also be delighted that Paudie Clifford was fit enough for a cameo off the bench. But his younger brother will need more help from his supporting cast if Kerry are to keep Sam Maguire in their sights.
A relatively comprehensive win for the Kingdom was the result we all expected.
Their start was impressive and the writing seemed to be on the wall for Cavan when the four-point deficit they faced early on was compounded by the black-carding of Niall Carolan.
To the Breffni's credit, they made a game of it in the second half after Kerry looked set to pull away.
But Raymond Galligan's team were also too reliant on Paddy Lynch, who was their only starting forward to score.
This was a game in which Kerry were on a hiding to nothing, so they will be pleased to have it out of the way.
Next weekend is when we will find out what they are truly made of.

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Irish Times

38 minutes ago

• Irish Times

Nicky English: I have never seen Dublin hurl better in adversity

In modern hurling, Dublin have usually struggled at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage against the top counties in Munster, winning just one in six. That all changed at the weekend when Niall Ó Ceallacháin's team challenged every assumption about them and sensationally dumped the most formidable team of recent times out of the championship. He has done a wonderful job. Their touch has really improved. The approach has been simplified and performance levels have correspondingly improved. Outside the normal metrics, the team spirit was immense. They did miss plenty of chances, but it never really put them off, and they kept going back. The constant pressure caused Limerick to miss chances of their own. [ Inspired 14-man Dublin beat Limerick in remarkable championship shock Opens in new window ] It was the complete absence of these qualities against Galway which appeared to suggest that Dublin's season had bottomed out. Certainly, I couldn't see them shifting Limerick. Having been reduced to 14 men after Chris Crummey's red card in the 15th minute, Dublin put on an exhibition of high-energy commitment, exemplified by Brian Hayes in the middle of the field, and went back to their best play this championship, taking the easy scores and keeping the scoreboard ticking. READ MORE Dublin's James Madden and Brian Hayes celebrate after the final whistle. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho They simply worked harder after the sending-off and refused to let the match run away from them. John Bellew and Paddy Smyth were excellent and Conor McHugh had a massive match, tearing away out of defence – at one stage leaving Gearóid Hegarty for dead. The commitment could be seen in defence with the blocks and hooks they were putting in, as well as an unbelievable save by Seán Brennan on Aaron Gillane when Limerick absolutely needed a goal and that was the chance that might have tipped the balance. Limerick looked leggy and lacking in energy at the very venue you can't afford it and their touch was actually worse than it had been two weeks previously. They had unsettling early wides and were regularly blocked down, which was hugely energising for the Dublin defence. If Limerick's reaction to the red card looked as if it had given them another reason to be lackadaisical, Dublin's response laid down a marker by getting the next two scores to equalise and then to stay in touch. John Hetherton celebrates scoring Dublin's first goal. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho They then started to pull away before half-time. Seán Currie wasn't flawless on frees but he didn't get rattled and took crucial scores before the break, helped by the tireless Conor Burke and Ronan Hayes. Even so, the consensus was that for all the bravery, Dublin would simply run out of steam and lose, albeit honourably. I have been sceptical about Limerick throughout the season but even though Dublin impressed me when they played Kilkenny, they then gave their poorest display of the championship in losing to Galway. Just as they looked to be going under on Saturday after Limerick had regained the lead, Dublin came up with two goals in a minute, which really fired the gathering football support on the Hill and made Limerick's climb all the steeper. John Hetherton's introduction was a major influence in the second half. I counted at one stage five Limerick defenders around him, conceding a throw-in. His finish for the first goal was terrific and for the second, there he was drawing three men around him as the ball broke to the unmarked Cian O'Sullivan. He was even involved in clearing the ball after an injury-time free was blocked in front of goal. Was there any reason for what happened? John Kiely talked about a lack of energy, which was clear to see. When I watched Limerick emerging from the Cusack Stand dressingrooms, it struck me how strange this was for them – so used to arriving in Croke Park on semi-final weekend. Limerick's Cian Lynch dejected after the game. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Their big players had strangely little impact. In the second half Kyle Hayes was on the attack and got dispossessed – Conor Burke immediately scored at the other end – and shortly afterwards was replaced at centre back by Declan Hannon. Gillane didn't take the goal chance and missed a late free. Cian Lynch did as much as anyone but the middle third, for so long Limerick's territory, turned into a fiery contest they weren't winning with only Adam English flying the flag. They may also question their use of the spare man, as it looked as if Dublin had the man advantage. There was also a draining Munster final with extra time and penalties and just two weeks to recover. That schedule killed Clare three years ago and although they stumbled through the quarter-final, they had almost literally nothing left in the semi-final against Kilkenny a fortnight later. For me, this was the best Dublin hurling performance in adversity that I've seen. In the other quarter-final, Tipp supporters were probably a bit anxious at half-time. They were 0-16 to 0-11 up, not a great lead having played with the wind and Galway had created goal chances. They needn't have worried. Tipperary's Seamus Kennedy signs autographs after the win over Galway at the Gaelic Grounds. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho Tipperary might not have been as neat as Liam Cahill would have liked but they were sharp. Their touch was far superior to Galway's and so was their use of the ball. He also got a great return from John McGrath and Jason Forde in the first half. The best of the goal chances they conceded fell to Kevin Cooney but Rhys Shelly made a routine save. Galway were putting in a lot of effort but there was always over-elaboration, one pass too many and they ended up again relying on Cathal Mannion, mostly from frees. When the match came down to it in the third quarter and when Galway got the goal from Colm Molloy that they had been threatening, the result briefly looked in the melting pot, the margin down to two. In the next 10 minutes though, Tipperary put their stamp on it. Andrew Ormond scored the next point, after an outstanding catch from the puck-out by an outstanding player. He was fouled for the next one and all told, Tipp put up five without reply while Galway hit five energy-sapping wides. That, as they say in America, was the match. Right there. It's been a disappointing year for Galway and Micheál Donoghue has a lot of work to do to revive things. Liam Cahill on the other hand has already had a successful season by getting to the All-Ireland semi-finals. Thanks to Dublin, Tipp now avoid Cork. Cahill will know that Kilkenny are a different level of challenge to Galway but equally, he is not afraid to change things around a bit. They also have a strong bench. Most important of all, though is that Tipperary have momentum.

Irish Examiner

41 minutes ago

• Irish Examiner

John Cleary: Football now 'way more enjoyable to coach'

John Cleary was making no declarations about his future only to highlight his current term as Cork boss has concluded, yet he revealed the new rules have made his role more pleasurable. Cleary's four-year term concluded with Saturday's season-ending loss to Dublin and while he will have strong backing to remain on, the commitment is considerable for him and his management. 'I won't say anything at the moment. My term is up now, I've been four years in it, and as anyone will know it's tough going, but look, we'll see during the week, or we'll talk to the relevant parties or whatever. But look, at this stage now, my term is up, so we'll see what the future holds going forward.' However, Cleary made it clear that he is enjoying coaching more than ever because of the changes to the game. 'The rules definitely have opened the whole thing up completely, in that prior to this you could keep yourself in a game by putting 15 behind the ball. Now you've got to go and play and a lot of teams have discovered that they have very good players when they're allowed to express themselves and go for it. 'But there wasn't much point, the last couple of years, trying to go for it, when you were facing 15. They just ground you down, and they broke up and maybe got a score and maybe won the game 10 points to nine or whatever. 'But as regards to the championship, it is very open. There was five of us talking the other night, and five of us picked different (counties), what we thought would win the All-Ireland. So, I think that's where we're at now and I think it's something great to look forward to for the next few weeks. 'We're awfully disappointed that we're not in that mix now and we would love to be because the football this year, it has been way more enjoyable to coach, more enjoyable to watch, and the lads are even saying it's way more enjoyable to play. "Overall, I think it's been a super championship and I think probably the best is yet to come for the next few weeks.' On top of some surprise results, Dublin manager Dessie Farrell also believes the rules have contributed to levelling out the playing field. 'It's more what the impact the rules are having on the game, I think, rather than the actual specifics of the rules themselves. 'It seems to be a leveller. It's hard to maybe qualify why that is the case, but definitely it seems to be so. I think a lot of teams have really embraced the change-up. 'The couple of turn-ups for the books gives other teams confidence as well. You see before us, the Dublin hurlers, even on the football side of things, that gives people confidence as well. 'There's nothing gifted to you anymore, and you can't take anything for granted. Every game from here is going to be a proper contest, you would imagine.'

RTÉ News​

2 hours ago

• RTÉ News​

Ireland suffer big defeat to end Pro League campaign

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