Kildare provide Dublin with their sternest stress test in Leinster for over a decade

Leinster football semi-final: Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12

It started out as the tale of one comeback but ended in the story of another.

Stephen Cluxton made his first appearance for Dublin since the 2020 All-Ireland final on a day Dublin delivered a sloppy and turgid display that lacked the kind of cohesion and energy that has left them unbeaten in the Leinster SFC since 2011.

They were behind for much of this Leinster SFC semi-final against Kildare and only went ahead for the first time in the 64th minute in front of 30,499 at Croke Park.

“No, it definitely wasn’t a scare,” reasoned Dessie Farrell, after his side’s biggest scare in Leinster for over a decade.

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“We knew it was going to be that way. Obviously, Kildare had a lot to play for today and we were definitely flat at times, just off-colour with certain dimensions of our game but very happy with grittiness and determination and spirit that we showed at the end to be able to dig it out.”

It wasn’t a swashbuckling resurgence that got them over the line for a provincial final meeting with Louth in two weeks, but rather it was a workmanlike fightback backboned by character and know-how but lacking the veneer of class we have come to expect from Dublin.

There were uncharacteristic mistakes all over the pitch and from usually reliable leaders like James McCarthy and Brian Fenton, while some of the team’s shot-taking and passing execution was way off where it needed to be. Dublin registered 11 wides to Kildare’s three.

For a team that put up 4-30 against Laois last weekend, Dublin didn’t create any goalscoring opportunities here. More than anything, their body language gave off a general impression of a team that would rather be anywhere else than out in the middle of Croke Park. It was all so un-Dublin, lethargic, ponderous in their attacking and bad decision-making. For all the world, it seemed Dublin didn’t want to know.

Kildare led 0-8 to 0-6 at the turnaround and were full value for that lead. It was the first time they had been behind at half-time in a Leinster SFC match since trailing Meath in 2013. Ben McCormack was superb for Kildare during that opening half but it was a lead built on the broader team display. Defensively, they worked hard to get huge numbers back and create a structure that frustrated Dublin and slowed up Farrell’s men.

“Frustration, but at the same time huge pride in the players,” commented Glenn Ryan afterwards.

“Maybe with better execution we could have won the game but give me the fellah who will back himself and go for it rather than somebody who will hide and shy away. These fellas didn’t shy away from it.”

Kildare dropped six efforts short in the second half, and with every squandered opportunity it opened the door for Dublin to find a way back in.

Jack McCaffrey, introduced off the bench at half-time, made a huge difference after the break – his darting runs and all-action style provided Dublin with the energy they so visibly lacked during the first half.

Kildare were still 0-12 to 0-11 ahead on the hour mark, but it was incisive run and point by McCaffrey that brought Dublin back level.

Four minutes later, a booming mis-hit by Daniel Flynn landed in around the Dublin square but Fenton got a fist on the ball. Within seconds a lightening quick counterattack involving Fenton, McCaffrey, Ciarán Kilkenny and John Small ended with Cormac Costello being fouled in front of the Kildare posts. Costello tapped over the resulting free to put Dublin in front for the first time.

Lorcan O’Dell extended their advantage in the second minute of injury-time, by which stage Kildare were out on their feet having given everything in the pursuit of a famous victory.

Still, because of results elsewhere, Kildare have at least avoided the Tailteann Cup and will be in Tuesday’s draw for the All-Ireland series. But Ryan was critical afterwards of the delay in the throw-in for this game by half an hour because of the Louth-Offaly match beforehand going to extra-time.

He also questioned the notion Croke Park was a neutral venue.

“I’m frustrated we got beaten, absolutely,” said the Kildare manager. “But it’s meant to be a neutral venue, they say. It’s not.”

Somewhere down the corridor the Dublin team were already preparing for a 13th consecutive Leinster final at the venue.

“Louth are playing great stuff, we had a real good tussle with them in the league here a couple of weeks back,” added Farrell. “And they’ve seemed to progress on even from that experience.”

Cluxton, who had a 100 per cent return from his kickouts in this game, made a shock return to the Dublin match-day squad that afternoon against Louth in March.

And it will be a surprise if he is not now Dublin’s goalkeeper for the rest of the summer.

DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; Daire Newcombe, David Byrne, Lee Gannon (0-1); John Small, Cian Murphy (0-1), Tom Lahiff; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Ross McGarry (0-1), Seán Bugler (0-1), Ciarán Kilkenny (0-1); Paul Mannion (0-3), Con O’Callaghan (0-2, one free), Colm Basquel (0-1). Subs: Jack McCaffrey (0-1) for Lahiff and Cormac Costello (0-1 free) for McGarry (both h-t); Lorcan O’Dell (0-1) for Basquel (50 mins); Paddy Small for Mannion (58 mins); Dean Rock for Bugler (65 mins).

KILDARE: Mark Donnellan; Eoin Doyle, Mick O’Grady, Paddy McDermott; David Hyland, Kevin Flynn, Shea Ryan; Kevin O’Callaghan, Aaron Masterson; Alex Beirne, Ben McCormack (0-2), Jack Sargent; Paddy Woodgate (0-4, two frees, one 45), Darragh Kirwan (0-2), Jack Robinson (0-3 frees). Subs: Paul Cribbin for Beirne and Neil Flynn (0-1) for Robinson (both 46 mins); Daniel Flynn for Kirwan (56 mins); Kevin Feely for Masterson (63 mins); Jimmy Hyland for McCormack (69 mins).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)