Dr Crokes 1-15 Daingean Uí Chúis 0-11
Boosted by an impressive personal tally of 0-09 from Kerry star Tony Brosnan, Dr Crokes have dethroned 2023 champions Daingean Uí Chúis to secure the Kerry Senior Club Football Championship title for the ninth time in the competition's history.
In a repeat of the 2018 final, the last time Dr Crokes were crowned senior club champions, it was the Killarney side, albeit aided by a strong breeze, who led by five points at half-time, 1-07 to 0-05, a lead Pat O’Shea’s charges extended to seven by full-time, 1-15 to 0-11.
Man-of-the-match Tony Brosnan top-scored with 0-09 for Crokes, while an impressive second-half performance from Dylan Geaney, which saw the Kerry forward score four of Daingean Uí Chúis’ second half return of six, gave Daingean Uí Chúis a fighting chance.
Dr Crokes’ win now puts the Killarney side level with Castleisland Desmonds with nine Senior Club Football Championship titles.
After Daingean Uí Chúis opened the scoring through a close-range Conor Geaney free inside the opening minute, Dr Crokes notched up 1-04 unanswered scores before Conor Geaney got Dingle’s first point from play in the 13th minute.
Crokes' goal came with just five minutes on the clock – a superb through ball from half-forward Tom Doyle found Cian McMahon and after the lively corner-forward’s first shot was denied by Daingean Uí Chúis half-back Niall Geaney, he found the net with the rebound.
Credit to Daingean Uí Chúis, the West Kerry side responded well to Crokes first quarter dominance and boosted by Conor Geaney’s 13th minute point, Pádraig Ó Corcoráin’s charges slotted over two without response – Mícheál Geaney and Dylan Geaney getting their first points – to bring it back to a three-point game.
Crokes could have had a second goal on 20 minutes but Niall Geaney was again on hand to deny Gavin O’Shea after the half-forward almost took full advantage of a superb defence-splitting pass from Brosnan.
Just five minutes after the restart, Dylan Geaney was denied a certain goal by a superb save from Crokes keeper’ Shane Murphy - a sign of things to come as the Kerry forward came into form in the final half hour.
Crokes responded in style, however, and scored seven of the remaining 12 minutes to run out seven-point winners, despite an impressive second half display from Dylan and Paul Geaney.
With 10 minutes to go, Daingean Uí Chúis clawed back the deficit to four after scoring three-in-a-row with points coming from Paul Geaney and the impressive and in-from Dylan Geaney (2).
However, Crokes opened up a six-point lead thanks to a scores from Brosnan (free), Burns (free), Evan Looney, and Micheál Burns with three minutes to go.
It was none other than Tony Brosnan who tapped over the final score to ensure the seven-point victory.
Dr Crokes: Shane Murphy; Neil O’Shea, Fionn Fitzgerald, Evan Looney (0-01); Charlie Keating, Gavin White, Brian Looney; Mark O’Shea, Michael Potts; Micheál Burns (0-04, 0-01f), Gavin O’Shea, Tom Doyle; Tony Brosnan (0-09, five frees), David Shaw, Cian McMahon (1-01)
Subs: John Payne for Neil O’Shea (36 minutes, injured), Kieran O’Leary for Doyle (55), David Naughten (capt.) for McMahon (62), Mark Cooper for Potts (65)
Daingean Uí Chúis: Gavin H Curran; Conor Flannery, Conor O’Sullivan, Sean Óg Ó Moráin; Niall Geaney, Tom L O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Sullivan; Barry O’Sullivan, Liam O’Connor; Brian O’Connor, Paul Geaney (capt.) (0-03, 0-01f), Mícheál Geaney (0-01); Dylan Geaney (0-05), Conor Geaney (0-03, 0-01f), Cathal Bambury
Subs: Matthew O’Flaherty for Brian O’Connor (50), Mícheál Ó Flannúra for Ó Moráin (51), Tadhg de Brún for Darragh O’Sullivan (58), Breandán Ó Céilleachair for Conor Geary (62)
Referee: Séamus Mulvihill (St Senan’s)
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