All-Ireland SFC: Dublin finish strongly to secure quarter-final place

​​All-Ireland senior football championship preliminary quarter-final

Dublin 1-19 (1-1-17) Cork 1-16 (1-0-16)

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Not exactly classic Dublin, for sure, but at this stage of the All-Ireland SFC, progression is all that matters.

Tied with just over 10 minutes to go, Dessie Farrell's side reeled off four of the game's last five points to win with three to spare - securing a quarter-final place next weekend and a return to Croke Park.

It was a win achieved without captain Con O'Callaghan who was a late withdrawal from the team through injury. If they can get him back fully firing, great gains could yet await the 2023 champions.

Sean Bugler and Cormac Costello took on the bulk of the scoring burden, sharing 10 points between them. Bugler struck the game's only two-pointer.

Paddy Small also stepped up for Dublin in attack with four points in front of 36,546, earning him the Man of the Match award.

Brian Howard's goal in the 45th minute was a hugely important score too while John Small had a strong game at the centre of Dublin's defence.

It was tough on Cork who pushed Dublin all the way but their season is ultimately over.

King Con initially picked up an apparent hamstring injury in Dublin's win over Galway and didn't feature at all in the subsequent Croke Park loss to Armagh.

Word filtered around Croke Park a couple of hours beforehand that he wouldn't play and, sure enough, the Cuala man was withdrawn.

Lorcan O'Dell is a quality forward and stepped in for the Cuala man but losing their talisman was a huge blow.

It wasn't initially apparent, not in attacking terms at least, as Dublin pointed after just 33 seconds, through Paddy Small, and struck the game's first four points.

But just as it looked like they might pull significantly clear and put up a big score, they suddenly found themselves overwhelmed and only added another three points in the first-half.

They didn't score at all between the fifth minute, when Bugler pointed, and the 17th minute.

In that period, Cork registered 1-3, 1-1 of which came from Chris Og Jones who stuck his goal away in the 12th minute and finished with 1-4 overall.

A sideline was played to Ian Maguire who picked out Jones and the corner-forward finished well for his goal, driving the ball low and across Stephen Cluxton to his far corner.

It put Cork into a lead that they held for the rest of the first-half, reaching the interval with a deserved 1-8 to 0-9 advantage.

Brian Hurley nailed back-to-back points for Cork during their dominance and goalkeeper Micheal Aodh Martin powered over a 45 after a Jones shot at Cluxton was parried behind.

But a two-pointer for Dublin moments before the break, from Bugler, gave them vital momentum.

They were better after the break too, tying the game up in the 41st minute at 0-12 to 1-9 before Howard spun away from Sean McDonnell and planted the ball in the top corner of the Cork net.

It was a cracking finish though it didn't kick-start Dublin as fans behind the goals on the Hill 16 terrace presumed it would.

In fact, Cork grabbed the next three points to level it up again at 1-12 apiece, Colm O'Callaghan, Jones and Mark Cronin doing the needful.

Then Sean Walsh made it four Cork points in a row to nudge them ahead.

Cork manager John Cleary booted the ball away soon after, after it had crossed the sideline, and the ball was brought up for a two-point free attempt but Costello couldn't convert.

That was a let off but Dublin kept the pressure on in the closing quarter and eventually pulled decisively clear.

It wasn't Dublin at their free flowing best but they brought their big-game experience to bear in the final 10 minute or so.

Scorers for Dublin: Sean Bugler 0-5 (1 tp), Cormac Costello 0-5 (2fs), Paddy Small 0-4, Brian Howard 1-0, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-1, John Small 0-1, Lee Gannon 0-1, Niall Scully 0-1, Luke Breathnach 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: Chris Og Jones 1-4, Mark Cronin 0-4 (2fs), Brian Hurley 0-2, Colm O'Callaghan 0-2, Ian Maguire 0-1, Micheal Aodh Martin 0-1 (1 45), Sean Walsh 0-1, Cathail O'Mahony 0-1.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Eoin Murchan, Sean MacMahon, David Byrne; Brian Howard, John Small, Lee Gannon; Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne, Ciaran Kilkenny; Killian McGinnis, Niall Scully, Sean Bugler; Paddy Small, Lorcan O'Dell, Cormac Costello.

Subs: Cian Murphy for O'Dell 45, Luke Breathnach for McGinnis 57, Tom Lahiff for Gannon 59, Nathan Doran for Scully 68.

Cork: Micheal Aodh Martin; Daniel O'Mahony, Maurice Shanley, Neil Lordan; Brian O'Driscoll, Sean Brady, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O'Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Sean Walsh, Sean McDonnell; Brian Hurley, Mark Cronin, Chris Og Jones.

Subs: Eoghan McSweeney for Paul Walsh 48, Conor Cahalane for McDonnell 49-58 blood, Cathail O'Mahony for Hurley 55, Sean Powter for Taylor 58, Luke Fahy for Lordan 63.

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).