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Ireland Women’s Boss Adam Griggs Praises Parsons After Italy Win

Ireland Women’s national team boss Adam Griggs has praised winger Beibhinn Parsons after she helped Ireland get the win they needed against Italy after a poor game against Spain last Monday.

The side suffered a shock defeat to the 2019-20 Rugby Europe Championship winners in their first game of the Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifier tournament and needed a win to ensure that their qualification hopes stayed alive for the final round.

Ireland came away with a 15-7 victory that showcased an improved team performance after a shocking display in the loss to Spain.

Parsons shone on the day with her two highlights being a try to open the scoring and a dazzling run that led to Ireland’s second one of the day.

The head coach heaped praise on the 19-year-old back: “She’s outrageous. She had a really good game, she’s so hard to beat one-on-one.

“The beauty of her collecting that ball at the back, having time and space to pick out players one-on-one meant she was able to use her feet, bounce them off and get into space quickly with that acceleration that she has.

“The pleasing aspect for me of the try was that once she was brought to ground we recycled the ball quickly.”

Ireland’s backs worked well together to produce their second try following Parsons’ superb run.

The side looked much better as a whole throughout the game, although their set-piece still let them down at times.

Italy struggled to make their mark on the game and only got on the scoreboard when full-back Eimear Considine was in the bin.

Griggs said: “I’m happy that we got the result we were after. I thought we did a really good job of keeping Italy at bay and forcing pressure on them through our defence.

“It was something we spoke about this week, putting a real emphasis on closing down their space and not giving them time on the ball and I thought we did a really good job of that and it showed. Them struggling to exit kept us in the right areas of the field.

“It would have been nice to execute a couple more of those opportunities but at the same time we were after the result and we’re happy with that.”

Ireland will face Scotland next Saturday at 5 pm with a win and a bucketload of points needed to earn automatic qualification, should Italy beat Spain.

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles against tricky Ukrainian specialist  Oleksandr Usyk on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Joshua was scheduled to fight Tyson Fury to unify the Heavyweight division in what would have been the biggest fight in British boxing history this month, but due to the arbitration from Deontay Wilder, Fury will close off his rivalry with the Alabama boxer in their trilogy bout on October 9th.

His opponent, Oleksandr Usyk is an Olympic gold medallist (like Joshua) from London 2012. The 18-0 professional moved up from cruiserweight in 2019, defeating heavyweights Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora on his way to being set to fight Joshua.

Usyk will be Joshua’s toughest opponent to date, his footwork, movement and overall boxing ability is something Joshua has yet to face in his quest for heavyweight supremacy.

Joshua spoke on the fight with great enthusiasm;

“Look where we are now, Joshua versus Usyk, it’s probably bigger or just as big as [the Fury] fight,” added Joshua, who has won 24 of his 25 fights and insists he is taking nothing for granted.

“There’s a great Ukrainian following in boxing and in the UK and they will be out in force. There will be 50-60,000 Brits who will come out for the fight, it’s a fight with big interest.

“Even though it’s not Fury, it’s still a great fight. Even though it’s annoying, I’m glad I can still take on an opponent who makes me want to get up in the morning because I want to improve and get better.

“There’s a lot of talk about size, a good big guy beats a good little guy. If that’s the case why I am getting up in the morning to train? Why am I sitting in ice baths? Why I am passionate about it? Because I’m fighting a good guy.

“We’re still taking on a good fight and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

What TV channel is Anthony Joshua vs Usyk on?

TV subscribers in the UK and Republic of Ireland can buy the pay-per-view from Sky Sports Box Office. This fight will be available in more than 170 countries, including streaming services in the US such as DAZN (The Netflix of Sports)

How much will it cost?

The Sky Sports Box Office price is set at £24.95 (€29.00). After this fight, Anthony Joshua’s long-term broadcasting deal with Sky will end and he will become a free agent.

How to watch the fight in the UK/Ireland?

Sky subscribers can purchase the fight online, through their box or by calling 03442 410 888. If you’re calling from the Republic of Ireland, it’s 0818 220 225.

How to stream the fight?

You can stream the fight live using the Sky Sports Box Office App on mobile devices and online – order here.

The NOW TV Smart Stick or NOW TV box is also an option for fans wanting to order the fight.

What time does the fight start?

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the main event is scheduled to start before 11 pm. With the fighters ring walk to start at 10 pm.

Betting

Anthony Joshua: 4/11

Draw: 22/1

Oleksandr Usyk: 9/4

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

For more News and Stories on all things Boxing, click here.

Ireland Men’s Secure Fourth Place At Vancouver 7s

The Ireland men’s national sevens team fought their way to a fourth-place finish at the Vancouver Sevens – the first leg of the curtailed 2021 World Rugby Sevens series.

The side fell short of a spot in the final after topping their pool after an unbeaten first day but achieve their highest-ever finish at a World Series event as a core team.

Nine players made their debuts for the national sevens side throughout the weekend as the rotated squad impressed in the Canadian city, coming into the tournament with just 22 caps to their name altogether.

Munster Academy winger Conor Phillips caught the eye with four tries, while Liam Turner, Mark Roche, Sean Kearns, Gavin Mullin and Shane Jennings all scored two each.

Ulster academy winger Ben Moxham also grabbed one in his first tournament with the side, scoring in extra-time in the quarter-final against Hong Kong to ensure a spot in the semi-final.

The team, coached by James Topping for the week, won twice and drew once on the first day before the experience of Kenya and Great Britain proved to be too much in the latter stages.

Ireland scored 74 points on the first day, including a 50-0 thumping of Jamaica, but injuries hampered their second day as they fell short of a spot in the top three.

A one-sided defeat to Kenya made clear the difference between the two squads and Great Britain made up for a lacklustre performance in the pool stage with a 24-14 win over Topping’s side in the bronze final.

However, Ireland can take positives from the tournament as they head into the World Series finale in Edmonton on a high.

Ireland Sevens Squad – Vancouver 7s

Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Chris Cosgrave (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Shane Jennings (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
Sean Kearns (Ireland Sevens)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Steven Kilgallen (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College) (capt)
Ben Moxham (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
Gavin Mullin (UCD RFC)
Conor Phillips (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Liam Turner (Dublin University FC/Leinster)

Parsons Helps Ireland To Keep Qualification Hopes Alive With Win Over Italy

A strong defensive effort and two tries, including a fantastic second, helped Ireland in their push for a Rugby World Cup 2021 spot after a 15-7 win over Italy.

Ireland looked a much-improved side compared to their match against Spain last Monday and came away with a much-improved result to complement that.

Tries from Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe put Adam Griggs’ side in the driver’s seat in the game and gives them a fighting chance next Saturday in the final round of games.

Parsons scored the first points of the game after 28 minutes when she got her side’s first try of the day after a maul was stopped short of the Italian line.

An Italian sin-bin gave Ireland a numerical advantage but Parsons made it seem as if there was a far bigger advantage on the hour mark when she danced through the defence, with her carry leading to a second try courtesy of Murphy Crowe.

Italy did have moments throughout the match where they threatened the Irish defence but it held up under pressure.

Ireland captain Ciara Griffin produced a superb last-ditch tackle to deny the hosts a try five minutes from the end of the first half.

Italy struggled mostly, however, failing to mount a sustained period of pressure consistently when the ball was in their hands.

Their one score of the match – a converted try – came when Irish full-back Eimear Considine sat in the bin following a poor tackle.

Beatrice Rigoni crossed the line for her side before seeing yellow for a deliberate knock-on while Michela Sillari added the extra points from the tee.

However, Ireland’s place-kicking on the day proved to be enough as Stacey Flood slotted a penalty over to restore the Irish lead following her earlier misses and put her second conversion between the posts to seal an important win for the girls in green.

Ireland will face Scotland in their final game of the qualifiers with a big score needed to qualify automatically if Italy beat Spain.

Ireland: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster); Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht); Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster); Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht), Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Linda Djougang  (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt).

Replacements: Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster), Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster), Leah Lyons (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster), Claire Molloy (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster), Enya Breen (UL Bohemians/Munster), Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby).

Italy: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova); Manuela Furlan (Arredissima Villorba) (capt), Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Maria Magatti (CUS Milano); Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno), Sara Barattin (Arredissima Villorba); Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais), Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain), Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Ilaria Arrighetti (Stade Rennais), Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Romagnat), Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova).

Replacements: Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Michela Merlo (Rugby Colorno), Sara Seye (Rugby Calvisano), Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Monza 1949), Giada Franco (Rugby Colorno), Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Alyssa D’Incá (Arredissima Villorba), Aura Muzzo (Arredissima Villorba).

Fulham v Leeds – Preview, Team News, Betting

Leeds United travel to Championship side Fulham’s stadium tomorrow for a tough EFL Cup Round Three clash

The match kicks off at 19:45 on Tuesday 21st September in Craven Cottage.

Fulham have made a clear plan to get promoted back to the Premier League this season. They are currently in second place on goal difference after eight games. One problem is that their recent form has dipped losing two of their last three games in the league.

They reached this stage in the cup after beating Birmingham City 2-0 at the end of August.

Leeds have yet to find their true form in the Premier League. So far, they have only managed three draws, including a recent 1-1 stalemate against Newcastle on Saturday.

They reached round three after beating Crewe Alexandra 3-0 at home a month ago.

These two sides played against each other in the Premier League last season, with Leeds remaining and Fulham getting relegated. The Whites won both of the entertaining fixtures by singular goals.

Predicted Starting Teams

Fulham

Formation

4-2-3-1

Starting 11

Rodak (GK), Robinson, Adarabioyo, Hector, Odoi, Seri, Onomah, Kebano, Reid, Wilson, Mitrovic

Injuries / Suspensions

Carvalho (Toe), Tete (Hamstring), Kongolo (Physical discomfort), Cairney (Knee)

Leeds United

Formation

4-1-4-1

Starting 11

Meslier (GK), Firpo, Ayling, Cooper, Shackleton, Phillips, James, Klich, Dallas, Roberts, Bamford

Injuries / Suspensions

Forshaw (Muscle injury), Llorente (Muscle injury), Harrison (Covid-19), Raphinha (Hip), Koch (Groin)

Betting

Fulham 13/8

Draw 23/10

Leeds United 8/5

 

Score Prediction

This will be a close game between a top-flight side in bad form and a Championship team in good form. Fulham’s home advantage could make the difference in the late stages of this match, especially when the Whites are missing a few of their starting players.

Expect this game to end 1-1 after 90 minutes with Fulham claiming the victory in extra time.

Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Chargers – Key Battles, Preview & Predictions

Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Chargers – Key Battles, Preview & Predictions

The 2nd game Sunday has Dak Prescott lead “America’s Team” into the ultra impressive SoFi Stadium to take on the Chargers. The ‘Boys are coming off a heartbreaking game in the league opener vs the defending SuperBowl Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers where they somehow managed to snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory. While the performance was admirable, The Cowboys have been threatening to contend for far too long without delivering, so moral victories are worthless at this point. They play the Chargers, who themselves have long been a team who seem to be geared up to have a good go at challenging but without ever managing to do it. The hope is high that Justin Herbert is the guy to lead them to that next level and he is coming off an outstanding rookie campaign. They are looking to add a 2nd straight win to start the season after overcoming Washington last week.

 

Key Battles:

Ezekiel Elliott vs The shell of Ezekiel Elliott: While Dak Prescott had what was by far his most impressive showing in his Cowboys career, being asked to throw the ball 58 times is not sustainable over the course of a season if Dallas are to have any success. He needs Ezekiel Elliott, the old Ezekiel Elliott, back to strike fear into opposing defenses. We were all told he had trimmed down, and he does look in much better shape this year, but struggled to get anything going again last week. Granted Against that Tampa defensive front, there is no shame in that. But he really needs to step up this week.

Dan Quinn’s Defense vs Herbert and Co.: As a defensive co-ordinator in Seattle, Quinn oversaw one of the most fearsome secondary’s the NFL has ever seen in the Legion of Boom. This Cowboys secondary are a far cry from what he had at Seattle and are in need of real leadership if they are to even be a reliable unit. The Chargers will look to test them out as much as they can and if the Cowboys aren’t up to it, it could be another embarrassing night for Jerry Jones’ product.

Chargers Defense vs Dak’s All Stars: Equally on the other side of the ball, this Cowboys offense is absolutely loaded with weapons. While I mentioned having to pass the ball 58 times isn’t a recipe for consistent success, having a receiver corps boasting the likes of Cooper, Lamb and Gallop is a frightening prospect when they do go to the air. The Chargers are also without the experienced Chris Harris at corner and have their work cut out for them to keep Dak from firing bombs at will.

 

Boylesports Betting:

Moneyline: Dallas 11/8 Los Angeles 6/10
Over/Under: 54.5
Spread: Los Angeles -3

23/10 for both Herbert and Dak to throw for 300+ yards seems to be too good to be true. Prescott is also 11/1 to have 2 passing TD’s in each half. Given Mike McCarthy’s love of passing the ball, that’s excellent value.

I’d lean heavily on there being more than 55 points here too.

 

VERDICT:

Both these teams are in the ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ bracket as far as I’m concerned. I don’t have a lot of trust in either. I have long been a doubter of Dak Prescott’s ability to elevate the Cowboys, and while the Buccs game was his best by a country mile, I need to see him do that more consistently before I change my tune. Chargers flatter to deceive nearly every year too, especially with their inability to stay clear of crippling injury issues. This is really a toss up. I’ll take the Cowboys to do what they do best and find a way to lose. Chargers by 4

San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles – Key Battles, Preview & Predictions

2021 NFL SUNDAY LIVE SKY SPORTS GAME – Key Battles, Preview & Predictions 

WEEK 2: 6:00pm: San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles

We had a predictably unpredictable week 1 in the NFL last weekend now we roll on to week 2. The 6pm game live on Sky Sports this Sunday sees the San Francisco 49ers travel to the Philadelphia Eagles, with both aiming at starting out the season at 2-0. The 49ers had a late scare after taking a convincing lead against the Detroit Lions last week and Kyle Shanahan will hope for a more complete performance this time out. No such drama for the Eagles who took care of a poor Atlanta Falcons effort with ease.

Key Battles:

Eagles Defensive Line vs Niners Offensive Line: The 49ers Offense have made their living out of getting top production out of a stable of almost random running backs. Along side Shanahan’s creative genius, another big reason for this is the platform their Offensive Line provides them. They face an experienced and talented Eagles Defensive line who won’t be in any mood to take a backwards step. This could be a really enjoyable battle for those who love some good old fashioned trench warfare.

The Turnover Battle: I think this will will feature in my game previews quite regularly over the course of the season, for obvious reasons. Turnovers can win/lose you games and can provide massive momentum shifts when needed. While Philly played a relatively mistake-free game in week 1, they didn’t manage to produce a turnover. Against what should be much stiffer competition this time around they may need to engineer opportunities through turnovers.

The Eagles Offense vs the Chains: Jalen Hurts looked pretty comfortable in Atlanta. But rest assured, if the Eagles fall behind the chains and give the Niners pass rush opportunities to come after him in long distance scenarios, he will have a much more stressful afternoon that last Sunday. If they can stay on track and be able to have a healthy balance of pass and run to keep the San Fran pass rush guessing, they have a chance in this one.

Boylesports Betting:

Moneyline: San Francisco 13/20 Philadelphia 5/4
Over/Under: 49.5
Spread: San Fran -3

PP are offering 3/1 on the Patriots, 49ers, Browns and Broncos all to win this week. I’ll be having some of that myself.

12/1 on DaVonta Smith for 1st TD is good value too in my opinion.

VERDICT:

The Eagles were impressive in their first outing under new Head Coach Nick Siriani, and if they can play at anything like the same level again here, this will be a major test for the Niners. For me, that’s a massive ‘IF’ though and I expect the 49ers to expose a lot more chinks in the Eagles armour than the Falcons could. I also expect to see a bit more of Brandon Aiyuk, who was non existent against Detroit. Their Defense come in with a point to prove after that game too and I think they have too much for Philadelphia to handle if they get their you know what together. I’m taking the 49ers by 12

Liverpool v Crystal Palace Teams Announced

Liverpool play Crystal Palace on Saturday, September 18 in their first league game after the beginning of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The game at Anfield is set to be an interesting one as Palace have looked good in their opening games so far.

The two teams have been announced for the fixture.

For Liverpool, James Milner comes in at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who misses out due to illness.

Ibrahima Konate makes his debut for Klopp’s side at the heart of defence alongside Virgil Van Dijk.

Kostas Tsimikas gets another game at left-back while Andy Robertson is rested for the clash.

A midfield trio of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara is a stable and progressive one on paper.

Sadio Mané, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota are the front three for Liverpool once again with Roberto Firmino still sidelined with an injury.

Divock Origi and Naby Keita return to the bench after starting against AC Milan in midweek.

Marc Guehi is at centre-back for Crystal Palace after impressing in their victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

James McArthur captains the side in a midfield three alongside Chieck Kouyate and Conor Gallagher.

Former Liverpool player Christian Benteke leads the line for the Eagles with Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha either side of him.

Martin Kelly and Nathaniel Clyne also make an appearance in the Palace squad on the bench.

Goalscorer last week, Odsonne Edouard will be looking for another fruitful display as a substitute.

Teams

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Milner, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Mane, Jota, Salah.

Subs: Kelleher, Keita, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Minamino, Robertson, Origi, Phillips.

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Guaita; Ward, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell; Kouyate, McArthur (C), Gallagher; Ayew, Benteke, Zaha.

Subs: Butland, Tomkins, Kelly, Clyne, Riedewald, Hughes, Milivojevic, Olise, Edouard.

Where To Watch

Liverpool – Crystal Palace kicks off at 3 pm . Premier Sports will provide coverage of the game.

Ireland At Vancouver 7s – Preview, Squad, Where To Watch

The Ireland Men’s Sevens team will play the first leg of the curtailed 2021 World Rugby Sevens series in Vancouver this weekend.

Anthony Eddy’s side will play their first games since the Tokyo Olympics in July and a rotated squad will be at his disposal.

Eddy will use the upcoming tournaments in Canada to explore the depth of his Ireland Men’s Sevens squad as players are given the opportunity to stake a claim on the World Series stage.

Three Olympians are named in the squad – Bryan Mollen, Mark Roche and Gavin Mullin – with Mollen set to captain the squad.

Ireland will face Great Britain and invitational sides Hong Kong and Jamaica in Pool B in Vancouver from September 18-19 – Play-offs are scheduled for September 19.

Liam Turner and Seán Cribbin also add experience to the squad, with Turner having racked up 16 appearances on last year’s World Series.

Ireland U20 stars Shane Jennings, Chris Cosgrave and Ben Moxham will work with the sevens setup for the upcoming tournaments.

Moxham, along with Conor Phillips of Munster and Ed Kelly – the younger brother of Olympian Jack – have been part of the National Sevens programme for the last 12 months.

They featured during the IRFU HPC International 7s tournament in June, with the back-to-back tournaments in Canada presenting them with the platform to showcase their talents at the start of a new Olympic cycle.

Commenting on his selection, Eddy said: “It is great to have the HSBC World Series back up and running and expose some new players to the quality of this competition.

“The Canada tournaments provide a great opportunity for some players to put their hand up for future tournaments and the 2022 Series.

“We have some experience in the group and also players new to the World Series, so I am keen to see how some of the new players perform in this environment.”

Ireland will open their HSBC Canada Sevens campaign against Hong Kong on Saturday 18th September (5:44 pm Irish time), before going head-to-head with Jamaica (8:55 pm) and Great Britain (12:28 am) later in the day.

The Vancouver tournament will be followed by a second HSBC Canada Sevens event in Edmonton the following weekend, on 25th-26th September. The two rounds in Canada form the 2021 Series, with the Series title awarded in Edmonton.

Ireland Squad For Vancouver 7s

Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Chris Cosgrave (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Seán Cribbin (Suttonians)
Shane Jennings (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
Sean Kearns (Irish Sevens)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University)
Steven Kilgallen (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College)(Captain)
Ben Moxham (Ballymena/Ulster)
Gavin Mullin (UCD RFC)
Conor Phillips (Young Munster/Munster)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne)
Liam Turner (Dublin University/Leinster)

Where To Watch

The Vancouver 7s will be available to watch live on the World Rugby Youtube channel. The stream is scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm.

Cluxton Gives Dublin All-Ireland Glory – On This Day, 10 Years Ago

On this day 10 years ago, Stephen Cluxton put a late free-kick between the sticks against Kerry in the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final to seal a first title in 16 years for Dublin.

Dublin had reached their first final since 1995 after a low-scoring win over Ulster champions Donegal in the semi-final.

RTÉ Sunday Game pundit Pat Spillane famously called what Donegal played on that day “Shi’ite football.”

Kerry, on the other hand, beat Connacht champions Mayo to seal a first All-Ireland final date with Dublin since their 1985 win over the county.

Dublin were a side that had failed to crack the glass ceiling and show up when it mattered in the decade previous, having fallen short at the semi-final stage four times.

Kerry had won five All-Ireland’s in that span and were searching for a sixth since 2004 to continue their era of dominance.

Kerry started brightly when Declan O’Sullivan fisted the ball over in the second minute to give them the game’s first score.

Dublin forward Alan Brogan equalised nine minutes later before Colm Cooper found the net for the Munster champions.

However, Dublin turned the tables on the 2009 All-Ireland winners by half-time and went down the tunnel with a slim one-point lead (0-06 to 1-02).

Dublin continued their vein of form with two points early in the second half but Kerry fought their way back into the lead and had the momentum firmly in their favour.

Kevin McManamon came on for Paul Flynn in the 56th minute but by the 64th minute, his side were four points down and another year of hurt for fans of the boys in blue was on the cards.

McManamon swung the momentum back in Dublin’s favour after receiving a handpass from Alan Brogan, as he sidestepped his marker and put the ball in the back of the Kerry net in front of the hill.

Kevin Nolan and Bernard Brogan added points to put Pat Gilroy’s side in the lead with two minutes to go.

Kerry full-forward Kieran Donaghy equalised in injury time but a late foul on McManamon left fate up to Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton.

Cluxton stepped up to take the free and, with ice in his veins, sealed their first All-Ireland win in 16 years.

The side went on to win seven more All-Ireland titles over the course of the next decade and have only lost three times in championship football since.

The period of dominance may be over after an uninspiring 2021 season but it will never be forgotten.

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