Dr. Crokes ease into club semi-final

Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 3-12 Tir Chonaill Gaels (London) 0-6

A hat-trick of first half goals provided the basis for victory as Dr. Crokes comfortably secured an All-Ireland semi-final berth thanks to a 15-point win over Tir Chonaill Gaels at Ruislip this afternoon.

The tri-colour flew at half-mast and a minutes silence was held before the game in honour of the late Kerry Football Paudi Ó Sé and also Pat Griffin (Galway and John Mitchell's, London) and Kate Richards (Kingdom Kerry Gaels Ladies Football and Australia)

While weather conditions were ideal for this fixture, a heavy pitch made it testing throughout, but Noel O'Leary's charges always looked likely winners.

However, Tir Chonaill Gaels took the lead early on, with Paddy Carr's charges leading by 0-2 to 0-1 after six minutes following a brace of points from Donegal native Kevin McMenamin.

Dr. Crokes quickly found their groove and scored 2-5 without reply between the ninth and 24th minutes, with man of the Man of the Match Kieran O'Leary netting the visitors first goal in the 14th minute.

The Crokes captain led by example after a Gaels attack was sniffed out at the opposite end with the ball coming to the 25-year old giving TCG keeper Brian McBrearty little chance.

That score gave Dr. Crokes a 1-4 to 0-2 lead, and following points from Daithi Casey and Colm Cooper the Munster champions built up a seven-point advantage.

Crokes continues to prove hungry for scores with corner-forward Chris Brady registering two green flags in a three-minute spell, with a second Cooper point ensuring a 3-7 to 0-3 interval lead.

While the second half was move even on the scoreboard, Crokes always continued to hold that extra edge.

They again started the second half brightly, with defender Luke Quinn stepping up for his only point of the hour.

TCG tried hard with points from Eoin O'Neill, McMenamin and Fermanagh's Peter Sherry.

But Dr. Crokes laid the foundations for victory in the opening half, and finished off this game with three unanswered points, including one from subsitute Andrew Kenneally to ensure a 15-point win.

Dr. Crokes now face newly crowned Leinster champions Ballymun Kickhams in the All-Ireland semi-final in February.

DR CROKES: D Moloney; J Payne, M Moloney, F Fitzgerald; L Quinn (0-1), S Doolan, S Myers; A O'Donovan, J Buckley (0-1); K O'Leary (1-2), D Casey (0-1, 1f), B Looney (0-1); C Brady (2-1, 1f), C Cooper (0-4, 2f), J Doolan. Subs: A Kenneally (0-1) for B Looney (48); D O'Leary for Myers (54); G O'Shea for Doolan (55); B Falvey for Casey (57)

TIR CHONAILL GAELS: B McBrearty; T Gribben, D Harrington, B Collins; M McConville, E McConville, P Sherry (0-1); M Gottsche, C Doyle; E Mageean, F Horan, B Mitchell; C Wall, E O'Neill (0-2, 2f), K McMenamin. Subs: L Kavanagh for Mageean (8); C Boyle for Wall (22); J McGrath for Mitchell (22); M McCoy for Kavanagh (46); A Concannon for Horan (49)

REFEREE: Derek Fahy (Longford)