Champions work past Kenmare challenge
COUNTY SFC QUARTER-FINAL
Dr Crokes 0-17 Kenmare Shamrocks 0-12
JUST as it was a fortnight earlier in the Senior Club final, Kenmare Shamrocks asked plenty of questions of Dr Crokes but ultimately didn’t have enough answers of their own to dethrone the county, provincial and All-Ireland champions.
Having scored two goals in that first encounter to it to extra-time it was universally accepted that the visitors to Killarney would have to raise at least one green flag last Sunday to give themselves a fighting chance of victory. They came mighty close in the 20th minute when Shane O’Sullivan cracked a shot off the underside of the Crokes’ crossbar, and moments later Paul O’Connor saw plenty of the Crokes’ goal but put his shot too high and over the crossbar off the post. Chances few, if any, teams can afford to waste against this Dr Crokes side and so it was as the defending champions saw themselves through with five points to spare.
Despite their ‘zero’ in the goals column, Crokes, too, did have their chances in that regard, but like Kenmare they were close but there was no cigar. In the 13th minute Colm Cooper showed all his inimitable vision to put a ball over the top for Kieran O’Leary to chase on to, but goalkeeper Kieran Fitzgibbon reacted well to get a vital interception on the ball as O’Leary pounced. Ten minutes later Cooper set up Tony Brosnan - only on the field a couple of minutes for the injured O’Leary - but he, too, was denied by the crossbar, with Gavin O’Shea tidying up
THE GAME IN 60 SECONDS
MAIN MAN
Last time these teams played MICHEÁL BURNS scored from points from play and he repeated the dose last Sunday, combining that with some powerful running and positive heads-up football. Daithí Casey and Gavin White supported the winners well, while Sean O’Shea and Stephen O’Brien best carried the challenge for Kenmare.
KEY MOMENT
It might have come too early to really rattle Crokes, but Kenmare’s goal chances around the 20th minute were created but not executed. A green flag could have given them a small halftime surplus rather than a deficit and something to build on in the second half rather than chasing the lead throughout as they were.
TALKING POINT
Over the course of this game and the recent Senior Club final Kenmare showed up a certain vulnerability in the Dr Crokes defence that West Kerry will look to exploit in their semi-final meeting. From Gavin White, at no.7, forward the champions look as solid and dangerous as ever, but they will need to be more mindful of the back door if they are to defend their title.