All-Ireland Football final: Dublin and Kerry must replay after thrilling draw

Jack McCaffrey (left) struck Dublin's goal in the first half

Five-in-a-row seeking Dublin will replay the All-Ireland Football final against Kerry on 14 September after a thrilling 1-16 to 1-16 draw on Sunday.

Jack McCaffrey's goal helped Dublin lead 1-9 to 0-8 at half-time but they were down to 14 men after Jonny Cooper's red card before the break.

The Dubs still looked likely winners as they led by five after 55 minutes.

But Killian Spillane's goal got Kerry back into the game after they had missed four earlier goal chances.

One of the Kerry's glorious goal opportunities included a first-half Paul Geaney penalty brilliantly saved by veteran Dubs keeper Stephen Cluxton.

• Gavin says referee calls didn't go Dublin's way

Another Spillane point put Kerry ahead on 66 minutes and on course for a sensational upset against the overwhelming favourites who were aiming to become first team to win five successive All-Ireland senior titles in football or hurling.

Kerry still led as the match went into injury-time but Dean Rock levelled in the 74th minute as he struck his 10th point and he missed a difficult last-kick free chance from the left touchline to snatch victory for the Dubs.

Sean O'Shea also hit 0-10 for the Kingdom in front of an enthralled Croke Park.

Killian Spillane's goal cut Dublin's lead to two in the second half

Have Kerry missed their chance?

Kerry fans will wonder whether their side have missed their chance to add to their record haul of 37 Sam Maguire Cup wins after failing to take the series of gilt-edged goal chances - not to mention the numerical advantage which they had for the final 43 minutes of action.

Inspite of the earlier misses by Geaney [twice], Stephen O'Brien and Paul Murphy, Kerry still seemed set to deny the Dubs the GAA's holy grail of a five-in-a-row - just as Offaly did to Mick O'Dwyer's famous Kingdom side in 1982 - when they maintained a one-point lead from the 66th to the 74th minutes.

As Cormac Costello had an apparent equaliser ruled out by a Hawkeye call, either side of bad wides by Brian Howard and Dublin's prodigal son Diarmuid Connolly, the GAA's gods appeared to once again decreeing that a five-in-a-row was not going to be.

But Kerry seemed to make the mistake of looking for the finish line in the closing stages instead of pushing on to extend their lead and the Dubs forced a turnover as McCaffrey dispossessed David Moran to set up Rock's equaliser.

Barry inclusion helps Kerry make fast start

Kerry manager Peter Keane made a late change to his line-up as Jack Barry replaced Killian Spillane and it proved an inspired move early on as the Na Gaeil club-man outshone Dublin's star centrefielder Brian Fenton.

Two Rock points helped the Dubs lead 0-3 to 0-1 after a frenetic opening five minutes but Kerry were looking dangerous and a minute later wasted their first glorious goal opportunity as James McCarthy blocked Geaney's close-range shot on the goalline.

But Kerry were sensing a Dublin vulnerability and after David Clifford atoned for three earlier misses by opening his account in the 11th minute, he then earned the Kingdom their penalty after being fouled by Cooper as both jockeyed for a long ball into the square.

Cooper received his first yellow card for the foul but Geaney's penalty was a good height for Cluxton, whose outstretched right hand beat away the admittedly firm kick.

O'Shea pointed the resultant 45 and Kerry were ahead two minutes later as O'Brien's fierce shot skimmed over the crossbar when the net seemed set to bulge.

Points at either end from a largely subdued Paul Mannion and O'Shea kept the Kingdom ahead but the Dubs hit the front on 18 minutes when McCaffrey fired to the net after Kerry's gamble of pressing up on a Cluxton kickout backfired with the excellent Howard's midfield fetch and quick pass leaving the Kerry defence badly outnumbered.

The match appeared to be going to the script as the champions hit four of the next five scores to move into a 1-8 to 0-6 advantage.

However, Cooper's red card in first-half injury-time gave the Kingdom a lifeline after he had picked up a second yellow card for hauling down youngster Clifford.

Dublin full-back Jonny Cooper (left) was sent off in first-half injury-time

Frees on either side of the break from O'Shea cut Dublin's lead to three and Kerry then missed another glorious goal opportunity as Paul Murphy's fierce shot rattled the crossbar - although Cluxton's got his fingertips to the shot.

The suspicion that it was not going to be Kerry's day increased in the 45th minute as referee David Gough waved aside claims for a second Kingdom penalty when McCaffrey appeared to foul Stephen O'Brien inside the square.

Within 10 minutes, Dublin had increased a two-point lead to five after notching four out of five scores - including two McCaffrey efforts from play.

But a minute later, Kerry were right back in the contest as Spillane rattled the net after being set up by substitute Tommy Walsh.

A Walsh point was quickly followed by an O'Shea effort from play as Kerry drew level on 62 minutes.

Rock's ninth point edged the Dubs ahead again on 65 minutes but O'Shea's 10th point - and third from play - a minute later was followed within seconds by goalscorer Spillane's glorious effort as the Kingdom moved into a dramatic lead.

As Dublin missed three chances, the prospect of their seemingly destined GAA immortality appeared to be slipping away but Rock showed nerve to level from play after more immense breakdown work by McCaffrey.

The Dublin free-taker had a chance to break Kerry hearts - just as he did Mayo's in 2017 - from a placed ball in the closing seconds but it was a tougher chance that two years ago and his effort floated a yard wide.

Dublin: Cluxton; Byrne, Cooper, Fitzsimons; McCaffrey (1-3), McCarthy, Small; Fenton, MacAuley; Scully, O'Callaghan (0-1), Howard; Mannion (0-2), Rock (0-10, 6 f), Kilkenny. Subs: P Small for Macauley 51, Connolly for Howard 67, Costello for Mannion 67, McManamon for Scully 70

Kerry: Ryan; Foley, Morley, O'Sullivan; Murphy, Crowly, O Beaglaoich; Moran, A Spillane; White, O'Shea, O'Brien; Clifford, Geaney, J Barry. Subs: K Spillane (1-1 for A Spillane) 44, Sherwood for White 48, Walsh for O Beaglaoich 52, Lyne for Crowley 67, D Moynihan for Barry 72, Griffin for O'Brien 77.

Referee: D Gough (Meath)