AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Semi Final – Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 0-12 Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) 0-9

Crokes survive Clare scare

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 0-12 Kilmurray Ibrickane (Clare) 0-09

By Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

NO TARMAC melting on the roads and no throngs jamming all routes into Killarney yesterday, but an enthralling game nonetheless in this AIB Munster Club SFC semi-final at Dr Crokes ground. The club championships often throw up pocket classics that stay warm in the memory, and this meeting of Kerry and Clare was one of them. Forget the climate and the crowds, there were other preconceptions and presumptions coming to an abrupt end in Killarney: a terrific game ending twelve points to nine rather than a scorefest, for instance. Or the visitors settling quicker and jumping into a three points to nil lead in the first five minutes. Fourteen men keeping possession more easily than when they were fully staffed. Or Colm Cooper staying scoreless until 12 minutes to go.

If, before the game, you’d told Crokes manager Harry O’Neill about Cooper not threatening the scoreboard for almost 50 minutes – or that he’d lose centre-forward Daithi Casey with a quarter of the game to play and the Clare side two points ahead – he’d have probably swallowed hard and tried to see the positives somewhere in the distance. Which shows what you can achieve with statistics. The other side of the equation was that Crokes kept Kilmurry scoreless for the last 22 minutes, and Cooper hit the last four scores of the match to see them home by three.

For all that, he still wasn’t the most crucial performer for Crokes. O’Neill moved Eoin Brosnan to a roaming role further upfield in the second-half, and the big man revelled in that freedom – setting up scores, linking the play and using his intelligence to cut out Kilmurry attacks. The run of the game? Kilmurry-Ibrickane hit those three early points, and Crokes showed some frustration, collecting three yellow cards inside the first ten minutes (Jamie Doolan, Fionn Fitzgerald and Andrew Kenneally). They reeled in the Clare men with points from Daithí Casey and Kieran O’Leary (two) before Casey (free) nudged the Lewis Road side ahead. Evan Talty and Ian McInerney put Kilmurry one ahead before sub Johnny Daly (on for Mike McCarthy, who was taken to hospital with a suspected cruciate ligament injury) made the gap two.

Crokes wouldn’t have been happy with the treatment of Cooper in the lead-up to that point. The inter-county star was pinned to the ground in the Kilmurry half by an opponent before the Clare men swept downfield to score, and Cooper suffered further ignominy when yellow-carded by referee Derek O’Mahoney. Johnny Buckley made it 0-6 to 0-5 at the break, but Enda Coughlan and Noel Downes helped Kilmurry to a three-point lead early in the second half. Casey and Daly swapped frees before Crokes sub Chris Brady hit back with a fisted point.

Then the game took a decisive swing with a second yellow, and dismissal, for Daithí Casey. The sending-off energised Crokes in their characteristic calm possession-game-way (unsurprising, perhaps, given the last phase of their warm-up was a lengthy conditioned game based on ball retention). The Killarney men didn’t panic – or, as noted, start beating the chests – but used the space well, creating room where they wanted to: in the Kilmurry half. Their opponents didn’t seem able to organise the extra man and after Kieran O’Leary cut the deficit to two, Cooper took over, running the game in the last ten minutes and helping himself to four points: the equaliser and the winning margin. Kilmurry’s Enda Coughlan got a straight red with six minutes left. “For very long stages we were in trouble,” said Cooper. “They were very much on top for maybe 95% of the game, but a small bit of experience from our fellas just got us over the line.” Crokes face UCC in the provincial final, but their sleek ground was itself a place for higher learning yesterday.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: C. Cooper 0-4 (0-1 f); D. Casey, K. O’Leary 0-3 (0-1 f) each; C. Brady, J. Buckley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilmurry-Ibrickane: N. Downes, E. Coughlan, J. Daly (0-1 f) 0-2 each; I. McInerney (f), M. Hogan and E. Talty 0-1 each.

DR CROKES: A. Kelly; J. Payne, L. Quinn (c), D. O’Leary; F. Fitzgerald, E. Brosnan, S. Myers; A. O’Donovan, J. Buckley; A. Kenneally, D. Casey, B. Looney; C. Cooper, K. O’Leary, J. Doolan.

Subs: B. McMahon for D. O’Leary (half-time); C. Brady for J. Doolan (40); S. O’Neill for Kenneally (52).

KILMURRY-IBRICKANE: P. O’Dwyer; S. Hickey, D. Hickey, M. McMahon; D. Callinan, E. Talty, E. Coughlan; P. O’Connor, P. O’Dwyer (c); I. McInerney, M. Hogan, M. McCarthy; S. Moloney, N. Downes, M. O’Dwyer.

Subs: J. Daly for M. McCarthy (25).

Referee: D. O’Mahoney (Tipperary).

Magical Cooper to the rescue for Crokes

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

IN the end it was a familiar story, all about the magic of Colm Cooper — yet again. Midway through a rain-soaked second half in Killarney, Cooper’s Dr Crokes trailed Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane by 0-9 to 0-7 and were down to 14 men after Daithi Casey’s red card. Cooper and Crokes were backed into a corner, with little room to manoeuvre. But, in typical fashion, Cooper took control of the game despite all the close attention he received, whipping over the last four points of an intense contest. Along with Eoin Brosnan, who was excellent when he pushed up more in the second half, Cooper rescued Dr Crokes on a day when the Kerry champions were pushed all the way by a well-organised Kilmurry-Ibrickane.

After a strong start to the second half saw scores from the impressive pair of Enda Coughlan — later to receive a straight red card — and Noel Downes, as well as sub Johnny Daly, Kilmurry-Ibrickane surged ahead by 0-9 to 0-6. A shock was on the cards. But John Kennedy’s side failed to score for the last 23 minutes and struggled to make their extra-man advantage count when Casey received his second yellow card with 16 minutes to go — a total of 11 yellow cards (eight to Crokes) and two red cards were dished out.

Dr Crokes manager Harry O’Neill reckoned that Casey’s red card actually spurred the home side on, explaining: “You need something in a game to really get your guys up for it and that may have been the turning point. “When Daithi got sent off, the rest of the guys said ‘we better stand up and be counted’. That’s what they did.” In that final quarter, sub Chris Brady made an instant impact with a point before Kieran O’Leary and Cooper combined to set the latter up for a score that left Crokes a single point behind, 0-9 to 0-8.

Cooper then took over in the scoring stakes. After Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Michael Hogan lost the ball, Brosnan set up Cooper to level the game before the Kerry captain swung one over from distance to push the home side in front by 0-10 to 0-9 with eight minutes left. With the game building towards a crescendo, Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Coughlan then received a straight red before Michael O’Dwyer squandered a great chance of tying the scores once more, as the chance of glory was slipping from the Clare side’s grasp.

Crokes, patient and composed when it really mattered, used all of their experience as Cooper picked off the final two scores to end Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s interest in the Munster campaign. In reflective mood, manager John Kennedy admitted: “Crokes deserved it because they stuck in with it right to the end. But for 50 minutes we matched one of the best teams in the country. At the end there were a few chances that maybe we could have gotten.” Kennedy was hugely proud of Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s performance, particularly in the first half when they raced 0-3 to 0-0 in front inside three minutes, with Noel Downes, who caused plenty of problems in the first half, Coughlan and Michael Hogan delighting the large visiting support.

Back came Crokes, with a brace apiece from Casey and Kieran O’Leary, to hit the front, 0-4 to 0-3, only for Evan Talty, Ian McInerney and sub Johnny Daly — a score that should not have stood as Cooper was fouled in possession while attacking before Kilmurry-Ibrickane launched a counter-attack — to send the Clare men two clear. A monstrous Johnny Buckley effort left Dr Crokes just a point behind at half-time, 0-6 to 0-5, and despite Kilmurry-Ibrickane leading by three at one stage of the second half, they had no answer to the Cooper and Brosnan double act, while Kieran O’Leary also showed up well. It wasn’t vintage Crokes by any means but, not for the first time, they emerged unscathed from a game they could have lost. And not for the first time, Cooper more than played his part.

Scorers — Dr Crokes: C Cooper 0-4 (1f) , K O’Leary, D Casey (1f) 0-3 each, J Buckley, C Brady 0-1 each. Kilmurry-Ibrickane: E Coughlan, N Downes, J Daly (1f) 0-2 each, E Talty, M Hogan, I McInerney (1f) 0-1 each.

Dr Crokes — A Kelly; J Payne, L Quinn, D O’Leary; F Fitzgerald, E Brosnan, S Myers; A O’Donovan, J Buckley; A Kenneally, D Casey, B Looney; C Cooper, K O’Leary, J Doolan. Subs: B McMahon for D O’Leary (h-t); C Brady for J Doolan (41); S O’Neill for A Kenneally (53).

Kilmurry-Ibrickane — P O’Dwyer; S Hickey, D Hickey, M McMahon; D Callinan, E Talty, P O’Connor; E Coughlan, P O’Dwyer; I McInerney, M Hogan, M McCarthy; S Moloney, N Downes, M O’Dwyer.Subs: J Daly for M McCarthy (inj, 22); N Hickey for M Hogan (58).

Ref — D O’Mahony (Tipperary)

CLASSY COOPER RESCUES CROKES AFTER RARE OLD FRIGHT FROM CLARE CHAMPIONS

AIB Munster Senior Club Football Championship – semi final

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 0-12 Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-9

By Murt Murphy for kerrygaa.ie

KERRY captain Colm Cooper was at his imperious best in the final quarter of yesterday’s epic Munster SFC Club semi-final as the Dr Crokes ace rattled off the last four points of the contest that saw his side advance to the provincial final. With the home side trailing 0-9 to 0-7 at the three-quarter stage and having lost Daithi Casey to a second yellow card, Dr Crokes looked in big trouble. But Kilmurry-Ibrickane contributed to their own downfall as they failed to score in the last 23 minutes of this semi-final – after pushing 0-9 to 0-6 ahead after 37 minutes – while they also never made their extra man count. Instead it was Dr Crokes that were spurred on from Casey’s dismissal, a moment that seemed to galvanise the Killarney side as from then on they played their best stuff, with Cooper and the excellent Eoin Brosnan central figures.

After points from sub Chris Brady and Kieran O’Leary left Dr Crokes 0-9 to 0-8 behind, Cooper then took over, as he sprung to life in his own inimitable style by whipping over the final four points of the contest to book Crokes place in the final. But Kilmurry-Ibrickane didn’t help their cause when midfielder Enda Coughlan received a straight red card with five minutes left when his side just trailed by a point, 0-10 to 0-9, while the Clare champions also hit a bad wide that would have squared this contest. Crokes made no such mistakes with Cooper hitting form when it was needed most, ably supported by Brosnan, Kieran O’Leary, and Johnny Buckley and Ambrose O’Donovan in midfield.

But in the first half Dr Crokes failed to really fire and found themselves 0-3 to 0-0 behind with Noel Downes, Coughlan and Michael Hogan all on target for Kilmurry-Ibrickane, who started both halves impressively. Experienced campaigners at this stage, Dr Crokes played their way back into the game and actually led 0-4 to 0-3 at the three-quarter stage, thanks to two points apiece from Kieran O’Leary and Daithi Casey. Kilmurry-Ibrickane, however, were winning the majority of the breaks around the middle and in Downes and Coughlan had two of the game’ best players, as they led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time. And despite a strong start to the second half, Kilmurry-Ibrickane wilted under the Crokes pressure with Colm Cooper, again, the hero for the Kerry champions.

Crokes boss Harry O’Neill was a relieved man at the end of this tense semi final “It took us some time to counteract their game plan which they carried out to a tee. They got off to a flying start racing three points clear inside the opening two minutes and then after we pegged them back to a point at half time, they blitzed us early in the second half again. We got a rare old fright but our lads showed a lot of character to get back in the game and we had the experience of the likes of Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan to finish off the game for us. We knew that Kilmurry-Ibrickane were going to be a tough side to beat but telling fellows that is one thing, and it registering is another”

O’Neill felt that in fact the sending off of Daithi Casey was what helped change the game in their favour as it galvanized fourteen man Crokes “I felt that there was more to give by our lads and that we were of our usual intensity in that second half and then Daithi Casey picked up his second yellow and I think that his sending off lifted our players and the Clare lads never really utilized their numerical advantage which is more often than not the case. We were two points down and a man down but we didn’t panic and the lads raised their game and Colm Cooper Eoin Brosnan took the game by the scruff of the neck so the sending off actually helped us. ”

As for the contribution of Colm Cooper who was well shackled in the opening, but showed all his class with four when Crokes needed them most, O’Neill simply said that “They stopped us from getting ball into Colm Cooper for long periods but the measure of great players like Colm Cooper is that they never give up, and the when the game was there to be won and we eventually managed to get ball to him, and he did the rest. It’s just a privilege for the Crokes to have a player of his class and as a manager; it makes my job easier because he is leader and a match winner”

Scorers

Dr Crokes: C Cooper (1f) 0-4, K O’Leary, D Casey (1f) 0-3 each, J Buckley, C Brady 0-1 each.

Kilmurry-Ibrickane: E Coughlan, N Downes, J Daly (1f) 0-2 each, E Talty, M Hogan, I McInerney (1f) 0-1 each.

Dr Crokes: A Kelly; J Payne, L Quinn, D O’Leary; F Fitzgerald, E Brosnan, S Myers; A O’Donovan, J Buckley; A Kenneally, D Casey, B Looney; C Cooper, K O’Leary, J Doolan.

Subs: B McMahon for D O’Leary; C Brady for J Doolan; S O’Neill for A Kenneally

Kilmurry-Ibrickane: P O’Dwyer; S Hickey, D Hickey, M McMahon; D Callinan, E Talty, E Coughlan; P O’Connor, P O’Dwyer; I McInerney, M Hogan, M McCarthy; S Moloney, N Downes, M O’Dwyer.

Subs: J Daly for M McCarthy; N Hickey for M Hogan.

Referee: Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary).

Classy Cooper turns it on to clinch Crokes’ final place

Report from the Irish Times newspaper

MUNSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL Dr Crokes (Kerry) 0-12 Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) 0-9: KERRY CAPTAIN Colm Cooper was at his imperious best in the final quarter of yesterday’s epic Munster SFC club semi-final as he rattled off the last four points of the contest that saw Dr Crokes advance to the provincial final. With the home side trailing 0-9 to 0-7 at the three-quarter stage and having lost Daithí Casey to a second yellow card, Dr Crokes looked in big trouble. But Kilmurry-Ibrickane contributed to their own downfall as they failed to score in the last 23 minutes – after pushing 0-9 to 0-6 ahead after 37 minutes – while they also never made their extra man count.

Instead it was Dr Crokes that were spurred on from Casey’s dismissal, as they played their best stuff, with Cooper and the excellent Eoin Brosnan central figures. After points from substitute Chris Brady and Kieran O’Leary left Dr Crokes 0-9 to 0-8 behind, Cooper took over to book Crokes’ place in the final.Kilmurry-Ibrickane didn’t help their cause when midfielder Enda Coughlan received a straight red card with five minutes left, with his side trailing 0-10 to 0-9. Dr Crokes made no such mistakes with Cooper hitting form when it was needed most, ably supported by Brosnan, Kieran O’Leary, and Johnny Buckley and Ambrose O’Donovan in midfield.

In the first half Dr Crokes failed to fire and found themselves 0-3 to 0-0 behind, with Noel Downes, Coughlan and Michael Hogan all on target for Kilmurry-Ibrickane. Dr Crokes played their way back into the game and went 0-4 to 0-3 in front, thanks to two points apiece from Kieran O’Leary and Casey. Kilmurry-Ibrickane, however, were winning the majority of the breaks around the middle and in Downes and Coughlan had two of the game’s best players, as they led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time.

And despite a strong start to the second half, Kilmurry-Ibrickane wilted under the Dr Crokes pressure. Dr Crokes boss Harry O’Neill was a relieved man afterwards: “It took us some time to counteract their game plan, which they carried out to a tee. They got off to a flying start, racing three points clear inside the opening two minutes and then after we pegged them back to a point at half-time, they blitzed us early in the second half again. “We knew Kilmurry-Ibrickane were going to be a tough side to beat but telling fellows that is one thing, and it registering is another. “We were two points down and a man down but we didn’t panic and the lads raised their game and Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan took the game by the scruff of the neck – so the sending off actually helped us.”

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

KILMURRY-IBRICKANE : P O’Dwyer; S Hickey, D Hickey, M McMahon; D Callinan, E Talty (0-1), E Coughlan (0-2); P O’Connor, P O’Dwyer; I McInerney (0-1, free), M Hogan (0-1), M McCarthy; S Moloney, N Downes (0-2), M O’Dwyer. Subs : J Daly (0-2, 0-1 free) for M McCarthy; N Hickey for M Hogan.

Referee: D O’Mahony (Tipperary)

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Senior Championship 2011

Quarter-Final

Sunday November 6^th (Replay date – Saturday November 12th)

@ Cloughduv                                   UCC (Cork) 1-19 Monaleen (Limerick) 2-15 (AET)

@ Fraher Field Dungarvan Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 3-13 Ballinacourty (Waterford) 0-7

Semi-Finals
Sunday November 20^th (Replay date – Saturday November 26th)

@ Dr. Crokes GAA Club grounds Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) v Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 2:00pm

@ Clonmel Sportsfield                     Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) v UCC (Cork) 2:00pm

Final

Sunday December 4^th (Replay date – Saturday December 10th)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

Since 2000, Cork hold the best record in the Munster Club Championship with 19 victories and 6 Munster Club titles during that period.

Clare won 3 Munster Club Senior Football titles since 2004 and have won 13 of the 24 matches played in the Munster Club Championship since 2000.

Kerry’s record in the Munster Club Senior Football Championship sees them with 13 titles, just under half the total of Cork clubs (27). Since 2000, Kerry have captured 2 Munster club titles and have not captured the All-Ireland Club Senior Football title since Laune Rangers victory in 1995 / 1996. During Kerry’s Golden Years at Inter-County level, Kerry won just 3 of the 12 Munster Club Senior Football titles on offer (Austin Stacks – 1976 & Castleisland Desmonds 1984 and 1985).

Limerick’s Dromcollogher-Broadford defeated Nemo Rangers and Kilmurry/Ibrickane to win the 2008 Munster Club Senior Football title. Those 2 victories are the only wins for the Limerick Senior Football champions in this competition dating back to 2003, a period of 9 matches which include 8 defeats and 1 drawn game, includling Monaleen’s defeat to UCC this season.

Tipperary and Waterford are the only Munster counties yet to win a Munster Club Senior Football title.

From 1964 to 1997, no club outside of Kerry or Cork won the Munster Club Senior Football title (Thomond College representing Limerick won the 1977 title). Since 1998, Kilmurry/Ibrickane (2), Doonbeg and Dromcollogher-Broadford have been successful in winning the Munster Club Senior Football titles.

Since St. Patrick’s Day 1996, only 1 of the last 15 Munster Club Senior Football champions (7%) have won the All-Ireland Club Senior Football title – Nemo Rangers in the 2002/2003 season. Prior to 1996, Munster Clubs captured 15 All-Ireland’s at this grade, an average of 60% dating back to 1971.

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (27) – 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010

Kerry (13) – 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006,

Clare (3) – 1998, 2004, 2009

Limerick (2) – 1977, 2008

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship – List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began 1888 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/sfclub_teams

All Ireland GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship

In the Club Senior Football All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork top the charts with 11 titles followed by Kerry with 5. Limerick have 1 All-Ireland Club Football title courtesy of Thomond College in 1977/1978.

Munster Club Senior FOOTBALL Cup

Club Championship Senior Football Cup – Michael O’Connor Cup

Presented by Munster Council in 1991 to commemorate late Chairman & Treasurer.