Crokes edge Legion as Kieran O’Leary clinches record-breaking 13th East Kerry title

A late Tony Brosnan free was the difference late on in Killarney. 

MATCH WINNER: Dr Crokes' Tony Brosnan. Photo: Don MacMonagle

DR CROKES 0-12 KILLARNEY LEGION 1-8 

Dr Crokes just about held on to the East Kerry SFC title (O’Donoghue Cup) for the third successive staging after a 58th minute free from Tony Brosnan edged out Killarney Legion. 

That score put them ahead for the first and only time of a gripping battle, in which daylight and visibility were starting to be in short supply.

Kieran O’Leary came off the bench to score a point and set the new individual record at 13 medals in the competition but the very effective gameplan by Peter Keane’s side nearly scuppered those celebrations in dreary and wet conditions in Killarney.

Finbarr Murphy’s free for Legion right at the end of the first-half appeared to be going over the bar but it dropped dramatically into the net as it got near the goalmouth to give Legion a lead their first-half efforts probably deserved on balance. They went into a lead of 0-4 to 0-1 after 12 minutes as their defence was very disciplined in forcing Dr Crokes to put a bit of thought into their forays forward in the first-half against the breeze.

Crokes forced themselves back level at 0-4 apiece in the 25th minute when a Gavin White blockdown made its way down the other end for Micheal Burns to level up the match. Murphy then put Legion back in front with a free from the stand side of the pitch before his surprise goal came from a free at the terrace side of the ground.

Both Shane Murphy and Tom Doyle were caught unawares by the drop but the defending champions held their composure through a difficult second half as Legion remained in front until the 56th minute. Eoghan O’Sullivan showed good composure to put over two efforts that left kept them ahead and against anyone else they probably would have emerged victorious on the day.

Legion had shouts for a penalty after Ryan O’Grady appeared to be fouled early in the second-half but it looked like it might be Legion’s day when a Tony Brosnan effort at a point came off the post and Micheal Burns drilled the rebound entering the final 10 minutes. Crokes didn’t panic though with the experience they had on the bench as Mark O’Shea converted a 45 to draw them level at 1-8 to 0-11 before they managed another free to seal a hard earned win.

Cian Gammell and Darragh Lyne tried extremely hard in defeat for Legion as they will regret not taking a few more chances in the first period when they had the elements in their favour.

For their part, after a difficult year at county level again in the Kingdom, Crokes will be relieved to have hung on to their district title yet again.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: T Brosnan (0-6, 4f), D Shaw (0-2, 1f), M Burns, C McMahon, K O’Leary and M O’Shea ‘45’ (0-1 each) Scorers for Legion: F Murphy (1-3, 2f), R O’Grady (0-3), E O’Sullivan (0-2) Dr Crokes: S Murphy; J Payne, F Fitzgerald, D Naughton; E Looney, G White, B Looney; M O’Shea, C Keating; D Shaw, M Burns, G O’Shea; T Brosnan, T Doyle, C McMahon Subs: K O’Leary for C Keating (37), D Casey for G O’Shea and M Potts for B Looney (both 50), Killarney Legion: B Kelly; P O’Sullivan, D Sheahan, R Leen; C Gammell, D O’Doherty, J Lyne; P Lucey, J Alade; F Murphy, D Lyne, E O’Sullivan; J O’Donoghue, P McCarthy, R O’Grady Subs: W Shine for P McCarthy (46), P O’Connor for R Leen (55), D O’Sullivan for F Murphy and J O’Sullivan for R O’Grady (both 60).

Referee: P O’Sullivan (Firies)