Dublin emerged victorious in the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, securing their 31st win in the competition’s history. The championship took place at the new timeframe from 8 April to 30 July 2023 with 33 teams participating in total.
The final showdown, held at Croke Park in Dublin on 30 July 2023, saw the defending champions Kerry challenge the Leinster champions Dublin. The nail-biting match ended with Dublin triumphing with a scoreline of 1-15 to Kerry’s 1-13, marking Dublin’s momentous win.
Dublin edged out Kerry in a tight, tense All-Ireland SFC final. James McCarthy, Stephen Cluxton, and Michael Fitzsimons all enter the record books with their ninth All Ireland win.
They also played pivotal roles in Dublin’s success, with McCarthy being hailed as the inspirational captain.
Stephen Cluxton showcased remarkable skill, succeeding in all of his kick-outs, and finding a Dublin player 23 times from 23 restarts.
Michael Fitzsimons was assigned the challenging task of marking David Clifford, Kerry’s “Footballer of the Year” from the previous year. Despite the pressure, Clifford managed to score only 0-3, 0-2 of which were from play.
A significant moment in the first half was when Clifford’s precise pass set up Paul Geaney for a stoppage-time goal, leading to Kerry having a one-point advantage at the break.
The game’s pace and intensity surged in the second half, with Dublin levelling the score shortly after the restart. The game-changing score came when Paddy Small’s shot on goal was blocked by Paul Murphy, causing the ball to slip past Kerry’s goalkeeper Shane Ryan.
Dublin eventually secured their victory in the final 10 minutes with consecutive points from Paul Mannion and Dean Rock.
Notable scorers for Dublin included Paul Mannion (0-5), Paddy Small (1-1), and Stephen Cluxton (0-2), among others.
The excitement and intensity of the match exemplified the spirit and passion of Gaelic football, with Dublin ultimately reclaiming the All-Ireland football title.
