Crokes end Rathmore’s unbeaten run
O’DONOGHUE CUP SEMI-FINAL Dr Crokes 1-17 Rathmore 2-10
IT didn’t look like it would end up as close as it did with five minutes of the first-half left with Dr Crokes leading at that stage by an eye-catching 1-12 to 1-1.
However, Rathmore did not give up on their dreams of a fifth consecutive O’Donoghue Cup in East Kerry that easy last Sunday as Dr Crokes ended their reign and qualified for their fourth Championship Final in 2018 in the process.
What made it more amazing was Rathmore getting the game’s first score from the throw-in, John Moynihan managing to find a way through and even though Shane Murphy stopped his initial effort, Mark Reen forced in the rebound to give the holders an ideal start.
Any suggestion that Crokes were rusty after the previous Friday night’s win over Gneeveguilla in the quarter-final were quickly vanished, however, as they hit a total of 1-9 without reply.
Gavin O’Shea and Johnny Buckley pointed before Dáithí Casey picked out Kieran O’Leary with a precise ball for their goal and a lead of 1-2 to 1-0 after four minutes.
Crokes’ sharpness was evident as the first-half progressed, Rathmore with only one competitive game since they exited the County Championship in the middle of September not able to live with the high pace Crokes were setting.
Shane Ryan scored their first point from a free in the 16th minute as they did manage to reduce the deficit to 1-12 to 1-4 at the break. The second-half saw them come within range of an incredible comeback as Crokes’ levels dropped off and they lost David O’Leary to a black card in the 47th minute. A ‘45 from Ryan in the 40th minute was the start of Rathmore’s charge as four minutes later came their second goal.
Referee Pádraig O’Sullivan allowed an advantage which caught Crokes unawares as Mark Ryan sent an effort along the ground goal-wards that had crossed the line by the time substitute Colm Kelly made sure of it as the score was now 1-14 to 2-7.
Two further frees from Ryan made it a two-point game entering the final 10 minutes, but Crokes were able to draw on Kieran O’Leary’s experience in getting over the line as he brought his personal total up to 1-6 (3f) with a third Jordan Kiely point making it a four-point win despite some late efforts by their opponents to send the ball in long to Shane Ryan.
Rathmore suffered their first loss in the competition since losing the 2013 quarter-final to Legion although they can take great pride at their success in the last four years.
Eoin Brosnan picked up the Official Man-of-the-Match award as this Saturday’s battle of the Munster Club champions with Kilcummin sees them bid to regain the Championship title they have won the most times (29) amongst all their other successes for the first time since 2013.
DR CROKES: Shane Murphy; John Payne, Eoin Brosnan, Fionn Fitzgerald; David O’Leary (0-1), Gavin White, Jason Lyne; Johnny Buckley (0-2), Daithi Casey (0-1, 1f); Michéal Burns (0-2), Gavin O’Shea (0-1), Brian Looney (0-1); Jordan Kiely (0-3), Kieran O’Leary (1-6, 3f), Mark O’Shea Subs: David Shaw for Mark O’Shea, Shane Doolan for Brosnan, David Naughton for Gavin O’Shea, Michael Potts for David O’Leary (Black Card), Alan O’Sullivan for Lyne, Billy Courtney for Kiely. RATHMORE: Padraic McCarthy; Michael J Kelliher, Cathal Murphy, Conor Jenkins; TJ Friel, Paul Murphy, Brian Friel; Brian Moynihan, Mark Ryan (1-0); George O’Keeffe (0-1), Mark Reen (1-2, 1f), Chrissy Spiers (0-1); Shane Ryan (0-5, 4f, 1’45’), Eoin Lawlor (0-1), John Moynihan Subs: Tadgh Mahony for Brian Moynihan, Colm Kelly for Spiers, Donal Moynihan for Reen, Daniel O’Sullivan for O’Keeffe, Brian O’Leary for Jenkins.