Dr Crokes come good in second half to topple rivals South Kerry 

Tony Brosnan was Dr Crokes main man on the day. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry SFC Rd 3: Dr Crokes 1-20 South Kerry 0-12 

Dr Crokes versus South Kerry. A modern rivalry with many a close battle down the years. Saturday's SFC bout at JP O'Sullivan Park was exactly that up until the short whistle. The rest was rather straight forward for the Killarney men. 

Despite some first half gumption from the South Kerry men, Crokes showed their class in a second half that was one way traffic.

Edmund O'Sullivan's charges were warm favourites to dispense of the challenge of a proud South Kerry side, who had shocked East Kerry in round two, and they repaid that favouritism in adundance with Tony Brosnan at the helm contributing a crucial 1-5.

Crokes' second half fortunes were no doubt aided by an early black card for South Kerry midfielder Kieran O’Sullivan. Switching David Shaw to midfield for the second half, however, proved to be the key decision, immediately changing momentum as South Kerry had matched Crokes every step of the way in the opening half.

Crokes began well and led 0-6 to 0-2 after ten minutes, thanks to the hard graft of Gavin White, Micheal Brosnan and veteran Brian Looney. Graham O’Sullivan and Alex Coffey were winning a lot for South Kerry around the middle of the park with Donagh O’Sullivan’s darting runs troubling the Crokes defence.

Eoin Murphy gave South Kerry the lead inside the opening minute but Crokes quickly found their stride. Points from Micheál Burns, Brian Looney (2), a two point free from Tony Brosnan plus a Cian McMahon had the Killarney men in control.

However, South Kerry were not overawed and followed up this string of scores with a few of their own. An Emmet Daly free preceded a brilliant Austin Murphy two point free - to bring his championship tally to 0-14 - then Mark Sugrue closed the gap to a point. 

Wing back Ronan O’Shea leveled the contest at 0-6 apiece in the 20th minute. The sides then traded scores until half time with Crokes adding 0-5 - McMahon, Burns, White and a two pointer from David Shaw - as Crokes retired a point in front 0-11 to 0-10.

With Shaw at the heart, Crokes took over again and they were soon three clear courtesy of a Cian McMahon two pointer.

By now, South Kerry were starting to thread water, their reliable keeper Austin Murphy even missed four two point attempts off the deck to sum up their afternoon of missed opportunities. 

Crokes added five more white flags to South Kerry's one. They only managed two points in the second stanza.

Crokes' Alex Hennigan came on and kicked two, Tony Brosnan added two more, Shaw got another and it was all one way traffic. 

By the time Kieran O’Sullivan returned from his black card, Crokes were 0-20 to 0-12 to the good. 

Tony Brosnan added insult to injury with a late Crokes goal.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: T Brosnan (1-5, 1tpf, 1f) C McMahon (0-4, tp, 1f), D Shaw (tp) and M Burns (0-3 each), B Looney and A Hennigan (0-2 each), G White (0-1) 

Scorers for South Kerry: D O’Sullivan (0-3, tp), A Murphy (1tp), E Daly (2fs) (0-2 each), C O’Donoghue, R O’Shea, G O’Sullivan, E Murphy, and M Sugrue (0-1 each) 

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

Subs: G O’Shea for T Doyle (36), A Hennigan for M Potts (40), C Fitzgerald for N O’Shea (40), B Courtney for M O’Shea (56), A Byrne for M Lynch (56).

SOUTH KERRY: A Murphy (Reenard); S O’Connor (Dromid Pearses), C O’Donoghue (St Mary’s), O Moran (St Mary’s); R O’Shea (Skellig Rangers), G O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), D Casey (St Marys); E Murphy (Waterville), K O’Sullivan (Sneem/Derrynane); A Coffey (St Mary’s), D O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), F O’Sullivan (Skellig Rangers); T O’Connor (St Mary’s) , M Sugrue (Reenard), E Daly (St Marys).

Subs: C Farley (Dromid Pearses) for F O’Sullivan (36), B O’Donoghue (St Marys) for T O’Connor (48), P O’Sullivan (Waterville ) for E Murphy (56), B Kelly (Reenard) for S O’Connor (59), C Cronin (Waterville) for D Casey (59). 

Referee: S Joy (Laune Rangers).