Colm Cooper delays Kerry call until Dr Crokes run ends

Kerry supporters will have to wait until Dr Crokes’ involvement in the club championship comes to an end before Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper decides on his inter-county future.

Of course, that could mean it might be next March before the gifted 33-year-old makes a call on extending his career into a 16th season with the Kingdom.

Cooper followed up his man of the match display in the county final against Kenmare by delivering another supreme performance on Sunday as the Killarney club swept past the challenge of Kilmurry-Ibrickane in the Munster SFC quarter-final in Quilty.

Gooch kicked three points in the 1-14 to 0-10 win over the Clare champions but it was his ability to spray the ball around and create openings which was most decisive.

“Long may he stick at it,” said Dr Crokes selector Harry O’Neill.

“He is the most intelligent footballer of our time. It’s great to have Colm, especially with so many young players coming through.”

Dr Crokes, who will now host Tipperary champions Loughmore-Castleiney in the Munster semi-final the weekend after next as they bid for a seventh provincial title, are assured of having Cooper on board for their campaign but Éamonn Fitzmaurice and the Kingdom will have to wait.

“I won’t make any decision until the Crokes journey is over. In fairness to the Crokes lads I told them I’d give that full commitment before I make any big decisions so that’s where I am with it,” said Cooper.

“I’m enjoying it and we have the Tipp champions in Killarney in a couple of weeks. That’s the focus now.”

He said that past experience in Quilty had forewarned Dr Crokes and they took nothing for granted against the newly crowned Clare champions.

“We knew it was going to be a tough encounter. We were here a couple of years ago and we just got out by the skin of our teeth.

“We had two weeks to prepare after the county final. It took us a while to get going and we did in the second-half, and we did well at times.”

Cooper set up the chance which led to game’s only goal when Daithí Casey slotted home a penalty after Brian Looney had his shot foot-blocked after an astonishing pass across goal from Cooper.

“It came at a really important time for us and probably knocked Kilmurry and we seemed to play good stuff after that and it gave us the confidence to move on,” Cooper reflected.

“You need a good squad in this competition. We knew that from years ago. Johnny Buckley going off with an injury, Michael Moloney going off with a black card in this one, so you need the players to come in and make a difference and thankfully the boys did that.

“As long as we are in this competition we are going to need that strong panel.”