Dr Crokes 1-21
St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay 2-9
Fintan O’Toole reports from Gaelic Grounds
A RETURN TO winning ways for Dr Crokes in these end of season Munster final days.
After the disappointment of being despatched by Nemo Rangers at this stage last season, they returned to the summit in the province with a confident and competent showing this afternoon.
Clare’s St Joseph’s Miltown-Malbay, appearing in their maiden final, were brave and gutsy until the finish. Their vocal support got to celebrate goals in either half from Oisin Looney and Darragh McDonagh but in truth an explosive start paved the way for the expected Dr Crokes success.
Dr Crokes began in blistering fashion with 1-4 posted on the board inside the opening ten minutes and they had 1-6 to their credit by the 13th minute.
The goal arrived three minutes in as Dr Crokes signalled their attacking intentions. A delivery floated across fell into the lap of David Shaw and the corner-forward blasted a shot to the net.
It was a torrid start to the match for St Joseph’s, powerless to repel the waves of the Dr Crokes attacks. Their sizeable support finally had cause to cheer when Kevin Keavey clipped over their opening point in the 13th minute and their second quarter showing was a testament to their worth as they chipped away at the deficit.
Their hopes rose when Oisin Looney banged home a fierce shot to the net in the 19th minute after being fed by Eoin Cleary but Dr Crokes calmly responded with a pair of points and were 1-10 to 1-4 clear by the interval.
The winners began the second half in style and Micheál Burns swung over a 38th minute point that nudged them eight clear and ensured all six of their starting forwards had scored.
St Joseph’s ploughed on in an admirable fashion with Clare hurler Conor Cleary putting in a great shift at midfield and surging forward on several occasions. They grabbed some neat and well-worked points through Enda O’Gorman and Darragh McDonagh to ensure they kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Dr Crokes motored on. They finished with ten players on the scoresheet, Tony Brosnan finishing top with 0-8 and attackers of the calibre of Colm Cooper and Jordan Kiely wheeled off the bench. Thoughts of an All-Ireland dates were on the minds of the 2017 champions by the time that the Clare winners had some late joy when McDonagh barged through for a goal.
Scorers for Dr Crokes: Tony Brosnan 0-8 (0-5f), Daithi Casey 0-3 (0-2f), David Shaw 1-0, Kieran O’Leary, Brian Looney, Micheál Burns 0-2 each, Shane Murphy (0-1 ’45), Johnny Buckley, Gavin O’Shea, Jordan Kiely 0-1 each.
Scorers for St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay: Darragh McDonagh 1-2, Oisin Looney 1-0, Eoin Cleary 0-3 (0-2f), Kieran Malone 0-2, Kevin Keavey, Enda O’Gorman 0-1 each.
Dr Crokes
1. Shane Murphy
2. John Payne
3. Michael Moloney
4. Fionn Fitzgerald
5. David O’Leary
6. Gavin White
7. Shane Doolan
8. Johnny Buckley
9. Daithi Casey
10. Micheal Burns
11. Gavin O’Shea
12. Brian Looney
18. David Shaw
14. Kieran O’Leary
15. Tony Brosnan
Subs
19. Michael Potts for Doolan (40)
13. Colm Cooper for Looney (43)
17. Alan O’Sullivan for Moloney (48)
20. Jordan Kiely for Shaw (49)
26. David Naughten for David O’Leary (55)
23. Brian Fitzgerald for Burns (58)
St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay
1. Sean O’Brien
2. Aidan McGuane
3. Enda O’Gorman
4. Eoin O’Brien
5. Colin Hehir
6. Gordon Kelly
7. Jamesie O’Connor
8. Oisin Looney
11. Conor Cleary
12. Kieran Malone
14. Eoin Cleary
10. Kevin Keavey
13. Brian Curtin
9. Darragh McDonagh
15. Cormac Murray
Subs
21. Micheal Murray for Hehir (inj) (28)
17. Eoin Curtin for Keavey (half-time)
22. Graham Kelly for O’Connor (43)
19. Sean Malone for Brian Curtin (49)
18. Euan Reidy for McGuane (55)
Referee: Alan Kissane (Waterford)
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