Watch and read: Dr Crokes finally break heroic Na Gaeil effort on penalties

The Tralee underdogs refused to lie down and it took a bouncing two-pointer from Kerry midfielder Mark O'Shea to keep Dr Crokes alive

LEVELLER: Dr Crokes' Mark O'Shea landed a booming two-pointer, that bounced over the bar, to force extra time in the Kerry Club SFC semi final win over Na Gaeil in Castleisland. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry Club SFC semi final: Dr Crokes 1-25 Na Gaeil 2-22 (Dr Crokes won 4-2 on pens after ET)

Dr Crokes required a penalty shootout victory to keep their hopes of a third consecutive Kerry Club SFC title alive after a truly amazing contest with a brave Na Gaeil side in Castleisland. Kerry's Tony Brosnan and Diarmuid O’Connor were re-introduced to club football with a shudder after nearly 100 minutes of action that enthralled the large crowd.

It took a sizeable piece of luck with a Mark O’Shea two-pointer that bounced over the bar to force extra-time in the final seconds of normal time when it seems certain that underdogs Na Gaeil were about to avenge their defeat in last year’s final. But in extra time it was the Tralee men who relied on scores fromn outside the arc, with a pair to force penalties.

Na Gaeil had a dream start inside the opening minute as Shane Murphy put his first kick-out straight to Dan Goggin who raced through to finish. Crokes managed to draw level in the 12th minute through Micheal Burns (1-3 to 0-6) and Gavin O’Shea put them ahead for the first time two minutes later when he punted a ball over the bar for a 0-7 to 1-3 lead. Dan Goggin and Darragh Reen put Na Gaeil back in front by the 22nd minute but Cian McMahon sent the defending champions in level at the break, 1-5 to 0-8.

The introduction of Kerry hurler Oisín Maunsell in the 38th minute turned the match back towards Na Gaeil. Less than two minutes after coming onto the pitch he scored their second goal to draw the sides level again at 0-12 to 2-6 on the scoreboard. Crokes were managing to keep their noses in front but a Darragh Carmody two-pointer late on followed by a James Bourke effort had Na Gaeil in front at 2-12 to 0-16. What was left? No one aas quite sure with the venue clock not in operation. 

O’Shea’s massive score saw the sides need extra-time at 2-12 to 0-18. Na Gaeil suffered an early blow in the first period of extra-time with Oisín Maunsell sent off for a combination of a yellow and black card meaning they would finish with 14. 1-2 from Tony Brosnan sent Crokes into a two-point lead before Darragh Carmody ensured the sides would be level at the interval with an orange flag making it 1-20 to 2-17.

Brian Looney scored a two-pointer as Cian McMahon and David Shaw pointed with the extra man seeming to have its effect until Peter Doyle and James Doyle turned matters on its head with consecutive orange flags. forcing a penalty shootout.

Kieran O’Donovan and Jack Sheehan spot-kicks were saved by Shane Murphy with Diarmuid O’Connor and Darragh Carmody scoring for the Tralee side. Tony Brosnan, Cian McMahon, Alex Hennigan and David Shaw converted Crokes’ four kicks for a 4-2 penalty shootout win - they now face Rathmore next weekend in the final. 

Match footage via Clubber TV

Scorers for Dr Crokes: T Brosnan (1-7, 2f), M Burns (1tp) and C McMahon (f) and D Shaw (0-4 each), B Looney (1tp) (0-3), M O’Shea (1tp) (0-2), G O’Shea and T Doyle (0-1 each).

Scorers for Na Gaeil: D Carmody (0-7, 2tp, 1tpf, 1f), D Goggin (1-1), O Manusell (1-0), J Doyle (1tp) and L Cooper (1f) (0-3 each), P Doyle (1tp), and F Barry (0-2 each), D O’Connor, J Bourke D Reen and S Okunbar (0-1 each).

DR CROKES: S Murphy; F Fitzgerald, N O’Shea, M Fitzgerald; E Looney, G White, B Looney; C Keating, M O’Shea; M Burns, G O’Shea, T Doyle; C McMahon, D Shaw, T Brosnan.

Subs: B Courtney for M O’Shea (Temp, 9-10), A Hennigan for G O’Shea (45), M Lynch for B Looney (50), B Courtney for C Keating (51), M Potts for T Doyle (54), A Byrne for C McMahon, K Fitzgerald for F Fitzgerald (both E/T).

NA GAEIL: K O’Leary; J Doyle, E Doody, N O’Mahony; E O’Connor, A Barry, D Bourke; F Barry, S Okunbor; J O’Connor, D Goggin, D O’Connor; L Cooper, D Reen, J Sheehan.

Subs: O Maunsell for E Doyle (38), R Ó hAinféin for J O’Connor (42), P Doyle for D Reen (50), J Bourke for L Cooper (51), D Carmody for D Goggin (58), K O’Donovan for N O’Mahony (E/T).

Referee: P Curtin (Brosna)