Cromane beat Moyvane to collect County Novice Championship title

THE decisive score came early in proceedings but Cromane’s win in Strand Road last Sunday owed a lot to what their opponents left after them as much as the Mid Kerry side’s brilliance as Moyvane had three times as many wides as their opponents. Cromane were sharper in their score-taking with Sean O’Sullivan and midfielder Darren Houlihan to the fore in a three point victory.

Emmet Casey reacted quickest to a free from Houlihan in the third minute that dropped short as he just eked the ball past Diarmuid Fitzmaurice in the Moyvane net for the only goal of the game. Cromane manager Gavin O’Connor agreed with its importance after the match.

“We made hard work of it for a finish but we’re glad we got over the line. The sending off had a big bearing on the game as well but we had some greater leadership out there today to pull us through and half-time probably came at the right time for us with how dominant Moyvane were at that point,” the Cromane boss said.

Three unanswered points from the North Kerry side brought them within reach before the break trailing by 1-5 to 0-6 but they lost Martin Stack to a second yellow card seven minutes after the restart. Cromane lost John Michael Foley and his replacement Sean Teahan to black cards in the game but their defence held firm late on in dealing with wave after wave of Moyvane attacks as Shane Stack’s best efforts to inspire Moyvane came up short.

Sean O’Sullivan made an important late interception for the victors as Cromane will go forward as Kerry’s representatives in the Knockaderry Invitational Tournament in West Limerick, an event they previously won back in 2008.

CROMANE: Paudie McCarthy, Stephen Foley, Eoghan Walsh, Brendan Foley, Liam Teahan, John M Foley, Finbarr Casey (0-1), Donnchadh Walsh, Darren Houlihan (0-4, 2f), Emmet Casey (1-0), Michéal Shaughnessy (0-2), Shane Ahern, Sean O’Sullivan (0-3), Paul P O’Sullivan (0-2), Mikey Houlihan. Subs: Sean Teahan for John M Foley (black card), Eamon O’Connor for Sean Teahan (black card).

MOYVANE: Diarmuid Fitzmaurice, Micheal Woods, Shane Stack (0-2), Jerry Clancy, John Finucane, William Madden, DJ Keane, Eamon O’Flaherty, Owen Stack (01), Kevin Kennelly (0-2), Brian Stack, Aidan Keane (0-1f), Martin Stack (0-1), Timmy Noonan (0-3, 2f), Colin Enright (0-1). Subs: Mark Mulvihill (0-1) for Clancy, Diarmuid Leahy for Enright, John J Mulvihill for Woods.

REFEREE: Brendan Brosnan (Glenflesk)

GAME AT A GLANCE

MAIN MAN

A brilliant second half display from Sean O’Sullivan, not just with three points but also for dropping back and guiding the side’s defence through some serious late pressure from their opponents

KEY MOMENT

Emmet Casey’s goal put Moyvane under pressure early on and it probably told in some of their attempts at scores as they lacked the composure needed to take those promising opportunities

TALKING POINT

Cromane will look to continue a run of Kerry success in Knockaderry which they started themselves a decade ago, but play-off with Rathmore B to get out of Division Five of the County League is off more pressing concern. Moyvane have a North Kerry SFC meeting with Duagh to try and pick themselves up for in two weeks.

On Friday last a presentation of new sponsored shirts was made to the Cromane GAA senior football team at Jack’s Coastguard Station. Brian Keary, of Jack’s Bar and Restaurant, Cromane (second from right of front row), made the presentation to Cromane...