Dublin were full value for their 2-14 to 0-14 victory over Kerry under lights at Croke Park tonight.

With 30,107 spectators watching on, the holders were a class apart in this one-sided All-Ireland final repeat as they tore the Kerry defence open time and time again. In the end, the final scoreline flattered the losers, with the victors squandering / eschewing a series of goal chances, while John Small and substitute Jack McCaffrey also rattled the woodwork.

Paddy Andrews (1-4) and Diarmuid Connolly (penalty) found the net in the second half to put the game to bed after Eamon Fitzmaurice's charges had somehow managed to go in level at the break.

The sides shared 14 points during the first half, with Dublin starting like a house on fire as they roared into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead inside 15 minutes. With the Kerry defence stretched, Brendan Kealy and David Moran both did brilliantly to deny the hosts three-pointers (Andrews and Paul Mannion foiled), before the more-economical Kingdom roared back into contention with scores from Donnchadh Walsh and Barry John Keane (two frees) to make it 0-6 each with the break looming.

Tomas Brady restored Dublin's advantage but Moran tied it up again with an inspirational point in injury time.

Andrews opened the scoring via Kealy's fingertips and Dean Rock blasted a goal chance over the bar to make it 0-2 to no score inside four minutes.

Donnchadh Walsh spurned a glorious opening for the Kingdom and Tommy Walsh registered their third wide with a hapless effort in the ninth minute before the menacing Mannion took his point and Stephen O'Brien opened Kerry's account.

Rock swung over a simple Dublin free on 14 minutes and added another immediately as the holders led by 0-5 to 0-1. Back came the Munster champions with points from Johnny Buckley and Darran O'Sullivan but they needed a remarkable last-ditch intervention from omnipresent midfielder Moran on the line to deny the elusive Mannion what looked like a certain Dublin goal ten minutes from the break.

A classy Andrews point made it double scores, 0-6 to 0-3, but Donnchadh Walsh finally got himself a score on the half-hour to keep his team in touch. Barry John Walsh tapped over a free that had been won by the soaring Tommy Walsh and added another one after young Brian Ó Beaglaoich was fouled to bring the sides level for the first time on the stroke of half time.

A late exchange between Brady and Moran left it evenly-poised at the interval.

The Dubs carved out another goal-scoring chance upon the restart but again Andrews took his point - his third from play. Tommy Walsh curled over the leveller off his right peg but a Rock free edged Dublin back ahead. This time, it was a lead that would not be relinquished...

The inevitable first Dublin goal finally arrived in the 41st minute when Andrews grasped the Martin Donnelly ball and slammed it home from close range - 1-9 to 0-8. Keane (free) and Rock traded scores before Andrews dummied and scored, bringing his tally for the night to 1-4 from play.

Connolly drilled an exquisite Dublin penalty to the bottom left corner of the net on 50 minutes after James McCarthy was taken down and Keane replied from a Kerry free - 2-11 to 0-10 - before Rock hit back instantly at the other end.

Darran O'Sullivan pointed twice either side of a point from substitute Cormac Costello and sub Brendan O'Sullivan fired another Kerry point on 62 minutes, 2-13 to 0-13.

Dubs centre back Small almost broke the crossbar with a stinging drive and there was time for Rock (free) to bring his personal haul to 0-7. Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey came off the bench and was denied by the post. Moran closed the scoring deep into added time on what was a night to forget for the Kingdom.

It may be only the first round but four-in-a-row-chasing Dublin already look like the team to beat this Spring!

Dublin - S Cluxton; J Cooper, M Fitzsimons, David Byrne; Davy Byrne, J Small, J McCarthy; C O'Sullivan, D Bastick; T Brady (0-1), D Connolly (1-0pen), C Kilkenny; P Mannion (0-1), D Rock (0-7, 4f), P Andrews (1-4). Subs: J McCaffrey for Davy Byrne, E O Conghaile for D Bastick, C Costello (0-1) for T Brady, C Reddin for C Kilkenny, D Daly for C O'Sullivan, C O'Callaghan for P Mannion.

Kerry - B Kealy; S Enright, M Griffin, B O Beaglaoich; P Murphy, K Young, F Fitzgerald; D Moran (0-2, 1f), J Buckley (0-1); P O'Connor, D O'Sullivan (0-3), D Walsh (0-1); S O'Brien (0-1), T Walsh (0-1), BJ Keane (0-4f). Subs: P Kilkenny for M Griffin, J Lyne for D Walsh (BC), B O'Sullivan (0-1) for J Buckley, P O'Connor for F Fitzgerald, G O'Grady for BJ Keane, C Cox for T Walsh, S Enright (BC).

Referee - E Kinsella.

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