Dr Crokes 2-13
Dingle 0-8
The Bishop Moynihan Cup will reside on the Lewis Road for another year after Dr Crokes were again victorious in yesterday’s Kerry senior football final as they prevailed by 11 points against Dingle in Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
After final victories over Austin Stacks in 2010 and Mid Kerry in 2011, Dr Crokes were celebrating their third successive title win and that feat had not been achieved by the club since 1912-1914.
Dr Crokes, captained by Kerry senior Kieran O’Leary, got off to an ideal start as they hit the net twice in the opening ten minutes to leave a young Dingle team, who were contesting the club’s first county senior final since 1951, reeling.
Brian Looney, who was later crowned man-of-the-match, struck the first goal and corner-forward Chris Brady struck the second to the net to propel Dr Crokes into a 2-3 to 0-2 lead.
By the 19th minute Dr Crokes were in front by 2-4 to 0-3 and at the interval they were ahead by 2-6 to 0-5 with those two goals providing a significant cushion for the Noel O’Leary-managed team.
In the second-half Dr Crokes were always able to keep their opponents at arms length and with ten minutes remaining they were in a comfortable position as they lead by 2-11 to 0-8.
Despite the best efforts of Mikey and Paul Geaney, Dingle could not make headway against the Dr Crokes defence to grab the goals that they needed to ignite their challenge.
Colm Cooper, Daithi Casey and Jamie Doolan helped keep the scoreboard ticking over for Dr Crokes in the second-half and they ran out victors by an 11-point margin.
Chris Brady of Dr. Crokes celebrates scoring the opening goal. Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Dr Crokes attention will now switch to the Munster club championship where they will hope to retain the title that they won last December. They have a difficult opening assignment in the provincial campaign when they travel to Quilty next Sunday afternoon to face Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane in a quarter-final tie.
Last year the teams clashed in Killarney and Dr Crokes received a stern examination of their credentials before prevailing by 0-12 to 0-9 against the Clare club who won the Munster championship in 2009 and are managed by former Kerry U21 boss John Kennedy.
