Championship

Dr. Crokes show great composure to overcome Mid Kerry in County Final

November 1st, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

 The old adage which tells us "goals win games" was very evident last Sunday as Dr Crokes retained their county championship crown; the first time this famous club has achieved this in over one hundred years. And while goals do win games and the two scored by the winners were crucial it should also be added that preventing goals also win games. And it was these three factors which in my opinion decided the outcome of this contest. The winners were out of the traps in record time. Johnny Buckley fielded from the throw in, fed Kieran o Leary who skipped around Fergal Griffin and when he lost possessing in the small square Colm Coopers was the quickest to react and booted the ball low to the net. On my watch seventeen seconds gone.  In my book this was the fastest goal ever scored in a county final and I pose the question is it the fastest goal EVER scored in a championship game anywhere? It was Cooper's razor sharp reactions in the tightest of corners which impressed most.

In fairness to Mid Kerry they went on to have lots of possession. Darren o Sullivan twice, and Donnacha Walsh, once, kicked wides which on another day might have gone over for them. Owen Brosnan was doing a superb job in policing Darren and this was crucial as Mid Kerry would have been relying on him to threaten or score a goal or two. Brosnan at all times stayed between the danger man and the goal and with John Payne, Luke Quinn, Shane Myers  and their mid fielders packing the defence the Croke goal was threatened on just one solitary occasion. This was late in the first half and we saw Gavin o Grady one on one with Crokes goalie Alan Kelly. The Croke men advanced cut the angle of the shot and produce a stunning point blank save. A goal at this time would probably have ignited the Mid Kerry men.

Instead they went in trailing by six points at the short whistle but on the resumption the losers showed tremendous fighting spirit and had cut the gap to two points. They were definitely on the come back trail and Crokes were in trouble. But as is their tradition and well known ability they scored their second goal in a moment of pure simplicity. A long high ball by Colm Cooper dropped around the Mid Kerry fourteen yard line, Goalie Mike Moriarty took the wrong option, advanced to field the ball, found himself in no mans land, (no place for a goalkeeper), Ambrose o Donovan got a fist to the ball and Daithi Casey rattled the net. Five points ahead, Crokes packed their defence and frustrated the Mid Kerry men as they came looking for a badly needed goal. Fergal Griffins move to mid field and the introduction of Gary Sayers, surprisingly dropped from the starting fifteen had added great impetuous to the loser's second half efforts.

However following the second goal Mid Kerry heads were dropping, Crokes sensed this, piled on the pressure, showed great composer and ability to retain possession; this ability of not giving away the ball to their opponents was for me a crucial part of their game for the full hour. Late points by Cooper Buckley, Kieran o Leary and Ambrose o Donovan copper fastened a richly deserved victory. And finally another vital ingredient in the Killarney victory is the massive experienced gained by the team over the past decade. Bruising battles, close finishes, thrilling contest in Kerry, Munster and the All Ireland series have honed the knock out championship skills of Harry o Neills men. This more than any other factor has developed the Crokes into the best club side in Kerry.  We have seen over the years but especially in this year's championship that when the fat is in the fire and games are balanced on a knife edge they never panic and with ice cool precision fashion the scores that win the games. Mid Kerry will look back on this game and wonder about that seventeen second goal, those missed opportunities and the mix up for the second green flag. And for me my man of the match was Eoin Brosnan. Strong, powerful, full of running, his marshalling of his sides defence was vital. Jack o Connor will definitely be hoping that the big Crokes man remains part of his squad for the coming season.  

Fogra:  It was as if the heavens wept bitter tears last Sunday when we stood for a minutes silence before the throw in at the county final in honour of two former Kerry footballers who had answered that final whistle the previous week. The Killarney Mountains were shrouded in a deep misty gloom as if in deep mourning for these men who had been part of my sporting life.   The sudden and tragic death of Aunascaul exemplary and dashing young footballer Brendan o Driscoll has literally stunned the sporting community of the county. I have watched Brendan play with his club and West Kerry over the years and his dashing brave runs, never say die attitude and extreme sportsmanship will always be for me my abiding memory of this exemplary young man.   

Garry o Mahoney was the first Kerry goalkeeper I ever saw playing in Croke Park. That was the 1955 historic All Ireland final win over the so called unbeatable Dublin machine. Garry was on the losing team the previous year against Meath and he had also played for the Kerry Juniors. A staunch John Mitchels man he won three county championship medals with them before he emigrated to England where he lived for thirty six years. He returned to Kerry in the mid eighties and served his club in many capacities. I had befriended him in latter years and he was always so generous with his time when I requested an interview with him for radio. A kind, gentle, unassuming and very pleasant person his death severs another close link with that legendary winning side of 1955.

By a strange quirk of fate another fine Kerry footballer who had played against Garry in the 1959 Kerry County final also died during the past weekend. John Healy, a Listowel Emmet's man was centre back on the defeated Feale Rangers side of 1959. A superb defender John won a Cork county championship with UCC in the early sixties. He played league and championship with Kerry in 1962. In one of his eight league games for his county against Wexford which Kerry won 4-15 to 1-4 John played in his favourite centre back position and his two wing back beside him that day were the great Murphy brothers from Camp, Sean and Seamus. Mick o Connell was midfield.  To the families, friends and club mates of all three deceased Kerry men we extend our deepest sympathies.


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