Dr Crokes 1-11

Austin Stacks 1-10

KERRY COUNTY CHAMPIONS Austin Stacks relinquished their title to Dr Crokes in a contest that rarely rose above mediocre in quality but ended in a little knot of excitement after Kieran Donaghy’s 43rd minute goal dragged Stacks back into a match that was slipping from them.

Donaghy’s tap in goal, teed up by Denis McElligott, arrived when the champions were 0-6 to 1-8 behind and in danger of slipping out of the championship with barely a whimper. Instead, they overturned that five-point deficit to lead by one with five minutes to play, and with confidence rising they looked destined for the quarter-finals.

Dr Crokes had other ideas and when Alan O’Sullivan thumped over the equaliser in the 57th minute extra-time looked distinctly possible. That was until Eoin Brosnan raked over what proved the winner from distance in the 60th minute, which was enough to end Stacks’ reign as champions and keep Dr Crokes on course to regain the title they lost last year.

The game was only 20 seconds old when Colm Cooper finished Daithi Casey’s pass to the Stacks net, but the promise of an open scorefest never quite materialised. Darragh O’Brien converted a second minute free for wind-assisted Stacks but thereafter scores were precious.

With Brosnan enjoying a good tussle with Donaghy around the Crokes goal, Stacks shot from distance with poor return. Two neat Jordan Kiely points put Crokes 1-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 21st minute, before Stacks got it together for Fiachna Mangan, O’Brien (free) and Greg Horan converting points to leave it 1-6 to 0-5 in Crokes’ favour at the interval.

Kiely and O’Brien traded points before Brian Looney fisted Crokes five clear. There was a suspicion of ‘square ball’ to Donaghy’s goal but it stood and it ignited the champions. Darragh Long converted two frees, Donaghy began to dominate around midfield, and suddenly the champions were level and then ahead.

But almost immediately O’Sullivan manufactured the equaliser and then Crokes, discovering some of their old composure, found Brosnan who found the winner.

In the first part of today’s double-header in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney Legion beat Feale Rangers by 2-10 to 1-11.

South Kerry beat Dingle 1-14 to 0-14 while in Kenmare, the hosts beat Laune Rangers 3-15 to 0-9.

The draw for the quarter-finals is as follows:

• Rathmore vs Dr Crokes
• West Kerry vs Kenmare District 
• Killarney Legion vs Kerins O’Rahillys
• Kilcummin vs South Kerry

Scorers for Dr Crokes: Colm Cooper 1-3 (3f), Jordan Kiely 0-3, Daithi Casey 0-2, Alan O’Sullivan, Brian Looney, Eoin Brosnan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Austin Stacks: Kieran Donaghy 1-1, Darragh O’Brien 0-3 (2f), Darragh Long 0-2 (2f), Greg Horan, Shane Carroll, Fiachna Mangan, Mikey Collins 0-1 each.

Dr Crokes

1. Alan Kelly

2. John Payne
3. Mike Moloney
24. Gavin White

5. Fionn Fitzgerald
6. Eoin Brosnan
7. David O’Leary

8. Ambrose O’Donovan
9. Johnny Buckley

10. Alan O’Sullivan
11. Brian Looney
12. Daithi Casey

13. Jordan Kiely
14. Colm Cooper
23. Chris Brady

Subs:

22. Gavin O’Shea for Casey (blood, 34), D Casey for O’Shea (blood reverse, 38)
15. Jamie Doolan for Brady (42)
4. Cillian Fitzgerald for Moloney (44)
22. Gavin O’Shea for Looney (44)
18. Mike Milner for O’Donovan (50)
19. Tony Brosnan for Kiely (54)

Austin Stacks

1. Darragh O’Brien

2. Barry Walsh
3. Ferghal McNamara
4. Jack Morgan

5. Pa McCarthy
6. Conor Jordan
7. Ciaran O’Connell

8. Shane Guthrie
9. Greg Horan

10. Denis McElligott
11. Shane Carroll
12. Fiachna Mangan

13. Shane O’Callaghan
14. Kieran Donaghy
15. Darragh O’Brien

Subs:

19. Shane Ryan for Jordan (HT)
18. Wayne Guthrie for S Guthrie (HT)
25. Jack O’Shea for Morgan (40)
17. Darragh Long for O’Brien (42)
22. Mikey Collins for Horan (50)

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (St Senans)

Legendary Kerry star books a place in this year’s Cork football final