13 hours ago
Dublin 2-24 Limerick 0-28: The GAA shock of many hurling summers
Massive shock of the summer - and of many a summer - at Croke Park as 14-man Dublin took out one of the big favourites for the All-Ireland title.
This SHC quarter-final was supposed to be a handy enough bridge for Limerick into the last four.
The red card shown to Dubs skipper Chris Crummey in the 16th minute for a high challenge on Gearóid Hegarty only reinforced that view as the Treaty men had already got their noses in front.
Not so. This was an historic victory for the men in Blue, the 14/1 outsiders who are into the All-Ireland semi-finals for the first time since 2013, one that will forever be etched in the annals of the game in the capital.
Next up for the Dubs will be Cork or Kilkenny and they will fear neither after this showing - Dublin had heroes all over the field as Limerick's Munster final heartbreak was compounded at headquarters.
The huge underdogs led by three points at the break but when Adam English equalised and then Aidan O'Connor put the Treaty men ahead in the 51st minute, it seemed obvious that the toll of being down a man had caught up with them.
Not so. It was a master-stroke by Dubs boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin - the man with the midas touch having led Na Fianna to All-Ireland club glory in January - to put John Hetherton on after the interval.
The big target man produced an unbelievable goal midway through the half, rifling into the top corner to restore his side's lead from a near-impossible angle, driving his shot across Nickie Quaid into the top corner.
Then, just seconds later, Cian O'Sullivan pounced after Hetherton got a touch on in the air and the Dubs were firmly back in the driving seat.
Limerick desperately needed a lifeline and the moment arrived 10 minutes from time when English teed up Aaron Gillane in front of goal. Everyone waited to see the sliothar hit the back of the net and for Limerick to get back to within one point. Instead, it flew over the bar thanks to a magnificent point-blank save by Séan Brennan.
Even still, as the contest ticked into four minutes of added time, there were final chances for John Kiely's men with a close-range free from Diarmuid Byrnes that was blocked - and another that full-back Paddy Smyth bravely smothered.
"Physically I wouldn't say we matched them, I'd say we definitely dominated them physically," said man of the match Conor Burke, who scored five points from play in a midfield tour de force. "The lads up top, they really put their bodies on the line and it set the tone.
"Even at the very end there probably a moment that went under the radar. Obviously people were talking about Seán's save, which was amazing, but at the end Paddy Smyth jumped on a ball as a lump out of his shin.
"But they're the types of moments and that's what it means to lads and once we brought that level of aggression, physicality and work right, then the hurling just kind of flowed after."
Dublin's hunger wasn't matched by Limerick, who looked drained after their Munster final loss on penalties to Cork rather than in gunning for redemption - although Kiely later insisted that the provincial defeat hadn't lingered.
"In a word, no," he said. "We drew the Munster final in normal time and extra time, the penalties were the penalties, we just parked that.
"There are moments in time for individuals not reflective of the team performance. We took some time after Munster final, but back at it last weekend and things had been going good in training."
Dublin: Seán Brennan; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Paddy Doyle, Chris Crummey (0-1), Andrew Dunphy; Conor Burke (0-5), Brian Hayes (0-2); Rian McBride (0-2), Fergal Whitely (0-1), Cian O'Sullivan (1-1); Seán Currie (0-9, 5fs), Ronan Hayes (0-3), Diarmaid O'Dulaing.
Subs: John Hetherton (1-0) for O Dulaing ht, Darragh power for Whitely 52mins, Donal Burke for McBride 64mins, Colin Currie for Ronan Hayes 69mins, David Lucey for McHugh 75mins.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash (0-1); Adam English (0-5), William O'Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty (0-4), Cian Lynch (0-2), Tom Morrissey (0-2); Aaron Gillane (0-9, 6fs, 1 '65), Aidan O'Connor (0-3), David Reidy.
Subs: Cathal O'Neill (0-01) for Tom Morrissey 23-24, blood, Barry Murphy for Casey h/t, O'Neill for Morrissey h/t, Declan Hannon for Nash 51, Peter Casey (0-01) for O'Donoghue 58, Shane O'Brien for O'Connor 64.
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).
