Jonny Cooper received his marching orders late in the second-half but Na Fianna still managed to overcome a stiff challenge from Whitehall Colmcille by 1-12 to 1-11 to move within 60 minutes of their first Dublin senior football championship final in 17 years.

The seven-time All-Ireland SFC winner was sent off by referee Ian Howley after a challenge on Eoghan O'Donnell inside the square approaching the 50th minute at Parnell Park, with his Dublin teammate Cormac Costello scoring the resulting penalty to level the game, 1-9 each.

Despite the body-blow of losing Cooper, Lar Norton's charges resumed with three scores in succession from goalscorer Conor McHugh (two) and Aaron Byrne to re-establish the three-point lead. 

Having trailed 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval, Whitehall Colmcille fought back again as Costello (free) and dual-star O’Donnell hit points to bring the margin down to the minimum in injury-time, but their efforts just fell short.

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