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The Dublin U20 footballers' summer came to a halt in last Saturday's EirGrid All-Ireland U20FC decider in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.
On the day Dublin were just not good enough for a very talented Cork team who showed great self-belief for such young players to recover from a poor start to run 3-16 to 1-14 victors.
While the Dubs will be very disappointed with how their journey concluded there were many positives over the course of the summer as they continue to develop on the pathway to senior football.
The sight of Dublin U20 Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne coming on as a sub for the senior footballers in last Sunday's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final Phase 3 game against Tyrone in Omagh will have lifted the spirits of his U20 team-mates.
The Cuala man was one of two U20 footballers who have represented the Dublin senior team this season.
Promising Kilmacud Crokes defender Liam Flatman lined out in last February's FL Division 1 victory over Galway (1-15 to 0-17) in Croke Park and really impressed.
Unfortunately a subsequent injury kept him out for the entire season for Dublin U20s but he certainly would have increased the defensive options for their campaign.
Two of Dublin's best performers in Healy Park, Omagh were players just out of the U20 grade - Seán Bugler and Evan Comerford.
Both were members of last year's U20 panel but Comerford did not feature after coming on for the seniors, to deputise for the injured Stephen Cluxton, against Longford in the Leinster SFC and therefore became ineligible for the U20 grade.
However, the performances of the duo illustrates to other young footballers in the county that the pathway to senior is achievable with the right attitude and dedication.
Last Saturday Dublin made a dream start before Cork took over.
The Dubs raced into a nine-point lead, 1-6 to 0-0, after just 12 minutes but were rocked by three goals in five minutes and by the break the Rebels were 3-6 to 1-10 ahead.
Dublin restarted the second half well and heading into the last 20 minutes there were just two points between the sides, Cork 3-8 Dublin 1-12.
But disaster struck again for the Dubs when the Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne was black-carded n the 42nd minute.
The towering Cuala man had been Dublin's primary ball-winner at midfield and had broken forward to telling effect on several occasions.
The momentum was already with the Rebels at that stage and roared on by their large following, as their U20 hurlers had beaten Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final which acted as the curtain-raiser, they stormed to a convincing victory.
Reflecting on last Saturday's game Dublin U20 manager Tom Gray said: "I think it's far to say that the goals had a strong bearing on how the game unfolded and maybe conceding like that in such a short period of time knocked the confidence from some of the players.
"It would be understandable for that to happen, especially when you consider how well everyone played in that opening period and we struggled to regain momentum in full for the remainder of the game.
"In fairness to the lads they have had periods in games against both Laois and Galway in recent weeks where they were under some pressure and had conceded a run of scores and each time they were able to overcome those difficult periods and regain their control," added Tom.
"Unfortunately that didn't materialize on Saturday and while we were still in the game when their third goal went in and even managed to regain the lead, I think the overall confidence of the group dropped slightly from that point.
"Of course, I couldn't question the effort and application of all the players who battled so hard right until the final whistle."
2019 DUBLIN U20 FOOTBALLERS: Scoring Chart
Dublin's under-20 footballers scored 12-84 and conceded 4-56 in their five games in the 2019 U20FC (wins over Longford, Wexford, Laois, Galway and loss to Cork). Thirteen players contributed to their scoring tally.
Ciarán Archer 9-35 (0-26f, 2-0 pen)
Ross McGarry 0-13 (0-4f)
Brian O'Leary 0-11
James Doran 0-10
David Lacey 1-3
Harry Ladd 1-2
Niall O'Leary 0-4
Kieran Kennedy 1-0
Karl Lynch Bissett 0-2
Mark Lavin 0-1
Conor Kinsella 0-1
Seán Lambe 0-1
Donal Ryan 0-1
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DUBLIN'S TO 2019 U20FC CAMPAIGN IN STATS . . . .
LEINSTER U20FC QUARTER-FINAL
TUESDAY, JULY 2: Glennon Bros Pearse Park, Longford
DUBLIN 4-21 LONGFORD 0-7
SCORERS - Dublin: C Archer 2-8 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), H Ladd 1-2, R McGarry 0-4 (0-1f), D Lacey 1-1, J Doran, B O'Leary 0-2 each, K Lynch Bissett, M Lavin 0-1 each. Longford: O Kenny 0-4 (0-3f), J Hagan 0-2 (0-1f), A McGuire 0-1.
DUBLIN: D O'Hanlon; D Maher, D Newcombe, E O'Dea; K Kennedy, N Matthews, S Lambe; P O Cofaigh, D Ryan; N O'Leary, K Lynch Bissett, J Doran; B O'Leary, C Archer, R McGarry. Subs: H Ladd for McGarry (ht), A Lynch for Maher (42), M Lavin for N O'Leary (42), D Conlon for Matthews (48), D Lacey for Doran (48), S Farrelly for O Cofaigh Byrne (56).
LONGFORD: P Murray; G Hughes, PJ Masterson, D Corcoran; E McCormack, P Duggan, S Farrell; N Farrelly, D O'Brien; G Flynn, J Hagan, K Gilmore; O Kenny, A McGuire, J Shiels. Subs: D Ciglianio for Farrell (25), E Keogh for Gilmore (ht), P Molloy for Shiels (34), S Campbell for Duggan (35), J Martin for Flynn (38), E Smyth for Corcoran (56).
REF: F Smyth (Offaly).
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LEINSTER U20FC SEMI-FINAL
TUESDAY, JULY 9: Parnell Park
DUBLIN 1-17 WEXFORD 0-6
SCORERS - Dublin: C Archer 1-8 (0-7f), N O'Leary, B O'Leary, J Doran, R McGarry (0-1f) 0-2 each, C Kinsella 0-1. Wexford: M Molloy 0-2, J Myler (0-1f), S Nolan, C Kavanagh, D Brooks (0-1f) 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: D O'Hanlon; D Maher, D Newcombe, E O'Dea; K Kennedy, N Matthews, S Lambe; P O Cofaigh Byrne, D Ryan; N O'Leary, K Lynch Bissett, J Doran; B O'Leary, C Archer, R McGarry. Subs: K McKeon for McGarry (40), C Kinsella for Matthews (48), D Lacey for Lynch Bissett (48), A Lynch for O'Dea (53), S Farrelly for O Cofaigh Byrne (58), E Caulfield for N O'Leary (59).
WEXFORD: D Brooks; K Pierce, G Sheehan, L O'Connor; B Byrne, A Hogan, E Minouge; B Maddock, L Coleman; D McVeigh, J Myler, S Nolan; M Molloy, S Forde, C Kavanagh. Subs: C Kirwan for Hogan (ht), J Kelly for McVeigh (ht), P Kelly for Forde (50), M Kinsella for Byrne (56), P Dempsey for Minouge (61), J Kavanagh for Pierce (61).
REF: C Reilly (Meath).
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LEINSTER U20FC FINAL
FRIDAY, JULY 19: O'Connor Park, Tullamore
DUBLIN 4-18 LAOIS 0-17
SCORERS - Dublin: C Archer 3-8 (1-0 pen, 0-7f), J Doran 0-3, K Kennedy 1-0, B O'Leary, R McGarry (0-1f) 0-2 each, K Lynch Bissett, S Lambe, N O'Leary 0-1 each. Laois: D Whelan 0-8 (0-6f), A Kinsella, M Barry (0-1f) 0-2 each, M Doran, R Coffey, J Owens, E Dunne, N Dunne 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: D O’Hanlon; D Maher, D Newcombe, E O’Dea; K Kennedy, N Matthews, S Lambe; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, D Ryan; N O’Leary, K Lynch Bissett, J Doran; B O’Leary, C Archer, R McGarry. Subs: D Lacey for Ryan (43), H Ladd for B O'Leary (55), A Lynch for Maher (55), C Kinsella for O'Dea (58), M Lavin for N O'Leary (60), S Foran for Kennedy (60), K Lynch Bissett (bc, 66).
LAOIS: M Byron; M Dowling, S Lacey, A Mohan; C Slevin, S O’Flynn, D Brophy; R Tyrell, E Dunne; M Barry, M Doran, R Coffey; A Kinsella, D McCormack, D Whelan. Subs: J Owens for Doran (37), N Dunne for McCormack (38), J Maher for Coffey (48), K Byrne for Lacey (55), R Brennan for Brophy (58), J Lacey for Mohan (58).
REF: B Cawley (Kildare).
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ALL-IRELAND U20FC SEMI-FINAL
SATURDAY, JULY 27: Pearse Park, Longford
DUBLIN 2-14 GALWAY 1-10
SCORERS - Dublin: C Archer 2-6 (0-4f), R McGarry 0-3, B O’Leary 0-2, D Lacey, N O’Leary, J Doran 0-1 each. Galway: T Gill, P Costello (0-2f) 0-3 each, B Harlowe 1-0, R Cunningham 0-2, M Tierney, L Boyle 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: D O'Hanlon; D Maher, D Newcombe, N Mattews; K Kennedy, E O'Dea, S Lambe; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, D Ryan; N O'Leary, K Lynch Bissett, J Doran; B O'Leary, C Archer, R McGarry. Subs: D O'Leary for Ryan (46), A Lynch for Maher (45), H Ladd for B O'Leary (63).
GALWAY: O Burke; R Mahon, S Mulkerrin, E McFadden; L Boyle, C Potter, J Kirrane; M Tierney, M Barrett; B Harlowe, L Costello, T Gill; D Silke, P Costello, R Cunningham. Subs: J Glynn for Kirrane (7), C Newell for Harlowe (29), C Campbell for Potter (40), M O'Brien for Glynn (48), E Mannion for Gill (50), B O'Connell for L Costello (58).
REF: P Hughes (Armagh).
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ALL-IRELAND U20FC FINAL
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3: O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
CORK 3-16 DUBLIN 1-14
SCORERS - Cork: M Cronin 1-3 (0-2f), B Murphy 1-2, D Gore, C O'Mahony 0-4 (0-3f) each, C O'Callaghan 1-0, D O'Connell, J Murphy, F Herlihy 0-1 each. Dublin: C Archer 1-5 (0-3f), B O'Leary 0-3, R McGarry 0-2 (0-1f), J Doran 0-2, D Ryan, D Lacey 0-1 each.
CORK: J O'Keeffe; M Mahoney, M Shanley, P Ring; S Meehan, P O' Driscoll (c), G O' Donovan; B Hartnett, D O'Connell; C Barrett, B Murphy, C O'Callaghan; M Cronin, C O'Mahony, D Gore. Subs: J Murphy for Barrett (38), M Hodnett for O'Callaghan (40), F Herlihy for B Murphy (50), J McCarthy for O'Donovan (56), E O'Hanlon for Gore (62), S Hickey for Ring (62).
DUBLIN: D O'Hanlon; D Maher, D Newcombe, N Matthews; K Kennedy, E O'Dea, S Lambe; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, D Ryan; N O'Leary, K Lynch Bissett, J Doran; B O'Leary, C Archer, R McGarry. Subs: D Lacey for N O'Leary (38), H Ladd for Ó Cofaigh Byrne (43, black card), A Lynch for Maher (53).
REF: D O'Mahoney (Tipperary).
