East Kerry Minor A Championship Final – Dr Crokes V Spa 8th November 2014
Dr Crokes 1-11 Spa 0-12
Dr Crokes won the East Kerry Minor A Championship title, sponsored by the Tatler Jack, with a 2 point victory over Spa, after a great fast moving game played in Fossa on Saturday, 8th November 2014. Both goal keepers made wonderful saves and kept their side in the game. Spa got off to bright start, and dominated the middle area in the first half. A Dr Crokes goal early in the second half reduced the Spa lead to the minimum and, with the sides evenly matched, the game looked likely to go to extra time but it was Dr Crokes that finished the stronger and scored vital points in the dying minutes of the game to claim the title and retain the Brendan Cronin Cup.
Spa started strongly with 2 points in as many minutes, a Michael Foley free followed by point from play by Dara Moynihan, set up by Liam Kearny who fielded a great high ball. The game moved from end to end at speed before Michael Burns opened the Dr Crokes account, in the sixth minute, with a pointed free. The sides traded points, Mike Mc Carthy for Spa and Adam O’ Shea for Dr Crokes. Spa’s Aydan Mulvaney won the ball back in defence and started a move which ended with a lovely point from Liam Kearney. In a move again started when Spa defender Aydan Mulvaney, won the ball back, and after passing through a number of hands, Evan Cronin scored a great point, putting Spa ahead, 0-05 to 0-02 going into the second quarter. Spa full back, Dan O’ Donoghue, ended a Dr Crokes attack and made a surging run upfield, picked out Kieran Spillane who pointed, on the seventeenth minute. Spa won the resultant kick out and Shane Cronin created a great goal opportunity. However, he was denied by Dr Crokes Keeper Johnny O’ Leary, who made an outstanding save at point blank range. Both sides had a number of scoring chances go wide as play moved from end to end at high tempo. Micheál Burns won the Spa kick out, picked out Creagh Courtney who passed to Adam O’Shea, and Adam pointed, with 5 minutes remaining in the half. Spa pressed forward repeatedly in the last 5 minutes, and created 2 goal chances. The first skimmed wide, and Dr Crokes Keeper, Johnny O’ Leary, made a wonderful save at point blank range, when he faced Dara Moynihan, one on one in the goal. Michael Foley pointed the free for Spa. Half time score: Spa 0-07; Dr Crokes 0-03.
Both sides brought on fresh legs during the half, which was played at pace. Dr Crokes came out with renewed drive in the second half and Jordan Kiely found the net within 2 minutes, reducing the margin to a single point. The goal came from a move started from a free and involving Adam O’ Shea, Gavin White and Micheál Burns who sent a high dropping ball into the square, where Jordan Kiely capitalised and found the net. It was tit for tat in the next fifteen minutes, with Spa pulling ahead by a point three times and Dr Crokes responding in kind each time, Michael Foley, Shane Cronin and Liam Kearney for Spa, Creagh Courtney, Darren Doherty and Jordan Kiely for Dr Crokes. Both goalies made outstanding saves, Dr Crokes goalie Johnny O Leary caught some difficult high ball and Spa keeper, David Carroll stopped a rasper of a shot by Jordan Kiely. Dr Crokes defender, David Naughton did trojen work halting Spa attacks and making surging runs outfield. Micheál Burns brought the sides level for the first time in the game, on the forty eighth minute, when he won the kick out with a great high catch, solo’d forward and picked off a point. The momentum was with Dr Crokes who pulled ahead with 2 unanswered points (David Naughton and Micheál Burns) and created a number of other scoring chances, that went wide. In an exciting finish, Spa levelled the score again in the last five minutes, with a point a piece from Shane Cronin and Liam Kearney (Free). Two pointed frees from the boot of Adam O Shea in the last minutes of the game gave Dr Crokes the lead. Final score: Dr Crokes 1-11 Spa 0-12.
East Kerry Board Chairman Tim Ryan presented the Brendan Cronin Cup to Dr Crokes captain Jordan Kiely. He complimented both teams on a great game and thanked Fossa for the use of their lovely facilities.
Referee: Tadhg Ahern (Listry)
Dr Crokes team: Johnny O’Leary, David Naughton(0-01), Aaron Murphy, Jack Lenihan, Darren Doherty (0-01), Gavin White, Creagh Courtney(0-01), Cillian Regan, Jason O’Sullivan, Adam O’Shea(0-04;3f), Micheál Byrnes (0-03;1f), David Shaw, Jordan Kiely (Capt) (1-01), MacDarra deBhillis, Paul Clarke. Substitutes: Mikey Casey, Brian FitzGerald.
Team Management: Pat O’Shea, Brian McMahon, Caoibhean O’Donoghue, Jim Connolly, Edmund O’Sullivan
Spa Team: David Carroll, Eoin Fitzgerald, Dan O’Donoghue, Conor Kearney, Aydan Mulvaney, Shane Cronin (0-02), Timmy Hussey, Liam Kearney (Capt.)(0-03;2f), Mike McCarthy (0-01), Mikey Moynihan, Dara Moynihan (0-01), Ciaran Spillane (0-01), Michael Foley(0-03;2f), Evan Cronin (0-01), David Spillane. Substitutes: Feargal O’Donoghue, Corey Doyle
Management: Timmy Fleming, Paul Casey, Aidan Cahill, James Fitzgerald. Physio: Annmarie Hicke