Cuala's first half goal blitz set a steady course for a first All-Ireland Club SFC title as they held out in the face of a ferocious Errigal Ciaran fightback at Croke Park.
In front of a crowd of 31,267, the Dubliners claimed the Andy Merrigan Cup, getting over the line with four points to spare, having led by a whopping 13 at one stage.
As the final whistle cued scenes of joy, this was a surreal moment for a group of players who felt they had already reached a pinnacle just a few months ago in winning a first ever county title.
Provincial honours, and now an All-Ireland crown, have followed to send the Dalkey club shooting to the very top of gaelic football’s hierarchy.
And they join St Finbarr’s of Cork as members of a tiny, elite group who have won All-Ireland titles in both codes, having claimed back-to-back hurling triumphs in 2017 and 2018.
The first hammer blow was delivered as early as the fifth minute, as the Leinster champions swept downfield off a turnover, pace and power carrying them through the heart of the opposition defence, with Eoin Kennedy leading the charge and full back Mick Fitzsimons delivering the final pass for Luke Keating to plant his shot in the bottom corner of the net.
It was a setback that shook an already nervous and uncertain Errigal side to their core, and one they struggled to recover from.
Con O’Callaghan stretched the lead to five points before wing back David O’Dowd fired home a second goal on 12 minutes, a clinical finish off an accurate assist from Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne.
O Cofaigh Byrne and Peter Duffy were imperious in the skies, so much so that goalkeeper Ryan Scolland chose to go long even when his kick-ousts were conceded by the Ulster champions.
They secured first phase possession time after time to keep their side going forward, a couple of long range placed balls from O’Callaghan stretching the advantage to 11 by the 18th minute.
Ben McDonnell got back to make a couple of important interceptions to prevent further damage, but things went from bad to worse when Darragh Canavan ws forced out of the action after shipping a heavy knock
And Cuala bagged goal number three in the 25th minute, Dublin star O’Callaghan breaking a couple of tackles to give O Cofaigh Byrne the simplest of first time finishes to the net.
Errigal Ciaran responded in positive fashion, hitting four of the next five scores, but Cuala finished strongly with scores from O’Callaghan brothers to lead by 13 at the break, 3-9 to 0-05.
Darragh Canavan failed to return to the action, having gone off after 20 minutes after shipping a heavy knock, but the Ulster men gave this one a real go, throwing caution to the wind as they set about dragging themselves back into contention.
They flashed over three points right at the start of the second half, through Peter Harte, Tommy Canavan and Ciaran McGinley, and when Harte smashed home a brilliant 39th minute goal, they began to believe.
Cuala were restricted to breakaway raids, which garnered scores from O’Dowd, Keating and Con O’Callaghan, but they couldn’t shake the men from the Red Hand county.
Tommy and Ruairi Canavan narrowed the gap further, but O Cofaigh Byrne soldiered manfully at midfield to keep his side going, and Duffy charged through for a reassuring score.
Harte narrowed the gap to just three with a couple of minutes to play, but the men from Dalkey could see the finish line, and they approached it with a calm assurance, holding possession for Conor Groarke to scythe through for the insurance score in stoppage time.
Errigal finished with 14 men following the late dismissal of Harte.
Errigal Ciaran: D McAnenly; Cormac Quinn, A McCrory, Ciaran Quinn; T Colhoun, N Kelly, P Og McCartan; B McDonnell, J Oguz (0-01); P Harte (1-02), R Canavan (0-03, 2f), C McGinley (0-01); T Canavan (0-06, 4f), D Canavan, O Robinson (0-01).
Subs: M Kavanagh (0-01) for D Canavan (21), E Kelly for McGinley (47), P McGirr (0-01) for Robinson (51), R McRory for T Canavan (63)
Cuala: R Scollard; D Conroy, M Fitzsimons, E O’Callaghan; E Kennedy, C McMorrow, D O’Dowd (1-01); P O Cofaigh Byrne (1-01), P Duffy; C Dunne, C O’Brien, C Doran; L Keating (1-03, 0-2f), N O’Callaghan (0-02), C O’Callaghan (0-06, 2f, 1’45).
Subs: C Groarke (0-01) for O’Brien (41), M Conroy for Dunne (48), C O Giollain for D Conroy (54)
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
