Dr Crokes, Kilcummin and Beaufort enjoy huge Munster wins
IN the 20 minutes Colm Cooper and Jordan Kiely were involved in this Munster semi-final they scored a goal and four points between them, one more than the six points St Finbarrs managed in the same period. Little wonder then that the Barrs manager Ray Keane marvelled aloud at how a team like Dr Crokes can have the luxury of not starting that duo – and others like Alan O’Sullivan and Michael Potts – and still be cutting a swathe through this Munster Championship and be a good shout for All-Ireland honours in the new year.
That’s where this Crokes team are at right now. Cooper having to make do with a place among the substitutes and not really be needed to be a game winner since he lost his starting jersey to illness back against An Ghaeltacht in the third round of the county championship.
Kiely, one the best young talents in the county, having to sit and look on as his contemporaries David Shaw and Tony Brosnan weave their magic out on the pitch.
Alan O’Sullivan – a starter in the All-Ireland Club final win 18 months ago – having to fight tooth and nail to reclaim his place in the team when there isn’t really a whole lot to fight for by the time he’s introduced.
Even Eoin Brosnan, though now 38, would probably walk on to most teams in the county and a fair few still left in their respective provincial championships and in the race to Croke Park on Mark 17. Remember Tomás Ó Sé played in last year’s All-Ireland Final with Nemo Rangers at a similar age.
That’s where this Dr Crokes team is right now – and from every vantage point they only seem to be getting better. Beating the Cork champions by 21 points in a Munster semi-final will only re-affirm that belief, and whether they like it or not they have to be regarded as favourites (along with Corofin) to go all the way on St Patrick’s Day.
In the meantime they have their seventh Munster Final this decade to get out of the way against Clare champions Miltown-Malbay in a little over a week, having never arrived in a provincial decider on the back of a bigger, more emphatic semi-final win.
For some last Sunday’s meeting with St FInbarrs was the de facto final, but for Miltown-Malbay’s sake – and every neutral – let’s hope that assertion was well wide of the mark. Otherwise we’re looking at another beating in the range of the 36-point one Kerry handed Clare in 1979 in the West Clare village that gave its name to the eponymous massacre.
This 21-point mauling of the Cork champions was founded on first half goals from midfielders Johnny Buckley and Dáithí Casey, followed by three more after the break from David Shaw, Micheál Burns and Jordan Kiely, which neatly underline the scale of Crokes’ ambition: nothing less than the return of the Merrigan Cup will do.
On a rain-drenched, difficult day for football, the home side were relentless against a team that had no answer to Crokes slick, purposeful football. That they kicked all 5-20 from open play should suggest a few missed free kicks along the way, but apart from an adventurous 45-metre effort from goalkeeper Shane Murphy in the second half we can’t recall one scorable free awarded to or taken by Crokes. But that says less about Derek O’Mahoney’s unwillingness to award the home side much by way of frees and more about Crokes ability to side-step those St Finbarrs tackles and execute their scores without much or any intervention.
Whatever early pressure and industry St Finbarrs exerted in the first five minutes promised it quickly evaporated as Crokes set about what Crokes do best. By the 20th minute Crokes had kicked seven unanswered points to lead 0-8 to 0-1, and with Michael Shields already gone to a hamstring injury there was a long and depressing afternoon ahead for the new Cork champions.
St Finbarrs got a lifeline when Eoin McGreevey’s shot dipped over Shane Murphy for an exquisite goal in the 21st minute, but within two minutes Brian Looney had kicked an point and then Johnny Buckley rounded two defenders and smashed his shot to the net.
Micheál Burns and Shaw followed with points before Casey lashed his shot past John Kerins just before the half time whistle to leave Crokes 2-11 to 1-3 ahead at the interval.
Five minutes into the new half Shaw had the ball in the net from Looney’s inviting pass to make it 3-13 to 1-4, and then Cooper came on to score three points, the first with his fiurst touch of the ball.
The 44th minute brought a wonderful sequence of passes between Cooper and Kieran O’Leary for the Gooch to tee up Burns for a fourth goal, and 12 minutes later substitute Kiely was rolling in their fifth goal as things began to get embarrassing for the Cork city side.
Three converted ‘45s from Steven Sherlock in the second half helped the Barrs into double figures in the points column while Murphy had to make two fine saves from Colm Barrett and the excellent and industrious Ian Maguire as the Barrs looked for a consolation goal, but the Crokes defence was as ruthless as their attack was prolific.
DR CROKES: Shane Murphy, John Payne, Michael Moloney, Fionn Fitzgerald, David O’Leary, Gavin White 0-1, Shane Doolan, Johnny Buckley 1-1, Daithi Casey 1-1, Micheal Burns 1-1, Gavin O’Shea 0-1, Brian Looney 0-3, David Shaw 1-3, Kieran O’Leary 0-1, Tony Brosnan 0-4. Subs: Alan O’Sullivan for M Moloney (39), Colm Cooper 1-3 for T Brosnan (42), Jordan Kiely 1-1 for S Doolan (44), Michael Potts for D Shaw (48), Paul Clarke for J Buckley (51), Jason Lyne for M Burns (53).
ST FINBARRS: John Kerins, Conor Dennehy 0-1, Glen O’Connor, Dylan Quinn, Colin Lyons, Ross O’Dwyer, Colm Scully, Ian Maguire 0-1, Eoin Comyns, Denis O’Brien 0-1, Michael Shields, Enda Dennehy, Colm Keane, Eoin McGreevey 1-0, Steven Sherlock 0-6 (3 ‘45’, 2f). Subs: Colm Barrett for Shields (13, inj), Jamie Burns for R O’Dwyer (15), Robert O’Mahony 0-2 for C Keane (ht), Alan O’Connor for E McGreevey (34, inj), Alan McCarthy for G O’Connor (48), Adam Lyne for D O’Brien (56).
REFEREE: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary)