Dr Crokes 1-15 Castlehaven 1-8
Terrific Tony Brosnan demonstrated that class is permanent with a power-packed display for Dr Crokes that sent reigning provincial and Cork champions Castlehaven packing from this year’s Munster Club Football Championship.
The lethal Crokes and Kerry attacker contributed 1-7 to the 1-15 to 1-8 victory at Lewis Road as a packed house saw the home side register an ultimately comfortable win after a pretty even first half.
Brosnan’s goal came from the penalty spot early in the second half – confidently tucking the ball to the left of keeper Darragh Cahalane – after Cian McMahon had been upended.
Three of his seven points came from frees but, overall, Brosnan’s contribution on the day was immense and is he wasn’t pulling the trigger he was loading the bullets.
If he was the standout then Mark O’Shea at midfield, Gavin Whyte and Charlie Keating at the back and David Shaw were equally influential – the latter in the second half – and as the game wore on they bossed proceedings against a Castlehaven side that relied on the Hurleys, the Cahalanes and impressive young defender Jack O’Neill.
Playing against the breeze, Crokes had a single point advantage, 0-6 to 0-5, at the break, with Brosnan and Brian Hurley cancelling each other out in the scoring stakes in the opening phase.
Micheál Burns, the impressive Mikey Potts and Charlie Keating were also on target for the home side in the opening half an hour but Cathal MaGuire, midfielder Andrew Whelton and Jack O’Neill, raiding from the back, also found the range for the Cork kingpins.
Pat O’Shea knew his charges had the tools required to take the game to Castlehaven on the resumption and so it came to pass and they had the springboard of an early penalty when Gavin White set up Cian McMahon and when the former Kerry minor and under 20 star was awkwardly taken down, Brosnan punished the champions.
Brosnan and McMahon added on two points in quick succession but they were quickly cancelled out by Thomas O’Mahony and Brian Hurley before Kieran O’Leary was summoned from the bench and his vast experience made all the difference.
His arrival saw David Shaw move out to join Mark O’Shea around the middle and no sooner had the 37-year-old taken up his position in the full forward line than he had a white flag billowing to create a five-point gap, 1-9 to 0-7.
To be frank, even from that stage on and given the dominance of O’Shea and Shaw at midfield, it always looked like there was only going to be one result and when Castlehaven marksman Brian Hurly was red carded for a high tackle, that was that.
Castlehaven did have the consolation of 59th minute penalty, unceremoniously converted by Damian Cahalane to leave three points in it, but two points from Tony Brosnan and one each from Kieran O’Leary and Micheal Burns put the issued beyond all doubt.
It’ s onwards and upwards for Crokes who will bow take on the champions of Waterford and they will to keep om course to ensure a fairytale climax to an already wonderful season.
Dr Crokes scorers: Tony Brosnan 1-7 (0-3 frees, 1-0 pen), Micheál Burns 0-2 (0-1 free), Kieran O’Leary 0-2, Charlie Keating 0-1, Mikey Potts 0-1, Cian McMahon 0-1, Maidhcí Lynch 0-1.
Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 0-3 (0-2 frees), Damien Cahalane 1-0 (pen), Thomas O’Mahony 0-1, Jack O’Neill 0-1, Andew Whelton 0-1, C Cahalane 0-, C Maguire 0-1.
Dr Crokes: Shane Murphy, Evan Looney, Fionn Fitzgerald, Maidhcí Lynch, Charlie Keating, Gavin White, Brian Looney, Mark O’Shea, Michael Potts, Micheál Burns, Gavin O’Shea, Tom Doyle, Tony Brosnan, David Shaw, Cian McMahon,
Subs: Kieran O’Leary for C Keating; John Payne for T Doyle; Daithi Casey for C McMahon; David Naughton for M Potts.
Catlehaven: Darragh Cahalane, Johnny O’Regan, Thomas O’Mahony, Jamie O’Driscoll; Jack O’Neill, Robbie Minihane, Jamie Walsh, Mark Collins, Andrew Whelton, Cathal Maguire, Brian Hurley, Jack Cahalane, Seán Browne, Michael Hurley, Conor Cahalane,
Subs: Damien Cahalane for J Walsh; Conor O’Driscoll for S Browne; Michael Maguire for R Minihane; Ronan Walsh for J O’Driscoll.Ciarán O’Sullivan for A Whelton.
Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary).
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