2 weeks Ago By Irishexaminer.com
Dingle 0-11 Dr Crokes 3-8 There will be talk of a crazy decider and an incredible seven minutes. But amidst that madness is a classic GAA cliché still rooted in incontestable logic: goals win games. Dr Crokes were the latest benefactors of that universal truth.
They clinched their 14th Bishop Moynihan Cup and moved to the summit of the Kerry SFC roll of honour after a rain-soaked encounter at Austin Stack Park. The game within the game was a stunning three-goal second-half blitz that turned the contest on its head. Perhaps it is better to say there were two games.
The one before the 42nd minute and the one after. In the initial exchanges, Dingle led 0-7 to 0-4 having dominated the tie. Dr Crokes had score three points from play and had a 36% conversion.
Dylan Geaney was on fire and would eventually finish with 0-5 while assisting 0-3. Pat O’Shea’s response was to spring 37-year-old Kieran O’Leary from the bench. The three-time All-Ireland winner dropped a shot short into Michael Flannery’s hands.
David Shaw pounced first with the tackle and then with the rifled effort. Suddenly it was level. Dingle to their credit swung back and took the lead again through Barry Dan O’Sullivan only for O’Leary to capitalise on a Cian McMahon short kick and beat a scrambling Dingle defence.
Evan Looney was riding high on this sudden surge and torched up the open terrace side for goal number three. That was the ball game wrapped up. Just before that green flag quickfire, Tom Leo O’Sullivan had a goal chance of his own.
Shane Murphy stood tall and settled for a 45. O’Sullivan’s effort hit the post on its way wide. This was not where Dingle’s challenge suffered.
In truth it was much before that. They were on top but never took the chance to stretch that. Twice in the first half, players raced in on goal and elected to punch over instead of going for goal.
Dylan Geaney cut on Murphy’s goal during a 3v3 break. He took the safe option with only two minutes played and took his point. Tom O’Sullivan did the exact same five minutes later.
Bearing down on goal with Tony Brosnan unable to stay with him, he fisted over Murphy’s bar. Even the goalkeeper stood up with his hands by his side as if disappointed with that choice. That’s the point of the much-maligned fisted point.
Teams can and do pay for going for it. It is also why outlawing such a move would be silly. Players make conservative calls every day, Gaelic football’s own moral code is the greatest enforcer.
So much of Dingle’s early display was creative and well-coached. They pressed high, they used goalkeeper Gavin Curran as a quasi-sweeper, taking up space in front of Shaw to deter the long kick pass. They won the throw-in, fed Dylan Geaney for a shot and chased the ball down when it dropped short.
Paul Geaney duly got them off the mark. They forced Murphy long with his kickout and won that too. For Crokes, the fact that it wasn’t worse was primarily thanks to their deep threat.
Gavin White drove forward relentlessly and kicked two first-half points when they were sorely needed. Evan and Brian Looney were outstanding. The goals changed the entire atmosphere in the ground and the complication of the game.
An aggravated Killarney sideline was suddenly calm, their attack started to flow. O’Leary added another late point, Micheal Burns clipped another two. It fell to captain David Naughton to climb the steps and collect the cup.
He took one look at the black and amber on the field and let out a roar. “First of all, I want to say what an absolute privilege and honour it is to accept the cup on behalf of an unbelievable club like Dr Crokes,” he said. “It has been away for too long, but it is back.
” Scorers for Dingle : D. Geaney 0-5; P. Geaney 0-2 (1 free) C.
Bambury, T. O’Sullivan, C. Geaney, B.
O’Sullivan 0-1 each. Scorers for Dr. Crokes: K.
O’Leary, D. Shaw 1-1 each; M. Burns 0-4 (1 free); E.
Looney 1-0, G. White 0-2. Dingle : G.
Curran; C. Flannery, C. O’Sullivan, T.
O’Sullivan; B. O’Connor, D. O’Sullivan, T.
O’Sullivan; B. O’Sullivan; B. O’Connor; C.
Bambury, M. O’Flaherty, N. Geaney; D.
Geaney, P. Geaney, T. Browne.
Subs: M. Flannery for O’Sullivan (24 - Inj); C. Geaney for D’ O’Sullivan (40); M.
Geaney for Browne (52); E. Hoare for O’Connor (60). Dr.
Crokes : S. Murphy; E. Looney, F.
Fitzgerald, J. Payne; M. Lynch, G.
White, B. Looney; M. O’Shea, C Keating; M.
Burns, G. O’Shea, T. Doyle; T.
Brosnan, D. Shaw, C. McMahon.
Subs: M. Potts for Keating, K. O’Leary for Doyle (36); D Naughton for Lynch (53); D.
Casey for McMahon (56). Referee : B. Griffin (Clounmacoon).
.
