Crokes dig deep to see off dogged Dingle

COUNTY SFC SEMI-FINAL Dr Crokes 1-15 Dingle 0-15

THE predictions and indications suggested that very little would separate the sides in the opening semi final last Sunday afternoon and, ultimately, it turned out to be every inch of what was initially anticipated.

Goals were always going to be crucial given the scarcity of them in the four games on the previous week and, while Eoin Brosnan’s finish in the thirty eight minute certainly didn’t put the issue beyond doubt, it was a tremendous boost for the Killarney side given that Dingle at the time were moving with a little bit more purpose and direction.

Dingle on reflection will obviously rue their inability to convert two gilt edged goaling chances in either half and certainly the saves effected by goalkeeper Shane Murphy on both of these occasions were hugely significant to the eventual outcome.

So Dingle may feel with some justification that they were a bit unfortunate to lose out in an encounter, which was initially quite open and free flowing, pretty pulsating for periods also, but was notable also for a somewhat negative approach especially in the second which resulted in a lot of fouls and stoppages with the referee at times being pretty lenient, while penalising also rather harshly on occasion the player in possession.

However, in the final analysis the main difference between the teams was the ability of Crokes to create and convert scores with more efficiency with ten different players contributing and five of their six starting forwards on target from play.

They also limited to a large extent Paul Geaney’s input, even if, he didn’t feature on the edge and of the square for the duration and was at times involved in a withdrawn position around midfield.

However, with ten minutes of normal time remaining and the encounter deadlocked, Dingle looked every inch like the side who were capable of pushing on and closing out the game.

With the issue delicately poised Crokes quite simply found a way to manufacture a few unanswered scores, leaving Dingle needing a goal to salvage the situation and with Crokes defending deep in numbers it proved to be a bridge too far for the West Kerry side.

Both sides adopted a positive approach at the outset of proceedings and a lively opening produced two points apiece after six minutes with the impressive Daithi Casey landing two fine efforts for Crokes under pressure.

Four points apiece after thirteen minutes, Crokes could well have capitalised with a goal scoring chance one minute later, when Colm Cooper with pin point accuracy from distance fed Tony Brosnan inside the defensive cover.

His initial effort was blocked, but he did manage to put over a point in the resultant play. A second point from Dingle’s pacey wing-back Tom O’Sullivan along with the notable input of Matthew Flaherty on the forty, meant that Dingle were level (0-5 0-5) at the end of the opening quarter.

They could have gone in front shortly afterwards in the seventeenth minute with midfielder Barry O’Sullivan being denied of a goal from close range by Shane Murphy. Crokes had a similar type opportunity at the other end, but Gavin O’Shea, under pressure, lost possession.

For a period the quality of play lessened somewhat with quite a few poor deliveries at both ends, but in a two minute spell just before the break Crokes produced a purple patch to register three unanswered points.

Conor Geaney with a pointed free had the final say in the half with a pointed free, but it was Crokes who retired two points in front (0-9 0-7) and it was a scoreline which probably reflected the exchanges throughout all of the opening half.

Dingle restarted with a little bit more urgency and were level within three minutes of the restart with two fine scores from Colm Bambury and Paul Geaney. Eoin Brosnan’s goal when he simply toe poked the ball home in a goalmouth scramble in the eight minute put Crokes back in front with Brian Looney having been shown a black card two minutes earlier.

Just a point (1-10 0-12) separated the teams at the end of the third quarter, but after Mikey Geaney with a clear cut goaling opportunity was denied by another superb save from Shane Murphy in the nineteenth minute, Paul Geaney just failed to get on the end of a long delivery from Conor Geaney with another goaling chance and in a game of fine margins these were crucial moments.

Substitute Ambrose Donovan with a lofted effort put Crokes back in front. Michael Burns converted after a costly Dingle turnover and a fisted effort from Colm Cooper after a quick exchange of passes along with a Shane Murphy ‘45 put daylight between the teams once again.

In a frantic final few minutes with proceedings threatening to get out of control with all of the ills of the modern game coming into play Crokes with every player in their own half held out after Colm Cooper and Fionn Fitzgerald had both been dismissed.

Hard earned, but deserved, Crokes were that little bit more resourceful and productive.

As far as Dingle were concerned, without outstanding midfielder Marc O’Connor, it was again, a case of so near and, yet,sofar.

A game they will look back on and feel that they could, maybe, should have shaded it.