By Conor Martin
On this day in 2008, Dublin ended a 48-year wait for All-Ireland Junior Football Championship glory, as they beat Roscommon by 0-13 to 0-7 at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.
Dublin were made to work for the win as they were pushed all the way by Roscommon in a physical encounter that saw the Dubs rack up several late scores to run out winners by six points.
Mick Deegan guided Dublin to the All-Ireland Junior crown in his first year in charge and they held a point advantage at the halfway stage, with Adrian Darcy & Karl Connolly picking up three scores each as Dublin led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time.
That Dublin team had several players who would go on to have fine careers with the Dublin Senior Footballers.
Eoghan O’Gara, Jonny Cooper, Michael Fitzsimons & Darren Daly all featured that day, as the Boys in Blue were captained by Denis Bastick.
Warren Finnegan picked up two points for himself, while Cooper bagged a brace of scores as Dublin closed in on their sixth title.
Dublin were made to work hard late on, as Roscommon fought back, but the Connacht side couldn’t find a way back, as Dublin managed to see the game out and become All-Ireland champions!
Dublin – C Clarke, D Daly, M Fitzsimons, C Prenderville, M White, A Dennis, N Brogan, D Bastick 0-1, C Daly, R Joyce, K Connolly 0-3, J Cooper 0-2, W Finnegan 0-2, E O’Gara 0-1, A Darcy 0-3. Subs: D Homan 0-1 for Joyce, C Norton for Finnegan, N Tormey for Connolly
Roscommon – M Miley, N Carty, R Cox, J Whyte, E Towey 0-1, J Harte, C Garvey 0-1, B Higgins 0-1, M Reynolds, D Moran 0-2, J McKeague, K Higgins, F Dolan 0-1, F Cregg 0-1 , P Garvey. Subs: R Brady for Whyte, M O’Donoghue for P Garvey, D Ward for Towey, C McHugh for K Higgins, M Killilea for McKeague
Referee – M Sludden (Tyrone)