Crokes win at a canter

SENIOR CLUB FC FIRST ROUND Dr Crokes 0-10 Austin Stacks 0-4

TO say that this game was a letdown would be a bit of an understatement.

Two of the most revered clubs in the county produced a very poor affair in Lewis Road last Sunday as All-Ireland Club Champions Dr Crokes advanced to the Semi-Finals without having to exert themselves too much against a very defensive Austin Stacks.

The Tralee side decided to pack the numbers in defence, but arguably naively played into their opponents’ hands by allowing Crokes to play a possession game of which they are renowned masters of. With a mind to future challenges down the road the Killarney side will be most happy not to have had to exert energy which might prove useful later on in the year.

Even without four of the team that triumphed in Croke Park on St Patricks Day, Crokes never looked perturbed, Colm Cooper with a trio of points (two frees) alongside Micheál Burns and Jordan Kiely efforts that had them 0-5 to 0-0 to the good after 13 minutes.

It took Stacks nine minutes to register their first attempt at a score and though Pa McCarthy and Jack Morgan got them on the scoreboard, it didn’t alter their style of play as they remained content to stop Crokes at the other end.

The hosts looked far more comfortable than they should have as Michael Moloney still had time after a defensive error near the end of the first-half to redeem himself with a great block down. The Killarney side’s lead was 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time with observers hoping for a bit more ambition in the second period.

It didn’t come, however, as Brian Looney and Daithí Casey scored the only points in a forgettable third-quarter with Shane Doolan vigilant to a rare Stacks opportunity in making a good interception as Gavin White looked composed when in possession of the ball.

A black card for Shane O’Callaghan approaching the final 10 minutes of proceedings summed up the rot Stacks were in as the Crokes defence prevented Kieran Donaghy from raising their morale with another opportunity soon after.

Paul Clarke and Mark Egan were introduced by the hosts as the game laboured towards its inevitable conclusion. Colm Cooper was even operating in the full-back line near the end, indicative of a pretty selfless performance on his part.

A rare moment of excitement in the second period saw Crokes defender John Payne come forward for a goal chance in the 59th minute, his shot was saved by Stacks goalkeeper David Hennessy but the rebound was put over by Payne for Crokes’ final point of the game as Stacks substitute Mikey Collins saved them from a second-half shut-out with the final score of the game from the final kick of the game off a free.

Crokes won’t get too carried away with such a success, they know they are going to be asked bigger questions as the year progresses. The performance of their opponents was the big talking point on Sunday however.

It was a meek defence of the title they won the previous September against the same opposition as they now enter a relegation process alongside the other First Round losers in the competition.

With the County Championship on the horizon, last Sunday won’t increase their stock in terms of being contenders for the Bishop Moynihan Cup, but if Stacks are to make any impact on the year, they have to show a bit more ambition.

DR CROKES: Shane Murphy, John Payne (0-1), Michael Moloney, Gavin White, David O’Leary, Alan O’Sullivan, Fionn Fitzgerald, Mike Milner, Daithí Casey (0-2, 1f), Micheál Burns (0-2), Gavin O’Shea, Brian Looney (0-1), Colm Cooper (0-3, 2f), Jordan Kiely (0-1), Shane Doolan Subs: Chris Brady for Burns, Paul Clarke for Kiely, Jamie Doolan for Looney, PJ Lawlor for Milner and Mark Egan for O’Leary

AUSTIN STACKS: David Hennessy, Ronan Shanahan, Barry Walsh, Sean Dukes, Jack O’Shea, Fearghal McNamara, Jack Morgan (0-1), Michael O’Donnell, Greg Horan, Fiachna Mangan, Shane O’Callaghan, Pa McCarthy (0-2), David Mannix, Kieran Donaghy, Darragh O’Brien Subs: Shane Carroll for Dukes, Alan Duggan for Mannix, Mikey Collins (0-1, 1f) for O’Brien, Shane Guthrie for O’Callaghan (Black Card) and Darragh Scanlon for Mangan

REFEREE: Seamus Mulvihill (St Senans)