Martin O'Sullivan

[Daniel Hussey @DanielHussey2]

My All-Ireland Final Memories:

Decided to go through every All-Ireland final I can remember, how the Dubs did that year and what stood out from each one.

2001 - Galway vs Meath

First one I remember at 7 years of age. My dad got front row Cusack Stand tickets while I had to go to a friend's birthday party. I got the game recorded and watched it back live afterwards. For some reason, I always remember it being 0.6 vs 0.6 at HT, and that became my barometer on whether a first half was any good or not, if it could beat that scoreline. Meath didn't turn up in the second half, and Pádraic Joyce became a hero of mine.

2002 - Armagh vs Kerry

I was lucky (or unlucky) to be in Croker when my favourite Dublin player Ray Cosgrave kicked that free against the post in the semi-final. Despite that heartache, I was very much up for Armagh in the final and went to it with my Dad. My most abiding memory of the game is the sea of Orange on the pitch afterwards. The rest was a blur.

2003 - Tyrone vs Armagh

The Dubs were hammered by Armagh in Round 3 of the Qualifiers (Cluxton getting sent off), so I probably checked out a bit from the Championship until the final. I expected Armagh to go back-to-back. I was wrong, and it began a great few years for Mickey Harte's Tyrone.

2004 - Kerry vs Mayo

The first of two one-sided finals between the two sides. Dubs were beaten in the QF by Kerry, and they duly obliged here again as favourites. Not that much of a memory of this game, only that Mayo never really got into it.

2005 - Tyrone vs Kerry

I was at Croker for the QF and QF replay between Dublin and Tyrone, with a great view of Mugsy's goal. Going into this, I was very much 50:50 on who I wanted to win, but that swarm defence of white from 2003 was bigger and better this time as Kerry were physically bullied. It solidified that perceived Northern weakness that this Kerry team had, and it would begin the Team of the Decade debate.

2006 - Kerry vs Mayo

Ah man, I bawled my eyes out crying in the Upper Davin after Ciaran McDonald broke the Dubs' hearts into the Hill. For the final, I fully expected Mortimer & Co to fire Mayo to victory, but the game was over after 10 mins thanks to a certain Kieran Donaghy amongst other Kerry forwards.

2007 - Kerry vs Cork

The first of two Kerry vs Cork finals in three years, and I'll be honest, I struggle to differentiate the two from memory. Kerry beat us thanks to keeping hold of the ball for what felt like a lifetime and hitting the clinching score. I remember this final more for Jack O'Connor stepping away and letting Pat O'Shea take over and win an All-Ireland. At 13 years of age, my biggest thought after the game was whether they would've won had Jack stayed. To this day, I still wonder.

2008 - Tyrone vs Kerry

Dubs were hammered in the rain against Tyrone, a reality check for this team that life outside of Leinster was becoming even harder. A final which would've cemented this Kerry team into history had they gone three-in-a-row. Instead, they met a third Tyrone ambush in 6 years. Led by captain Brian Dooher and Sean Cavanagh. To me, this ended the Team of the Decade debate, despite Kerry winning a couple more than their great rivals.

2009 - Kerry vs Cork

Another one for the "soft All-Ireland category" that was labelled at this Kerry team of the noughties. Completely unfair of course, but there was a frustration in the Kingdom that they didn't beat Tyrone in a final. Consistency is the sign of champions though, and Kerry survived their scares this year, hammering the Dubs in the 2009 QF on an August Bank Holiday weekend.

2010 - Cork vs Down

A crazy year. Dubs battered by Meath in Leinster in what turned out to be a turning point. I was in a car in The Maharees listening to Radio Kerry as Down shocked Kerry. This great, consistent team were gone at the QF stage, and it completely opened up the Championship. Dublin finally got over their Tyrone hoodoo and should've beaten Cork in what was an epic semi-final. The final doesn't stick out in the memory with the Rebels always doing just enough to see off Down.

2011 - Dublin vs Kerry

This is the one. Dublin finally got over the line as I gave up my Season Ticket in the Cusack to make my Hill 16 debut for the day of all days. The Donegal semi-final was a means to an end and, to be honest, just getting to my first All-Ireland final meant everything to me. To beat our biggest rivals with a kick like that was a bonus. A day I'll never forget.

2012 - Donegal vs Mayo

Got so giddy we would do back-to-back, but Gilroy's team ran out of steam in that comeback against Mayo, with Bernard's saved goal chance still haunting me. In the final, I expected Donegal to win, and those two early goals were the difference in the end. That high ball into Murphy is something I thought we'd be seeing for 10/15 years with a domination from Donegal to come. He probably hasn't got a ball like that since, and other teams caught up with Jim eventually.

2013 - Dublin vs Mayo

Probably the best Dublin team to watch. Full press attacking football and Kevin Mc's goal against Kerry in the semi-final is the best single high I've gotten supporting the Dubs on the Hill. The final flowed end-to-end without being a classic from memory. Dublin just got it done to win a second All-Ireland in 3 years.

2014 - Kerry vs Donegal

This year was probably peak football obsession at the age of 19. Dublin played such a good brand of football, but we were outdone by Jim's defensive masterplan (involving the Dubs not sustaining our early long-range scores). Went to the Kerry vs Mayo replay in the Gaelic Grounds, one of the best atmospheres and games I've ever been to. Presumed the winner would be playing us. The final was a shocking spectacle remembered for Donaghy's "well Joe Brolly, what do you think of that?" interview rather than the match. I was so angry that the best team in Ireland were sitting at home watching. Luckily, Jim Gavin thought the same!

2015 - Dublin vs Kerry

I was away for the Dublin vs Mayo drawn semi-final, so was over the moon it went to a replay, and I could go. Great 50/55 mins before the Dubs blew them away. I'm convinced we were partly denied a classic final here due to the rain and partly because of Dublin's new emphasis on defending. Anyway, the game never got going, but Alan Brogan's insurance score was just quality and a microcosm of him as a player down through the years. Remember this game more for that excellent RTÉ doc that aired a few months later.

2016 - Dublin vs Mayo (Replay)

Epic semi-final win against Kerry, with that high press finally making Cluxton seem human. Mad couple of final games where it just felt like the Dubs didn't turn up for large periods due to Mayo's matchups. I remember the couple of scrappy goals alright and just about getting over the line. 2-in-a-row and suddenly we were looking at potential domination.

2017 - Dublin vs Mayo

Probably the best All-Ireland final I've been at in terms of quality and drama. Felt we saw the peak of both teams here and they played out a classic that deserved a replay. Despite a GPS thrown in his direction, Dean Rock nailed the winning free.

2018 - Dublin vs Tyrone

I'm ashamed to admit (not really) that I missed going to this game as it was EP weekend and I fully expected a Dublin win. Listened to the radio outside a tent and despite a slow start, the game was over a few minutes into the second half. Definitely the most anti-climactic of all the All-Ireland wins.

2019 - Dublin vs Kerry (Replay)

The game that renewed this great GAA rivalry. All that stood in the way of the five-in-a-row was the team that just missed out on it in 1982. Dublin somehow got a draw in the first game, despite being down to 14, with Kerry having chances to win it. Felt like Dubs would kick on in the replay, but that first half was as good an exhibition of point shooting by both teams that I ever witnessed in Croke Park. At half-time I was in the jacks telling everyone it should be like the NBA and we start doing a best of 7 finals. In the end, Murchan got away with a step or two, and Kerry never managed to get back into the game after that. A win that secured this Dublin team greatness for life.

2020 - Dublin vs Mayo

A forgettable All-Ireland win, and one a lot of us Dublin fans don't really count given the lack of crowds or indeed competition for the title.

2021 - Tyrone vs Mayo

Having finally beaten the Dubs, this is the one that really got away from Mayo. They went into this final as favourites but couldn't deliver the performance needed. This Tyrone team fed off its history in the noughties the more the Championship went on and were full value for their win.

2022 - Kerry vs Galway

Kerry got over the line against the Dubs thanks to that sublime Sean O'Shea free-kick into the Hill. I managed to get a ticket as a neutral for this game, and it's fair to say Galway were in this final and could've won it had they more belief. Instead, Kerry won their first All-Ireland since 2014, and it also crucially opened a certain David Clifford's Sam Maguire account.

2023 - Dublin vs Kerry

The Last Dance. Almost the sweetest one given we took it off Kerry. Similarities with that 2011 final and the Kingdom in control of the ball at midfield before being turned over and the Dubs scoring a goal into the Hill. Dublin City was on wheels afterwards.

2024 - Armagh vs Galway

Galway took care of the Dubs, and we were left with a novelty final. In what was a brutal game for 60 mins, those last 10 were as dramatic a final as we've had. Armagh eventually sealed it, and you couldn't begrudge their supporters those celebrations after. For Galway, another final defeat and you do start to wonder whether this group of players and management will get over the line.

2025 - Kerry vs Donegal

The 50:50 final. A game nobody could call with great certainty beforehand ended up being a coronation of everything that's great about Kerry football. The new rules have brought the best out of forwards, no more so than David Clifford, who was unplayable here.

2026 - Mayo vs Kerry

On to this year's final, and while I agree with most of the analysis that Kerry are clearly the better team, I do think Mayo can stick with them on the scoreboard with their full forward line. There have been comparisons to the 2004 and 2006 finals, but I see this more as the 2016 and 2017 Dublin finals, where there was a kick of a ball between the sides. Hoping to see Kobe and David light up Croke Park in an epic.

Let me know your All-Ireland Final memories below!

[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Ricky Gervais @rickygervais]

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[Droga5 Dublin @Droga5Dublin]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Paul Ryan @PaulRyan50]

Contrary to what's in the papers it was my decision to opt out of the 2017 panel. I do however wish the boys the best of luck for the year

[Ian Gaughran Boxing (IGB) @Ian_Gaughran]

Back to square one, we need two tickets again #ticketfairy #COYBIB #DUBvMAYO #superfangirl

[The GAA @officialgaa]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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[Martin O'Sullivan @MartyOSullivan]

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