The Underdogs TV series finaleDublin 0-10 The Underdogs 1-6A strange day at Parnell Park. Tommy Lyons and co, understandably, may not have taken the whole event too seriously but there was no doubting their frustration at the dismissal of Declan O'Mahoney two minutes into injury-time.
O'Mahoney, a key member of the Under-21 side that won the 2002 All-Ireland title, was shown a straight red card after an altercation with Underdogs captain Patrick Kelly. The Dublin management was incensed by the decision and Lyons encroached on to the pitch to let referee Gerry Kinneavy know as much.
The reality of "reality television" hit home as O'Mahoney can expect to receive a three-month suspension, as he was also sent off in a club game recently.
The match itself so nearly had a fairy-tale ending for the 24 club players, and Adare Productions, the company which had organised the whole event. Without Senan Connell's four-point contribution, things would have proven a little embarrassing for Dublin.
Sure, it's the middle of December and sure this Underdogs lot have been preparing for five months now. Yet, there still would have been no excuse for an established intercounty side to lose. However, this team of "nobodies" undoubtedly rattled their cage and only relinquished the lead when substitute John Coughlan pulled the sides level with a nicely taken point in the 56th minute.
Two minutes later Connell added his fourth and before the finish Tómas Quinn had the range from a 45 to leave two points between the sides.
When the Underdogs were awarded a free to the right of the uprights deep into added time, the scene looked set for a late score that TG4 could replay for years to come. However, Fergus McAuliffe opted to take his point, as opposed to dropping it into the mass of bodies.
It was the Underdogs' earlier goal that ensured the tight finish. It arrived after 18 minutes when Stephen Cluxton palmed a high ball from Steven Poacher into the welcoming hands of Brian Ó Neachtáin. The Mayo native didn't hesitate in firing the ball into the net.
He added a point soon after, and when Poacher and Seamus Kane added two more it left them leading 1-3 to 0-3 at the interval. It could have been substantially more if they hadn't hit six wides.
The error count continued to grow, from both sides, in the second period but Jarlath Burns - the former Armagh player who was joined on the management by Mickey 'Ned' O'Sullivan and Brian Mullins - felt it was the closing stages when they lost it.
"But we proved you can take a lot of fellas together and train them to beat any county team," he said. We already have beaten two intercounty teams (Wexford and Meath)."
Yesterday was a bridge too far for the brave group of footballers. Great TV as well, but Dublin will be loathe to take such an encounter again. So much to lose and so little to gain. In the end, order was restored but at the potential loss of O'Mahoney for the league campaign.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; S O'Shaughnessy, P Christie, P Griffin; D Henry, C Goggins, C Prenderville; C Whelan, D Magee; D Lally, K Kavanagh, S Connell (0-4); T Quinn (0-2, 45, free), K Golden (0-1, free), J McNally (0-1). Replacements: S Ryan for Henry, D O'Mahoney for Kavanagh (both half-time) J Coughlan (0-2) for Golden (39 mins), D Homan for Magee (53 mins).
UNDERDOGS: G Kelly (Dublin); C O'Shea (Kerry), P Kelly (Monaghan), J Haughey (Down); F McAulliffe (Kerry) (0-1, free), R Hannon (Kildare), K Cotter (Cork); M Kelleher (Cork), D McAnallen (Tyrone); S Kane (Donegal) (0-2), J Kelly (Dublin), B McGeary (Armagh) (0-1); S Poacher (Down) (0-1), S Hussey (Kerry), B Ó Neachtáin (Mayo) (1-1). Replacements: P McGovern (Cavan) for S Kelly (42 mins), C Whoriskey (Donegal) for Cotter (49 mins), J Cunnane (Roscommon) for McAnallen (55 mins), C Donohue for Poacher (58 mins).
Referee: G Kinneavy (Roscommon).
