Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-15

The Nire (Waterford) 0-6

IT WAS ALL too easy for Dr Crokes as they claimed a fourth AIB Munster Club SFC title in six years at Mallow this afternoon.

While Waterford champions The Nire had impressed in seeing off Carbery Rangers of Cork, here there was no question of a surprise being sprung as the Killarney side took control from the off and were 3-9 to 0-1 ahead at half-time, all three goals coming from Daithí Casey.

Though the scoring rate dropped in the second half and Dermot Ryan and Liam Lawlor added points for The Nire, the inevitable outcome was never going to be challenged.

Crokes had two points on the board when they cut their opponents open in the 10th minute. Colm Cooper, quiet until then, found Kieran O’Leary with a beautiful pass and his offload to Ambrose O’Donovan allowed the midfielder to feed Casey for an easy finish.

Further points were added by Brian Looney and O’Leary before Casey netted from the penalty spot after referee Kevin Murphy had spotting pulling inside.

After Ryan had opened The Nire’s account with a long-range effort on 18, Crokes responded as Gavin White, captain Johnny Buckley and O’Leary combined to allow Casey a chance before he slalomed through and deposited the ball in the top corner.

That made it 3-6 to 0-1 and Buckley, Cooper and Looney had further points before half-time.

The Nire’s Liam Lawlor had the first score of the second half but Cooper, Eoin Brosnan and goalkeeper Shane Murphy with a 45 left 19 points in it before two more from Ryan reduced the gap slightly as the fourth quarter dawned.

With no further drama there, thoughts had turned to Galway’s Corofin in the All-Ireland semi-final long before the end.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: Daithí Casey 3-1 (1-0 penalty, 0-1 free), Kieran O’Leary 0-4, Colm Cooper (0-1 free), Brian Looney 0-2 each, Ambrose O’Donovan, Johnny Buckley, Eoin Brosnan, Jordan Kiely, Chris Brady, Shane Murphy (0-1 45) 0-1 each. Scorers for The Nire: Dermot Ryan 0-4, Liam Lawlor 0-2.

Dr Crokes

1. Shane Murphy

2. John Payne
3. Michael Moloney
4. Fionn Fitzgerald

5. Gavin White
6. Alan O’Sullivan
7. David O’Leary

8. Ambrose O’Donovan
18. Eoin Brosnan

9. Johnny Buckley
10. Daithí Casey
12. Brian Looney

14. Kieran O’Leary
13. Colm Cooper
11. Gavin O’Shea

Subs

23. Micheál Burns for O’Donovan (44)
20. Jordan Kiely for Casey (48)
15. Tony Brosnan for O’Shea (51)
22. Luke Quinn for Payne (51)
27. Chris Brady for Looney (54)
21. PJ Lawlor for O’Sullivan (57)

The Nire

1. Tommy Wall

6. Martin Walsh
3. Tom O’Gorman
2. Justin Walsh

12. Shane Ryan
7. Jamie Barron
5. James McGrath

8. Shane Walsh
9. Dylan Guiry

18. Dermot Ryan
10. Séamus Lawlor
14. Darren Guiry

11. Brian Wall
15. Conor Gleeson
13. Liam Lawlor

Subs

19. Jake Mulcahy for Justin Walsh (half-time)
20. Craig Guiry for Darren Guiry (half-time)
21. Conal Mulcahy for Barron (39)
25. Stephen Ryan for McGrath (48)
17. Keith Guiry for Brian Wall (54)
22. Dave Nugent for Lawlor (59)

Referee: Kevin Murphy (Cork)

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