AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Quarter Final – Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 3-13 Ballinacourty (Waterford) 0-7

Two-goal Gooch kick starts Crokes

Report by Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Dr Crokes 3-13 Ballinacourty 0-07

A TWO-GOAL salvo in the opening two minutes of the second-half from Colm Cooper decided yesterday’s Munster Club SFC quarter-final at sunny Fraher Field, Dungarvan. Waterford champions Ballinacourty were only two points behind at the break but Cooper produced two quality goals — and a point — to set Dr Crokes on the road to victory. It was a flash of quality on what had been a pretty humdrum day. Despite perfect conditions, both sides were slow to get into the game though Crokes — playing into the waterside goal in the first half had Andrew Kenneally pointing inside a minute.

The opening ten minutes were pretty lacklustre, though Ballinacourty had a golden goal chance on five minutes: a Gary Hurney flick found its way to Mark Ferncombe, but Crokes ‘keeper Alan Kelly advanced and spread himself well to smother the shot and the Kerry side smuggled the ball out of danger. Hurney was marked by Eoin Brosnan, who generally limited the Waterford side’s danger man, though the big full-forward levelled from play soon after. On 11 minutes Hurney had a half-chance but he snatched at it and Kelly dealt with it comfortably. Crokes went downfield and Daithi Casey made good ground down the left wing before pointing. From the kick-out Shane Briggs tied it up, driving through the middle before popping the ball over the bar – two points apiece at the end of the first quarter.

Surprisingly, Kerry star Cooper played corner-forward rather than out the field as a playmaker, and had little impact on proceedings in the first-half apart from drawing a yellow card for dissent on 20 minutes. That caution was Gary Hurney’s cue for another point, but then Crokes hit form with Daithi Casey, Brian Looney and Jame Noonan rattling over scores, with only sub Colm Keane replying for Ballinacourty. Daithi Casey pointed a late free to give Croke’s two to spare at the break (0-6 to 0-4).

Cooper’s brace of goals on the resumption deflated Ballinacourty visibly, and the intercounty star proceeded to add four points in-a-row, the last coming from a free he drew himself from his marker, Gavin Breen who was dismissed for a second yellow card. Before Ballinacourty re-organised defensively, Croke’s had another goal, wing-forward Kenneally touching home a loose ball. It meant that with over 15 minutes left the scoreline was 3-9 to 0-4, and the rest of the game was a non-event in terms of competitiveness. Crokes were able to empty their bench, while the home supporters had late points to cheer from John and Gary Hurney.

Still, when Crokes manager Harry O’Neill was asked if the game had gone as expected, he disagreed. “As expected? I don’t know. Coming down here we were still going back to last year and Aherlow above in Cashel (in the Munster club championship). We had a tough battle then and there was a similar feel to today – a team that was always going to be well prepared. “I thought in the first half it was very tight for long periods and I said to our lads, ‘if we can get in here for half-time level or maybe a point up or down I’ll be happy enough’.

“Ballinacourty threw everything they had at us and in fairness I thought we stood up to it well. In the space of three minutes after half-time Colm Cooper bagged two goals and a point, and it was game over. “I’m delighted with our lads, it was a tough place to come down to especially after winning a county final last week. We had to take them off the celebrations early. Though back-to-back titles don’t come around our place too often, so we had to let them off for a couple of days. But when they came back in their attitude has been outstanding.”

Scorers for Dr Crokes: C. Cooper 2-4 (0-1 f); A. Enneally 1-1, D. Casey 0-4 (0-1 f); J. Doolan 0-2; B. Looney, J. Buckley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballinacourty: G. Hurney 0-3; M. Ferncombe, C. Keane, J. Hurney, S. Briggs 0-1 each.

DR CROKE’S: 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: C. Brady for Looney, 48; K. McMahon for Payne, 50; S. O’Neil for Kenneally, 54; J. Jones for McMahon, 56; G. Tucker for Myers, 58 .

BALLINACOURTY: S. Enright, M. Lavan, J. Phelan G. Breen, J. Hurney, P. Lynch, R. Foley, S. Briggs, S. O’Hare (c), J. Gorman, P. Hurney, M. Fives, J. O’Mahoney, G. Hurhey, M. Ferncombe.

Subs: C. Keane for Gorman, 16, C. Moloney for O’Mahoney, 37; M. Gorman for M. Fives, 41.

Referee: C. Lane (Cork)

Cooper and Casey prove unstoppable combination for Crokes

From the Irish Independent newspaper

Dr Crokes 3-13 , Ballinacourty 0-7

Daithi Casey put in a Man of the Match performance for Dr Crokes at Fraher Field yesterday as the Kerry champions easily beat a Ballinacourty side that finished the game with 14 men. The Waterford champions were never really at the races and there was only going to be one result after their corner-back Gavin Breen was ordered off half-way through the second half after collecting a second yellow card. However, while Casey excelled, it was another forward whose name was on the lips of most spectators leaving the ground. Colm Cooper — who was reported last week to be waiting on his side’s exit from the championship before undergoing surgery — turned on the style in a 12-minute spell after the break, bagging 2-3 during this period.

The first of the goals came 70 seconds after the restart when the magnificent Casey — who helped UCC win the Cork championship last month — found Cooper on the edge of the square and he gave Stephen Enright no chance from close range. Just 55 seconds later, this year’s Kerry captain again collected another long delivery into the Dr Crokes inside line and again the ace marksman blasted past Enright. For much of the opening half, little if anything separated the two teams. Points from Brian Looney, Jamie Doolan and Casey in the last six minutes of the half proved to be the main difference between the sides in that opening half as the Kerry champions went in leading by 0-6 to 0-4.

Ballinacourty, however, could count themselves unlucky not be in front at this stage, as Alan Kelly twice denied Gary Hurney goal-scoring chances in the opening 12 minutes and the normally reliable Shane Briggs kicked two placed balls wide that he should have tapped over. Whatever competitiveness that remained in the game by the three-quarter mark quickly evaporated when Breen was sent off 17 minutes from time and when Andrew Kenneally punched Dr Crokes’ third goal. After this the contest quickly petered out to its inevitable conclusion, with the Killarney side playing much of the last quarter at pedestrian pace.

Scorers — Dr Crokes: C Cooper 2-3 (1f), A Kenneally 1-1, D Casey 0-4 (1f), B Looney, J Doolan, J Buckley, C Brady, J Jones 0-1 each. Ballinacourty: G Hurney 0-3 (1f), S Briggs, C Keane, M Ferncombe, J Hurney 0-1 each.

Ballinacourty — S Enright; M Lavan, J Phelan, G Breen; J Hurney, P Lynch, R Foley; S Briggs, S O’Hare; J Gorman, P Hurney, M Fives; J O’Mahony, G Hurney, M Ferncombe. Subs: C Keane for J Gorman (20 mins), C Moloney for J O’Mahony (38), M Gorman for M Fives (44).

Dr Crokes — A Kelly; J Payne, L Quinn, D O’Leary; F Fitzgerald, E Brosnan, S Myers; B McMahon, J Buckley; A Kenneally, D Casey, B Looney; C Cooper, K O’Leary, J Doolan. Subs: C Brady for B Looney (49), S O’Neill for A Kennelly (53), J Jones for B McMahon (56), G Tucker for for S Myers (58).

Ref — C Lane (Cork)

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Senior Championship 2011

Quarter-Final

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

@ Cloughduv                                   UCC (Cork) v Monaleen (Limerick)                                2:00pm

@ Fraher Field Dungarvan Ballinacourty (Waterford) v Dr. Crokes (Kerry)          2:00pm

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

@ Kerry or Waterford venue          Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) v Ballinacourty (Waterford) or Dr. Crokes (Kerry)

@ Tipperary or Waterford venue    Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) v UCC (Cork) or Monaleen (Limerick)

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 18 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 8 matches which include 7 defeats and 1 drawn game.

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.