Kerins O'Rahillys shock Dr Crokes to set up all-Tralee clash in Kerry SFC final

Gavin O'Brien, Kerins O'Rahillys, and Gavin White, Dr Crokes, in action in the Kerry SFC semi-final at Austin Stack Park, Tralee. Photo: Domnick Walsh

Kerry SFC semi-final: Kerins O’Rahillys 0-15 Dr Crokes 0-14 

Kerins O’Rahillys overcame a six-point second-half deficit to secure a first Kerry SFC final appearance since 2008.

Rahillys' remarkable second-half effort condemned Crokes to a second successive county semi-final defeat and, in the process, set up an all-Tralee county final against Austin Stacks the weekend after next.

When Dr Crokes’ Micheál Burns split the opposition posts 14 seconds after the restart, it left Kerins O’Rahillys 0-9 to 0-3 in arrears and facing yet another defeat at the semi-final stage of the county championship.

But in a stirring comeback effort, the men from Strand Road outscored Crokes by 0-12 to 0-5 from there to the finish.

Their revival began in earnest with four unanswered points in the 10 minutes from the 34th to the 44th minute, Barry John Keane, Jack Savage (two frees), and Conor Hayes on target to leave the scoreline reading 0-10 to 0-8.

Rahillys' comeback bid did suffer a setback on 40 minutes when corner-back Donagh Buckley received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident involving Micheál Burns.

Crokes’ numerical advantage didn’t last long, mind, as Gavin O’Shea was sent to the sin bin on 43 minutes and he was followed to the line shortly after by Crokes defender David Naughton who, no more than Buckley before him, was given his marching orders for an incident away from the play.

This flurry of cards contributed to a tetchy second half where no player took a step backward in the physical exchanges.

Crokes goalkeeper Shane Murphy landed a difficult free to push their lead back out to three at the second water break (0-11 to 0-8), but it was to prove their sole score between the 33rd and 63rd minute of action.

Rahillys, with momentum behind them, delivered a burst of five unanswered points to move 0-13 to 0-11 in front on 61 minutes. The leveller was kicked by Conor Hayes on 57 minutes after a Crokes restart from replacement ‘keeper Adam Kelly went astray. Kelly was thrown into the action late on after injury forced Murphy from proceedings.

Two Jack Savage frees subsequently nudged William Harmon’s charges in front - the first time they had led all afternoon - as the large crowd braced themselves for eight minutes of second-half injury time.

A Tony Brosnan free cut the gap to the minimum, but no equaliser could Crokes find. Their second-half wastefulness, which included twice hitting the post from simple point attempts, will gnaw away at them for some time to come.

Crokes forward David Shaw had an opportunity to send the game to extra-time right at the death, but his free, which was from right on the sideline at the 20-metre line, went wide.

Crokes’ ability to find the target from play was the outstanding difference between the sides in the opening half, the Killarney men enjoying a significant 0-8 to 0-3 advantage at the break.

Rahillys, by contrast, were finding the going extremely tough in the opposition half of the field, the Strand Road outfit managing just one point from play across the opening half an hour.

William Harmon’s side had failed to raise a single flag come the first water break, with their account eventually opened on 18 minutes when Jack Savage converted a dead-ball effort following a foul on Tommy Walsh.

Savage’s two first-half frees sandwiched their one and only first-half point from play, supplied by Barry John Keane on 25 minutes.

Scores were found more easily and were far more frequent at the other end, Tony Brosnan’s class shining through during an opening half where he kicked three fine points from play. A fourth from the dead-ball situation meant he was responsible for half his team’s first-half total.

The ever-reliable Brian Looney was another to standout, throwing over as he did a pair of points.

Crokes’ overall first-half supremacy and the amount of time they spent in the scoring zone is highlighted in the stat showing they had five wides tallied by the time Brosnan kicked their opener on 13 minutes.

They led 0-3 to 0-0 at the water break and added another three-in-a-row following their opponents’ opener to lead by five on 21 minutes. It was a lead they still enjoyed turning around for the second half.

That advantage went to six twice in the second period, but there followed a most dramatic second half and a most impressive Rahillys resurgence.

Scorers for Kerins O’Rahillys: J Savage (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘45); BJ Keane, C Hayes (0-3 each); T Walsh (0-1).

Scorers for Dr Crokes: T Brosnan (0-7, 0-4 frees); B Looney (0-2); M Burns, D Shaw, K O’Leary (0-1 free), S Murphy (0-1 free), J Kiely (0-1 each).

Kerins O’Rahilly’s: S Foley; R O’Callaghan, C Coffey, D Buckley; D McElligott, S Brosnan, C Sayers; D Moran, C Barrett; G Savage, C Hayes, G O’Brien; J Savage, T Walsh, BJ Keane.

Subs: T Hoare for Sayers (6, inj); P Begley for G Savage (45).

Dr Crokes: S Murphy; J Payne, M Moloney, F Fitzgerald; G White, D Naughton, M Cooper; M O’Shea, J Buckley; B Looney, G O’Shea, M Burns; D Shaw, T Brosnan, K O’Leary.

Subs: E Looney for K O’Leary (48); A Kelly for Murphy (52, inj); J Kiely for Burns (59); D Casey for B Looney (60); T Doyle for G O’Shea (66).

Referee: B Griffin.