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Casey calls time on his college colleagues' run

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-14 UCC (Cork) 2-10 : ELEVEN MONTHS of torment came to an end for Dr Crokes as they taught the students from…

Mon Dec 05 2011 - 00:00

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-14 UCC (Cork) 2-10: ELEVEN MONTHS of torment came to an end for Dr Crokes as they taught the students from UCC a lesson in the art of clinical finishing and so captured the Munster crown, at a wet and windy Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on Sunday afternoon.

It also ended UCC’s 16-match unbeaten run as the Crokes, having been rocked by an early Stephen O’Brien goal, responded with two rapid-fire goals in a two-minute spell from Kieran O’Leary and Daithí Casey – who helped UCC win the Cork SFC title – as Crokes struck the front and they were never subsequently headed.

This was a refreshingly open and honest contest with not a foul blow or a dirty tackle in the game.

UCC boss Paul O’Keeffe was philosophical afterwards and had no complaints about the result: “We did a lot of work in the first 15 minutes and I thought that we were on top. After we got our goal we were five points up and exactly where we wanted to be but then we conceded a goal straightaway.

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“We lost our focus a little bit, and then conceded another goal shortly after that. That was the turning point. We were on the back foot after that, probably for the rest of the game to be honest.”

Once Colm Cooper turned up the heat early in the second half, it was curtains for UCC as the lights went out on their Munster ambitions.

“At half-time I thought we were rightly in it, the game was in the melting pot but then we came out and conceded three points in a row and it just took the steam out of us really,” added O’Keeffe

Dr Crokes boss Harry O’Neill was delighted to have atoned for last January’s galling defeat to Nemo Rangers, so this was a sweet win for a team that has been doing things the hard way this year.

“The wind was strong in the opening half and it was difficult to play against and UCC set out their stall early by putting 13 men behind the ball and then they try and hit you on the break. We found it difficult to get the ball up the field and we had something like 12 turnovers in the opening half and that gave them back a lot of hard-won ball.

“Then Stephen O’Brien got a great goal and they jumped 1-4 to 0-2 up but then we got those two quick-fire goals and that set us on the way.

“We needed a kick in the backside against Kilmurry-Ibrickane and that came when Daithí Casey was sent off and today it was that UCC goal and the shock of going five points down after 20 minutes that appeared to reignite us, and I think once we responded the way we did, then we got to half-time, a point in front, we felt that with the wind to our backs in the second half that we were in a strong position to kick on.

“We were able to hold our shape a lot better and get the ball into our inside line. Then Colm Cooper chalked up three quick points in as many minutes, at the start of the second half and it gave us the cushion that we needed.”

UCC began a string of points from Jamie O’Sullivan, Paul Geaney, William Kennedy and Mike Griffin as Crokes could only muster two points in reply, both from Casey frees.

Then UCC struck with a 20th minute goal from Stephen O’Brien to really set the alarms bells ringing in the Crokes camp.

However, Crokes proved once again what a deadly arsenal they have up front, as they responded with two goals in two minutes.

Firstly, Fionn Fitzgerald and Shane Myers set up Kerry star Kieran O’Leary who finished low to the net and that was quickly followed by Casey’s first goal, set up by Colm Cooper and Kieran O’Leary. This gave Crokes a one-point lead they were never to relinquish, as they retired 2-4 to 1-6 in front at the interval.

Crokes resumed a revitalised side with Colm Cooper taking charge as UCC wilted and three Cooper points inside three minutes had the Kerry champions on their way. Cooper seemed to be everywhere and players like Casey, O’Leary, Doolan and Brian Looney added points as UCC ran out of steam.

Casey killed off his college team-mates in the 55th minute with a cracking goal and despite a scrambled Paul Geaney goal a minute later, Crokes advance to face Crossmaglen in the All-Ireland semi-final in February when the Kerry side will be seeking revenge for the 2007 final defeat to the same opponents and reigning champions.

DR CROKES:A Kelly; J Payne, L Quinn, D O'Leary; F Fitzgerald, E Brosnan (0-1), S Myers; A O'Donovan (0-1), J Buckley; A Kenneally, D Casey (2-3, 0-3 frees), B Looney (0-4); C Cooper (0-4), K O'Leary (1-1), J Doolan. Subs: B McMahon for J Buckley (53 mins); C Brady for J Doolan (58 mins); S O'Neill for a Kenneally (60 mins).

UCC:S Mellett; M Hickey, P Crowley, M Galvin; T Clancy, N Daly (0-1), S Kiely (0-1); W Kennedy (0-1), J O'Sullivan (0-1); B Coughlan (0-2), M Griffin (0-1), JB Spillane; S O'Brien (1-0), G O'Grady (0-1, free), P Geaney (1-2, 0-2 frees). Subs: D Culhane for M Hickey; S Beston for J O'Sullivan (41 mins); A Greaney (Kerry) for M Griffin (43).

Referee:R Hickey (Clare).