A quintessential example of salvaging another chance from the rapidly closing jaws of defeat saw Tallaght teenager David O'Callaghan credited with a scrambled face-saving goal three minutes into injury-time of a rollicking All-Ireland minor football final at Croke Park yesterday.
The replay is fixed for Breffni Park, Cavan on Saturday next.
O'Callaghan claimed the goal that he described as the most important he has ever been involved in, but hinted that it could have been an own goal.
"I don't remember who actually made the centre. The ball broke, I fell and got a little kick on it. A defender may have pushed it over the line in trying to keep it out," said a delighted O'Callaghan.
The score was even more dramatic than a stunning left-handed penalty save by Tyrone goalkeeper John Devine who somehow got the vital parry to keep Barry Lyons' spot-kick out after 24 minutes.
A goal at that stage would have given Dublin, who generally struggled against a physically stronger side, the lead for the first time.
"I'm thrilled to get a second chance," said a relieved Dublin manager Paddy Canning afterwards. "It was the first time this year that we played against a physically intensive, not dirty, side."
Within eight minutes of the restart, Tyrone were sitting on a five-point lead and it was hardly surprising to see Peter Donnelly and Gerard Toner stoke up the Tyrone scoring-rate and set up their side for a likely victory.
"For to be leading by five points at that stage we must have been doing something good, true we did not consolidate our position but we are confident of wrapping it up the next day," said Tyrone joint-manager Liam Donnelly.
Midfielder Peter Donnelly certainly consolidated the work of a strong and uncompromising defence that had left the Dublin attack on the brink of frustration until O'Callaghan's late shocker.
Two very fit and well-drilled teams created an end-to-end struggle, but mistakes were numerous, none perhaps as costly as the defensive blunder that led to the equalising goal or Tommy McGuigan's missed chance for a Tyrone insurance-point in the closing stages.
Nobody in the Tyrone dressing-room afterwards was prepared to take the blame for that crucial goal. O'Callaghan got it was the general consensus.
"I'm satisfied that our team, although not as fluent as it can be, showed great character," said Canning. "Many other teams finding themselves down five points at such a crucial stage in the second half might have packed it in."
Some excellent moves of great fluency by the Dubliners suggested they were capable of a better scoring-rate.
"We didn't get the ball into the full-forward line early enough," rued Canning. No appreciable improvement was apparent when Padraig Brennan, eventually replaced, switched with full forward Graham Cullen.
Dublin right half forward Niall McAuliffe had to do too much foraging deep in the Tyrone half and his scoring average was damaged as a result. Along with O'Callaghan and Noonan, he is among the top six scorers in the competition. This talented trio accounted for all but two of the Dublin points.
Tyrone were in the happy position of not having to depend on SeβCavanagh to win the match for them. The gifted Moy youth started in midfield, but reverted back to the role of attack leader in the second half.
O'Callaghan, after taking a defense pass from Declan O'Mahony, an outstanding midfielder, got an earlier goal chance but opted for the point which slowed down Dublins scoring rate.
Noonan's accuracy with the placed ball and from play put Dublin on level terms, 0-5 apiece, early in the second quarter and Gary Brennan pushed them in front for the first and only time. The lead was short lived however and Tyrone just about shaded it, 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time.
When Tyrone went on a scoring spree early in the second half to establish a five-point cushion they looked promising but, as Canning said, his team was not prepared to throw in the towel and Tyrone had to endure the frustration of it all.
DUBLIN: P Copeland; D Galvin, M Fitzpatrick, G Dent; P Griffin, B Cullen, B Lyons; P Brennan, D O'Mahoney; N McAuliffe (0-1), M Taylor, G Brennan (0-1); D O'Callaghan (1-3), G Cullen, J Noonan (0-6 three frees). Subs: M Whelan (0-1) for Taylor (36 mins); C Corrigan for P Brennan (36); D McCann for Dent (51).
TYRONE: J Devine; R O'Neill, D Carlin, M McStavock; J McMahon, K McCrory, P Quinn; P Donnelly (0-3 free and 45), B Mulligan; C Donnelly, S Cavanagh (0-1), T McGuigan(0-2); L Meenan (0-5 two frees), M Penrose, G Toner (0-4 three frees). Subs: A Donaghy for Mulligan (61 mins); P Rafferty for Toner (61).
Referee: M Daly (Mayo).
Tyrone ... 0-15
Dublin ... 1-12
By Pat Roche
