Dr Crokes stage stirring fightback to beat Killarney Legion in derby clash

ON SONG: Niall Geaney proved a key man for Dingle. File pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Dr Crokes have moved out of the relegation zone and now lie eighth in the table along with Dingle who had a big 4-15 to 2-16 win over high flying Kilcummin. 

Meanwhile, Kenmare Shamrocks lead at the top of the table has been cut to two after they were held to a draw by battling Kerins O’Rahilly’s. Glenflesk were the real winners of Round 8 when they defeated bottom side Beaufort, who have lost their manager Eanna O’Malley.

But the real drama was in Direen where Killarney Legion looked to take advantage of a depleted Crokes side that have seven players in with the Kerry seniors, also a couple with the U-20s and a raft of injuries. Crokes won 1-19 to 1-18 despite Legion leading 0-12 to 1-6 at half time after playing with the breeze. 

But Crokes got an early boost with a Brendan Coppinger goal. Cian McMahon added a point but Cian O’Grady was unerring and soon Legion led 0-10 to 1-1 by the 18th minute. Crokes cut the deficit to three by half time but a Finbar Murphy goal for the Legion in the 37th minute, pushed his side five clear but Crokes kept battling, with Cian McMahon contributing 0-8, completing a great day for the McMahons as his sister Leah scored a goal for the Kerry ladies in their Munster Final win over Waterford. 

Crokes also got 0-8 from their defenders with Maidhcí Lynch and Mark Fitzgerald making huge contributions. Crokes went a point clear in the 59th minute but Oisin Fleming punched the equaliser a minute later. But just when it looked like the sides would have to settle for a point apiece, James Kelly put over the winner, his third of the day and it was tough on Legion’s Cian O’Grady who scored 0-9.

Dingle are another side who are trying to perform a great escape from relegation and are in the same boat as Crokes with Kerry players and injuries but they put in a storming second half to beat Kilcummin 4-15 to 2-16. The sides were level at the break, 2-8 to 1-11 with Paul O’Shea keeping Kilcummin afloat with 1-5 and Kieran Murphy with two two-poiners from play. But Dingle, with goals from Ruadhán McCarthy and Sean Roche, plus three points from Cathal Bambury and a brace from Tadgh Browne, looked like they meant business. Tom Leo O’Sullivan leveled the contest at 2-10 to 1-13 early in the second half but goals from Leo Browne and Niall Geaney saw Dingle move six clear (4-11 to 1-14) and another Geaney two pointer appeared to enable a cruise to victory. Paul O’Shea had other ideas with a late 1-1, but it wasn’t enough.

Kenmare Shamrocks failed to put Kerins O’Rahilly’s away at home, sharing the spoils on a 2-16 to 1-19. Kenmare led 0-9 to 0-7 at the end of an uneventful first half but the game caught fire in the second. James McCarthy extended the home side's lead with a point but the Strand Road side were now on fire with a Ben Hanafin point, a Barry John Keane two-pointer and then Darragh O’Connor cut through for a goal and suddenly the visitors were four clear. But Kenmare responded with a Tom Murnane goal and it was nip and tuck with Strand moving three clear but Eoghan McCarthy leveled with a goal. Tom Hoare appeared to give his side the win with a two-point free but Kevin O’Sullivan rescued Kenmare with a two pointer from play.

Glenflesk had to fight hard to beat bottom side Beaufort on a 2-19 to 0-15 scoreline as they only held a two point half time lead. Gneeveguilla beat Rathmore in their local derby 2-15 to 1-16 thanks to goals from Shane O’Sullivan and Oisin O’Leary while Stacks beat Spa in a high scoring game 7-10 to 1-18 with Ryan O’Driscoll scoring 4-4 for the winners.