Senior footballers write their name in history books

DUBLIN 1-21 CORK 2-7

For the first time in history Dublin won a three in-a-row of National Football League Division 1 titles when they overcame Cork with plenty to spare in Sunday's decider at Croke Park.

Jim Gavin's men won in impressive pillar to post fashion as they started in fifth gear and never looked like surrendering  their early advantage after moving 0-5 to 0-0 clear inside the opening 13 minutes.

The Dubs gave arguably their most ruthless display of their league campaign when brushing aside the challenge of Cork as they now turn their gaze to their Leinster SFC opener against Offaly or Longford at the end of May.

With the hard working duo of Denis Bastick and Brian Fenton established the upperhand at midfield early on Dublin got off to an excellent start with points from Kevin McManamon, Dean Rock (three, two frees), and Ciaran Kilkenny.

By the 25th minute further points from Rock (free) and Philly McMahon extended Dublin's lead to 0-7 to 0-1 as they effectively worked their way around Cork's strategy of deploying nominal full-forward Mark Collins as a sweeper by pushing McMahon into the attack.

In the last minute of the opening half Tomás Brady was deemed to have been fouled in the square and Diarmuid Connolly dispatched the penalty with aplomb to steer Dublin to a 1-9 to 0-5 interval lead, all Cork's scores coming from frees by Colm O'Neill (four) and Brian Hurley.

Three minutes into the second half the Dublin goal lived a charmed existence when a combination of the crossbar and then Stephen Cluxton denied Cork sub Daniel Goulding of a goal.

Four minutes later Dublin almost goaled themselves when the highly energetic Jack McCaffrey struck his shot off the post but eventually the ball came back to the Clontarf man who slotted over to strengthen Dublin's hold on the game.

By the 48th minute Dublin has sailed 1-15 to 0-5 clear with scores from Rock (three, one free), Paddy Andrews and Bernard Brogan.

The eventual outcome was effectively assured at this stage but the Rebels did get in for two goals before the finish - in the 48th minute when Collins slotted home and in the 69th minute when Goulding beat Cluxton from close range.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-10 (0-7f), C Kilkenny 0-3, D Connolly 1-0 (1-0 pen), B Brogan, P Andrews 0-2 each, P McMahon, J McCaffrey, T Brady, J McManamon 0-1 each.Cork: C O’Neill 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 ‘45’), M Collins, D Goulding 1-0 each, B Hurley 0-1 (0-1f).

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, R O’Carroll, J Cooper; J McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, J McCaffrey; D Bastick, B Fenton; T Brady, C Kilkenny, D Connolly; D Rock, K McManamon, B Brogan.Subs: M Fitzsimons for O’Carroll (inj 26), P Andrews for Brady (46), E O Conghaile for Bastick (54), C Costello for Connolly (58), J Small for McMahon (62), D Daly for Fenton (64).

CORK: K O’Halloran; J Loughrey, M Shields, N Galvin; E Cadogan, J O’Sullivan, Tomás Clancy; C Dorman, F Goold; K O’Driscoll, J O’Rourke, C O’Driscoll; B Hurley, C O’Neill, M Collins. Subs: P Kerrigan for Dorman (27), D Goulding for O’Rourke (inj 37), Barry O’Driscoll for C O’Driscoll (50), D Hodnett for O’Sullivan (52), J Hayes for Collins (58), S Cronin for Galvin (63).

REF: P Hughes (Armagh).

ATT: 31,548.