‘We couldn’t be more proud of them’ – Aisling Maher leads the way as Dublin power into semi-final

A man on the corner was selling the colours of the games. He didn’t forget the Dubs.

The blue tucked in between the flags of the Banner and the black and amber.

People popped into the Croke Park Hotel for a pre-match coffee. On the big screen was the Arsenal supporter, Keir Starmer.

On the wall, there was a programme from the 1966 All-Ireland senior hurling final where Cork beat Kilkenny. It cost a shilling.

Out on the street there was a man wearing a numbered 15 Kilkenny jersey. Eddie Keher came along. He scored seven points in that ’66 final.

His grand-daughter, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, was playing for Kilkenny on Saturday.

A lady was talking about Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh. She said the last time she saw him was on the Jones’s Road.

“He stood there, chatting to everyone. Making time for everyone.”

They said it took him an age to get from his car and into the ground. And that he’d sign more autographs than Taylor Swift

A star of the Slaney, Kate Kelly, was on her way to the Pigeon Loft. To do co-commentary with RTÉ’s Cathal Mullaney.

The sun was shining. And in more ways than one.

Dublin secured a famous victory. Defeating Kilkenny, 1-13 to 0-12, in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship quarter-final.

They progressed to their first All-Ireland semi-final since the David Herity era in 2017.

Before that, it was 27 years before they made the last four.

They’ll now play the holders, Cork, in Nowlan Park on Saturday, July 27.

Before the throw-in, there was a minutes’ silence and applause to mark the death of Dublin legend Judy Doyle.

On level 7 of Croke Park, Liam Sheedy embraced the drama of the closing moments.

The Dubs were overjoyed at the final whistle. It had been a long road.

It was a win that they so richly deserved. They played into the Hill in the first half.

Sinéad Wylde’s one-handed flicked volley was a goal for the mantelpiece. It got Dublin up and running. And they never stopped running all afternoon.

They scraped and foraged for every crumb. They showed such energy and impressive levels of fitness.

The former Kilkenny hurler and President of the GAA, Nickey Brennan, showed a quick turn of pace to make his way to the back of the Cusack Stand to join in the post-match interviews.

Nickey broadcasts for KCLR. And as Dublin’s Gerry McQuaid emerged into the tunnel, he was quickly surrounded by a forest of recorders.

“We couldn’t be more proud of them,” stated Gerry. “Every one of them stood up.

“They kept going. They chased everything. They didn’t give Kilkenny an inch.

“And they showed such belief in each other. Even when we went a long spell without a score, they didn’t lose heart. They relied on each other.”

Dublin led at the break by a point, 1-5 to 0-7. “That was huge from our point of view,” added Gerry.

“It was calm in the dressing-room. It was a question of keep doing what we were doing.”

And they certainly did that. In the second half, Grace O’Shea was closing in on goal. She found her way closed off by four Kilkenny players.

The ball was cleared. But Grace still made a lung-bursting sprint to the side-line in front of the Hogan Stand to get in a block.

“The European Athletics Championships were on a few weeks ago. And had she not been a camogie player, Grace could have been an athlete. She has such speed,” judged Gerry, who was a top-class athlete himself.

It was that type of attitude and purpose that brought the Dubs home.

It was against the odds. Kilkenny were the favourites. They had beaten Dublin by five points in the Leinster final in May.

They were All-Ireland champions two short years ago, and they are so used to playing on this big stage.

But they found themselves playing a Dublin team whose confidence grew taller by the minute. And who have a real spiritual leader in Aisling Maher.

Captain in name and in nature. Her first-half penalty was saved by Aoife Norris.

But she just rolled up her sleeves even tighter. Her philosophy is ‘don’t tell me, show me.’ It was highly appropriate that she lofted over the last score of the game.

It was a match of high tempo and splendid entertainment. And the goodwill for the Dubs flowed down from the seats.

“I’m delighted for the players, the Dublin County Board and the Chairman, Karl O’Brien. They all have given so much,” remarked Gerry.

“It was a big result for us. We performed well, but for us now it’s all about producing another performance in the All-Ireland semi-final. That’s our focus now. And that's what we will be working towards.”