28-08-2014
Dr Crokes 2-10
East Kerry
1-08
In this local derby
played in the Spa GAA Grounds Dr Crokes advanced to the Keanes SuperValu County
Minor Football Championship Final after a hard fought victory over divisional
neighbours East Kerry.
With two minutes to go
the Crokes held a slender two point lead but East Kerry were very much in the
ascendency. But up then stepped county
minor Jordan Kiely for Dr Crokes who swooped on a high ball over the East Kerry
defence and showed great composure to plant the ball in the back of the net to
finally break the East Kerry resistance.
The slippy underfoot
conditions and swirling wind made life difficult for both teams but East Kerry’s
tactics of double marking the Crokes dangermen Kiely and Michael Burns worked
well for them in the early exchanges. Shane Ryan was also a good target man for them
at the edge of the square.
It took until the 5th
minute for East Kerry’s Lee O’Donoghue to open the scoring. This was cancelled out by Kiely from a free
and both sides exchanged further scores from play by Donal Lyne and Kiely once
more to leave the sides level by the 10th minute.
With the exchanges so
tight Dr Crokes got a major lift in the 12th minute when an
attempted short kick out by East Kerry keeper Conor McCarthy was intercepted by
Crokes full forward Billy Courtney and he blasted to the net.
After a fisted point
by Shane Ryan East Kerry had a great goal chance of their own but after making
a great run up field centre back Daniel O’Brien blazed wide. This did not deter them however and they were
level once more by the 22nd minute with points by O’Donoghue and a
free by centre forward Paudie Clifford.
Both sides exchanged
further white flags before Crokes finished the half stronger with points from wing
forward Paul Clarke and a free by centre forward Michael Byrnes who was well
shackled up to this point.
The early exchanges of the second half were
once more evenly contested before Kiely and Burns began to stamp their class on
the game for the Crokes. Burns was
unerring from placed balls and by the 42nd minute he had converted
four more frees to extend the Crokes lead to six points with East Kerry’s only
response being a point from play by Shane Ryan in the 38th minute.
Credit to the East
Kerry boys however who’s heads never dropped and after a good goal chance by
centre forward Clifford in the 44th minute whose shot rebounded off
the crossbar, Shane Ryan reduced the deficit with a further pointed free.
However, it looked
like the game was finally going to go away from them in the 47th
minute when Dr Crokes wing back Shane Lyne was dragged down in the East Kerry
square and referee Peter Lyons had no hesitation in awarding Dr Crokes a
penalty. Burns stepped up to take the
kick but his shot was excellently saved by county teammate Shane Ryan who had
gone in goal for the spot kick.
This was the lift the
divisional side needed and within two minutes they were right back in the game
when centre forward Clifford’s shot was well saved by Crokes keeper Johnny O’Leary
but substitute Conor Culloty was on hand to finish the ball to the net. There was now only two points between the
sides once more and certainly the momentum was with the divisional side.
And Shane Ryan had two
attempts to tie up the game but was wide on both occasions before Kiely left
his mark on the game with his expertly taken finish. East Kerry threw everything at the Crokes in
the final moments and Ryan had one more goal chance but it was well saved once
more by O’Leary.
When the final whistle
was blown the Crokes had five points to spare and they now advance to the decider
against favourites Dingle over overcame An Ghaeltacht in the other semi final.
Man of the Match: Jordan Kiely, Dr Crokes
Scorers:
Dr Crokes: Jordan Kiely (1 gl, 3 pts), Michael Burns (5 pts), Paul Clarke (1 pt),
Billy Courtney (1 gl), Chris Doncel (1 pt)
East Kerry: Shane Ryan (3 pts), Lee O’Donoghue (2 pts), Paudie Clifford (2 pts),
Donal Lyne (1 pt), Conor Culloty (1 gl)
Referee: Peter Lyons, Cromane
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