The stage is set for what promises to be a thrilling East Kerry senior football championship final with Dr Crokes and Spa set to go head to head for the coveted O’Donoghue Cup.
Spa had too much firepower for Gneeveguilla in a high-scoring semi-final at the Dr Crokes field on Lewis Road while, shortly after the final whistle had sounded in that encounter, Dr Crokes and Killarney Legion went at it across the road in Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kerry player Tony Brosnan pointed the way to success for the black and amber with an eight points tally, six from frees and he received great support up front from the impressive Mikey Casey, who notched four and veteran Kieran O’Leary who kicked two.
Being perfectly fair, Crokes had the upper hand all through this tie and bar a five-minute period in the second half, when Kerry player Cian Gammell kicked two glorious points to cut the gap to three, Legion were always struggling to find any sort of rhythm.
Rob Leen kicked a cracking goal for Legion shortly after his introduction but not even that could drive them on and the Ned English trained Legion found the likes of Mark Fitzgerald, David Naughton and Neil O’Shea, in the Crokes defence, too difficult to outsmart.
When referee Padraig O’Sullivan sounded the final whistle, Crokes had held out for a 0-16 to 1-10 victory.
Earlier, Spa were too strong for Gneeveguilla and triumphed on a 2-17 to 2-6 scoreline, having built on their 0-9 to 0-3 interval lead.
Paudie O’Leary and Ronan Collins both found the net for Gneeveguilla but two late goals from Spa – one following a sensational solo run from inside his own half and a cool finish by Dara Moynihan and the second by Niall McCarthy – saw them through in a game in which they always maintained the upper hand.
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