Dublin produced a late spring as they downed Monaghan to make their first All-Ireland final since 2020.
The Dubs ran out a flattering 1-17 to 13 point winners over the farney men in Croke Park. The score-line flattered the Dubs in the end as Monaghan battled throughout before falling.
Cormac Costello opened the scoring after just one minute. Stephen O’Hanlon responded with Monaghan’s first score of the game six minutes later.
Costello and Paddy Small punished sloppy Monaghan defending as the Dubs led by two on 11 minutes. Conor McManus got Monaghan’s second point two minutes later.
Black Card
The game appeared to swing toward Monaghan on 15 minutes when Niall Scully was shown a black for a needless trip.
Ryan McAnespie’s goal chance was blocked three minutes later. From the resulting 45 Rory Beggan levelled the game.
14-man Dublin showed their experience with the ball. Costello scoring two points including a mark. Beggan’s 45 made it five points to four on 23 minutes.
Costello (free) and Micheal Bannigan exchanged scores before Paul Mannion converted a 27th minute mark as Scully returned from his black card suspension.
A Gary Mohan point and a Beggan 45 leved the game two minutes before the break. Another Costello free sent the Dubs in eight points to seven ahead at half-time.
The feared Dublin third-quarter jump didn’t arrive, in fact it was the farney men who made all the running. McAnespie levelling game three minutes after the restart.
Costello and Con O’Callaghan put the Dubs two points ahead, before McManus made it a one point game with a 45th minute free.
McManus was at his best again on 54 minutes levelling the game with a free. The Dubs responded immediately with an O’Callaghan point. Lee Gannon fisted another Dublin point when he had a chance of a goal.
Monaghan responded with two McManus points inside a minute, including a 59th minute mark to level the game.
Final Swing
However, with 10 minutes remaining, the Dublin charge occurred. Brian Fenton converted a free after a very close call against Monaghan for picking the ball off the ground.
Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey made it a three point game on 63 minutes. Jack McCarron scored Monaghan’s 13th point a minute later. Alas it was Monaghan’s final score of the day.
Brian Fenton and a Dean Rock free made it 17 points to 13 on 70 minutes.
Dean Rock walked the ball into the Monaghan net three minutes into injury in a cruel final twist.
Monaghan gave it their all, but came up short against a Dublin side with three players looking for the ninth all-Ireland title.
Dublin move onto the All-Ireland final on July 30th, their first since 2020.
Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Dublin v Monaghan in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final here on #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/J0eHsRzpdH
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 15, 2023
