Picture: Matt O’Neill
What promises to be an enthralling repeat of this year’s club championship decider is in store when Dr Crokes and Dingle clash in this year’s Kerry senior football championship final net Sunday week.
Dr Crokes, inspired by veteran Brian Looney – surely the most consistent and impactful club player in the county over several years – and five converted Tony Brosnan frees, proved too strong on Saturday for a formidable St Brendan’s Board side with the pick of Austin Stacks, Kerins O’Rahillys, John Mitchels and Ardfert.
Pat O’Shea’s finely tuned charges, with David Shaw and Gavin O’Shea also excelling, had five points to spare at the close, 0-14 to 0-9, with points from Shaw, Brosnan, Looney, Tom Doyle and O’Shea getting them off to a very strong start.
St Brendan’s cause wasn’t helped when Jack Savage was red carded and Crokes after that always had the edge.
Brendan’s tried tirelessly afternoon but not even the threat of big David Moran at full forward could swing the tie in favour of the Tralee divisional side.
Waiting for Crokes in the decider will be a gritty Dingle side who caused quite a sensation this Sunday when they beat three-in-a-row seeking reigning champions East Kerry in an extra time thriller.
To counter the threat of the Clifford brothers early on, Dingle set out their defensive stall early but they could do so secure in the knowledge that they had the marquee forwards make their imprint on the scoreboard whenever a chance arose.
It was a classic championship encounter that ended East Kerry 1-13 Dingle 2-9 at full-time after Dingle goalkeeper Gavin H Curran pulled off a great save from a sweetly-struck David Clifford penalty late in the game.
Clifford had scored a great goal from play earlier on to cancel a three-pointer from Tom Leo O’Sullivan but, even with a head injury sustained in a heavy knock, Barry Dan O’Sullivan. Controlled the pace of this game.
It was all Dingle in extra time with the Geaneys taking control in the scoring stakes to leave the end result 2-16 to 1-14 and they caused a major upset when they deprived Jerry O’Sullivan’s dream of three-in-a-row.
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