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Player Ratings After Dublin And Mayo Play Out Frenetic All-Ireland Final Replay

Player Ratings After Dublin And Mayo Play Out Frenetic All-Ireland Final Replay
Balls Team
By Balls Team
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Dublin and Mayo went at it for about 160 minutes if you add up all the added time and still only a solitary point separated them in the end. Dublin are champs. Mayo feel cursed. And all of us have been entertained by a thrilling All-Ireland final replay.

Here's our player ratings from a pulsating replay.

Dublin

15- Paul Mannion - 6

Was a surprise starter for Bernard Brogan. Didn't score, didn't offer the difference Jim Gavin was looking for.

14- Diarmuid Connolly - 8

Things got much easier for Dermo after Keegan walked. His penalty was perfectly taken. Obligatory yellow card. Footballer of the year, really. Looked ecstatic during fulltime interview. Will never get the plaudits because of his edge, but as we've said before, best footballer of his generation.

13- Dean Rock - 8

The real Dean Rock stood up today. After a major wobble in the drawn match, Rock was, ahem, a rock with Dublin's frees today.

12- Ciaran Kilkenny - 8

If there was any doubt, his catch on Cluxton's kickout after the O'Connor miss won him Footballer of the Year. After 80+ minutes, he still had Jordan-esque ups. A season to remember.

11 - Kevin McManamon - 6

One point from play. This All-Ireland final series has proved that McManamon is a more effective sub than a starter.

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10 - Paddy Andrews - 6

Came into the game with 7 points from play in his last two games versus Mayo. Got the start today but was held in check by Paddy Durcan.

9 Paul Flynn - 5

Quiet end to a quiet season. Gifted Mayo with a point in the 65th minute with moronic jump in on the hop ball.

8. Brian Fenton - 6

Was not the rampaging beast of the All-Ireland final but was a constant target for Dublin at the kickout.

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7. John Small - 6

Lucky to avoid a black card and a red card in the first half. Man of the match last time, held in checktoday.

6. Cian O’Sullivan - 6

Stayed mostly in that now-famous sweeper position and as such seemed mostly peripheral.

5. James McCarthy - 6

Covered tonnes of ground  but never really troubled the Mayo defense on the counter. Reckless clatter on Boyle assured Mayo lost one of its best players.

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4. Michael Fitzsimons - 7

One of the boys of 2011 who really starred today. An interesting defensive change in style compared to aggro of McMahon, Cooper et al. Was everywhere. A surprise starter and nearly a scapegoat when he froze near the death when free on goal. O'Connor's miss spared his blushes.

3. Johnny Cooper - 5

Odd contribution. Bludgeoned by Doherty after the Keegan goal. Blackcarded mere minutes later.

2. Philly McMahon - 7

Leader of a brilliant defensive unit that held the Mayo full forward line to one point from play. Rounds off another season as the beating heart of the Dublin defense

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1. Stephen Cluxton - 8

Dublin's lynchpin again. Long kickouts were mostly sublime and jump into the Dublin night in the second half to fist a ball off the crossbar was truly amazing. Wonderful to see how comfortable he is with the victory speech compared to 2011. Will he stay on for another year?

Subs

Davy Byrne (on for Johnny Cooper) - 6

Capped off a stellar season with a thundering defensive display in Cooper's place.

Bernard Brogan (on for Paul Mannion) - 6

Strange to see him in the subs role. Score from play will have buoyed him. Might have had a few more.

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Michael Dara McAuley (on for Paul Mannion) - 7

Named to start but brought ferocity and spark from the bench.

Cormac Costello (on for Kevin McManamon) - 8

Recommended

Three points from play. Turned the match around for Dublin.

Eric Lowndes (on for John Small)

Darren Daly (on for Cian O'Sullivan)

MAYO

15. Cillian O'Connor (Ballintubber, captain) - 6

Will be haunted by this game for the rest of his career. 9 points from frees.

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14. Andy Moran - 6

An incredible Mayo career ends, most likely. Their sparkplug this sesason but didn't have the pace to trouble the Dublin defense today.

13. Jason Doherty - 6

Highlight may be have been wild tackle on Johnny Cooper in the second half. Mayo needed scorers in the full forward line and again couldn't find them.

12. Diarmuid O'Connor - 6

Was tireless getting up and down the field all day. Popped up for a big score at start of second half. One point in two games versus Dublin tells its own story about Mayo's forwards however.

11. Aidan O'Shea - 6

Made much more of an impression, in the first half at least. Sublime run and catch set up Keegan's beautiful goal. The 'failure to turn up for the big game' tag won't have been shirked, however.

10. Kevin McLoughlin - 7

Again showed tremendous workrate on what was probably his best season in intercounty football. Even nabbed a clever point in the second half.

9. Tom Parsons - 6

Woeful wide to start the game but Parsons was everywhere in the last 10 minutes for Mayo.

8. Seamus O'Shea - 9

His best game in a Mayo jersey. Tasked with neutralising John Small, MOTM last week, and he did that manfully. Trackback on Small in the 49th minute was a masterclass in defending.

7.Patrick Durcan - 8

Inspirational score in the second half capped off another big day in the half back line.

6. Colm Boyle - 6

Old reliable.

5. Lee Keegan - 8

Scored a wonderful goal, held Diarmuid Connolly to a mere point and then took a black card for the team after Robbie Hennelly sold him out with a woeful kickout. What might have happened in this game if he'd finished it.

4. Keith Higgins - 6

Helped plug leaky defense but posed little threat in counterattack.

3. Donal Vaughan - 6

Memorable moments of this replay will be being near-concussed by a clumsy McCarthy challenge and sparring with Connolly with Keegan blackcarded. Subbed at halftime.

2. Brendan Harrison - 7

Had a number of brilliant moments in defense, including a incredible blockdown in the second half. Managed to last the distance despite major cramp. A serious find for Mayo this year.

1. Robbie Hennelly - 3

It might seem harsh but his short kickouts cost Mayo three points in the first 10 minutes and eventually cost them Lee Keegan. His spill in the second half lead to the penalty. Rochford made an all-time blunder in starting him.

Subs

Stephen Coen (on for Keegan) - 6

Quietly efficient when introduced for Keegan

Conor O'Shea (on for Vaughan) - 6

On at halftime to complete the O'Shea triad.  Generally quiet.

David Clarke (on for Hennelly) - 7

Imperious in relief. Guessed right on the Dermo penalty. Should have started.

Barry Moran (on for Andy Moran) - 6

Offered a different kind of option in his cameo

Alan Dillon (on for Doherty) - 6

Is the first man to lose 5 All-Ireland finals. Tough day at the office and another great Mayo career ends, most likely.

Chris Barrett (on for Boyle) - 6

Huge block late on would have become a thing of legend had O'Connor made that free.

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