Coach Evans pleased as Laune easily handle Dr Crokes
Both former All-Ireland club champions enjoy a deserved reputation as stylists, but without the injured Colm Cooper, Dr Crokes lacked the direction and potency of their visitors to Killarney on Saturday night.
Cooper's persistent groin injury is a growing concern for Kerry's Munster SFC semi-final against Tipperary on June 15, but the watching Páidí Ó Sé must have been heartened by the sight of Laune Rangers' Mike Frank Russell claiming seven points for his side. However, without his corner-forward colleagues, Colin O'Connor and Brian Gannon, Russell might not have enjoyed the same range of options between them, the trio claimed 12 points for Killorglin. Dr Crokes, who also lost Kerry's Eoin Brosnan to a hamstring twinge before half-time, had to employ all their renowned nous to stay in touch, but they will also regret a number of missed frees by two-goal Mike Crowley. First-half goals by Jerry O'Brien and Kerry's John Sheehan gave Rangers a 2-3 to 1-5 half-time advantage, and they had stretched that lead to six points (2-9 to 1-6) before Crowley took advantage of a slip by a Killorglin defender to give Crokes a lifeline.
