Sport

Cooper guides Crokes to victory

All-Ireland Club SFC Quarter-final/ Dr Crokes 2-12 St Brendan's 0-5 : Dr Crokes qualified for the All-Ireland club football …

Mon Jan 29 2007 - 00:00

All-Ireland Club SFC Quarter-final/ Dr Crokes 2-12 St Brendan's 0-5: Dr Crokes qualified for the All-Ireland club football championship semi-final with a comprehensive 13-point victory at Ruislip yesterday.

Although the final scoreline did not do justice to the plucky London champions, there could be no mistaking the wide gap in class between the two sides.

A second-half scoring blitz - aided by two successful penalties from Colm 'Gooch' Cooper - ended St Brendan's hopes.

The Kerry star, who had been reasonably well shackled in the opening period, scored 2-3 from placed balls to end the home side's brave resistance.

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Though playing with the benefit of a considerable breeze in the opening half, Dr Crokes didn't have things all their own way. A Killian Phair free put St Brendan's ahead after just two minutes.

Kieran O'Leary equalised with a fine point off his left foot after seven minutes before an Eoin Brosnan point, followed by two points each from Cooper and captain James Fleming, put the Kerry side firmly in the driving seat.

Three superb saves by goalkeeper Billy Molloy helped keep St Brendan's in contention as Dr Crokes led 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval. Within six minutes of the restart Cooper added a further 1-1 to Crokes' tally, through a pointed free and the first of his two penalties.

That was awarded when man of the match Brian McMahon set up Ambrose O'Donovan who was fouled by Fergal McArdle.

Brendan's could only manage a further two scores from Phair frees as Crokes continued to dominate and by the time Cooper was fouled for the second penalty five minutes from time the result was inevitable. Dr Crokes advance to face Leinster and Kildare champions Moorefield in Limerick on February 18th.

DR CROKES: K Cremin; M Moloney, L Quinn, S Doolan; B Moriary, M Moloney, E Kavanagh; A O'Donovan, B McMahon; B Looney, K Brosnan (0-1), J Fleming (0-2, one free); C Cooper (2-5, 0-2 from pens, 0-3 from frees), E Brosnan (0-1), K O'Leary (0-2). Subs: V Cooper for K Brosnan; D Moloney (0-1)for Looney; J Cahillane for Doolan.

ST BRENDAN'S: B Molloy; F McArdle, P Malone, G Cullen; P Tierney, F Greenan, S O'Hare; S McAlinden, P Mitchell; L O'Connell, P Bolger, J Corscadden; K Phair (0-4, one free), S Cullen, A Brett (0-1). Subs: L Fallon for Mitchell; P Bowles for G Cullen.

Referee: T Quigley(Wexford).