KERRY SFC
Sunday
Final
Dr Crokes v Dingle, Austin Stack Park, 3.15pm
There are now the modern kingpins of Kerry club football, chasing their third successive title tomorrow, but Dr Crokes have had to endure plenty setbacks and disappointments on route.
Suffering final defeats in 2005, 2006 and 2009 helped steel them and they are now a battle-hardened outfit who have developed the knack of consistently chiseling out victories.
This year they have responded from the dejection of losing out against Crossmaglen Rangers in last February’s All-Ireland semi-final to fashion a route to another Kerry final.
Opponents Dingle enter this game in a different manner. They last featured in a county decider in 1951 while it was 1948 that the West Kerry town last saw it’s local football team acquire the senior football trophy in the Kingdom.
Their route to this date has been defined by their exceptional ability to hit the net as they have raised eleven green flags in their last three championship games. The Geaney brothers, David and Mikey, and their cousin Paul are to the fore in attack and all three have featured at inter-county level in recent times.
Full-forward Billy O’Connor has been a brilliant find while Colm Benny Moriarty and Darragh O’Sullivan are combining well at midfield. The team is brimming with youth and coping with the loss of the talismanic pair of Diarmuid Murphy and Tommy Griffin.
They face a considerable challenge though against Dr Crokes. The Lewis Road outfit have reigned supreme in recent times and their challenge has been augmented this year by the return of Mike Moloney and Shane Doolan from London.
Colm Cooper continues to be a shining example up front, Johnny Buckley has grown into a dominant presence at midfield while Daithi Casey, Kieran O’Leary and Brian Looney offer other threats up front. Their consistency over the past few years and the continuous high standards they have set, entitles them to the favorites tag.
Betting: Dr Crokes 1/4, Dingle 4/1, Draw 8/1
Verdict: Dr Crokes
CORK SFC
Sunday
Final
Castlehaven v Duhallow, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.15pm
This time last year Castlehaven entered a Cork county final as strong favorites against UCC. But they came unstuck against the students, only scaling the heights in the second-half with a recovery that saw them draw level before Daithi Casey rifled a late penalty to the net that sealed UCC’s success.
Twelve months on Castlehaven have journeyed back to that stage and the experience absorbed from last year should be a crucial asset. They have had their battles to reach this juncture, particularly in the two-game saga in the quarter-final against St Finbarr’s, and then were professional in their dismantling of Carbery Rangers in last Saturday’s semi-final.
Brian Hurley was the attacking star in that game as he struck 1-6 and clearly he needs to be policed carefully here. Similarly Mark Collins offensive threat needs to be curbed by Duhallow.
The divisional outfit, who draw their players from junior and intermediate clubs in the North-West area of Cork, are contesting their first final since 1998. They have been challenging repeatedly to get back to that stage but lost out in semi-final ties in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Thus the side coached by Ned English, who guided Limerick’s Drom-Broadford to the 2008 Munster senior club triumph, made a notable statement with their recent semi-final success against O’Donovan Rossa. They are attempting to win their first county senior title since 1991.
They have notable figures in Cork duo Aidan Walsh and Donncha O’Connor, whose influences in midfield and attack respectively will be vital to their hopes of victory. Defender John McLoughlin won an All-Ireland U21 football medal with Cork in 2009 while his brother and Cork senior hurler Lorcan McLoughlin made a vital impact when introduced in the semi-final victory.
Duhallow have needed replays against Dohenys in the fourth round and Douglas in the quarter-final before prevailing but are certainly here on merit. They have benefitted from frequent preparation in recent times but the benefit of last year’s final experience may just provide the requisite motivation for Castlehaven.
Betting: Castlehaven 8/15, Duhallow 2/1, Draw 13/2
Verdict: Castlehaven
