A DISPIRITING ALL-Ireland club final afternoon for Dr Crokes ended with a convincing loss yesterday in Croke Park and some post-match uncertainty over the future playing intentions of some of their more celebrated names.
Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan have been pillars in the squad of the Killarney club for several years, integral forces when they contested the 2007 All-Ireland decider, both involved in the moment of success two years ago and sprung from the bench in the second half yesterday as they attempted the unenviable task of chasing down a formidable Corofin side.
After several years on the road at elite club level, there will be a decision to figure out whether to commit again.
“I’d hope not,” remarked Dr Crokes selector Edmund O’Sullivan about Cooper’s future.
“I thought he did quite well when he came on. It’s a conversation we have to have with Colm but he has a huge amount to offer but I don’t know if he’d be prepared to offer it from the bench or starting so I don’t know what it is with him.”
Fellow selector Niall O’Callaghan had a similar view about Brosnan’s role.
“In fairness to Eoin, he got his run out but Eoin Brosnan was our best player in the O’Donoghue Cup matches. At 38 years of age. Kieran had a great game for them at full-back today.
“Eoin deserved to be there today. A great club servant. Eoin or Colm or anyone else, you’d hope they will go on and be part of the club. And the club will go on.”
The pair of selectors were not interested in offering excuses. for the demise of Dr Crokes on the day
“We got schooled by the best team. You can say nothing went right and you can give all the platitudes and excuses you want to give. We were beaten by a far better team. Congratulations to Corofin. They showed us how to play a game of football.
“They took away everything we brought that we thought was good and they’re a serious outfit and they’re All-Ireland champions and they’re not for nothing. We hold our heads up when we’re beaten by the better team.”
The attacking style of Corofin struck O’Sullivan.
“They ran at us very hard, probably didn’t stop them at source. They broke the lines, created two on ones, sometimes three on ones. We knew this was coming and we didn’t execute the way we wanted to execute.
“They came at us in waves and we didn’t stop them. We were hoping to get a foothold around the middle third and that we’d the inside forwards to hurt them but we didn’t get that chance unfortunately.
“But we’re extremely proud of the boys at the same time. It’s not easy getting to All-Ireland finals. They won three county championships. They’ve been in two All-Irelands in three years. They won two Munsters. There’s club championship in two weeks, they’ve no other choice but to (bounce back).”
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