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Tir Chonaill Gaels' Peter Sherry and Eamonn McConville in the aerial battle with Dr. Crokes captain Kieran O'Leary INPHO/Gerry McManus
Comfortable

Dr Crokes cruise to All-Ireland quarter-final success

The Kerry champions face a semi-final clash against Ballymun Kickhams after their victory this afternoon in Ruislip.

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-12
Tír Chonaill Gaels (London) 0-6

Dr Crokes set up an All-Ireland club SFC semi-final meeting with Ballymun Kickhams next February after they had 15 points to spare over Tír Chonaill Gaels in today’s quarter-final tie in Ruislip.

A fortnight after winning the Munster final against Castlehaven, Dr Crokes are now able to look forward to the last four of the competition following this comfortable victory.

The Kerry champions proved far too strong for their London opponents with three first-half goals paving the way for their victory.

Team captain Kieran O’Leary bagged the first when he cut in from the right wing to find the net and that strike propelled Dr Crokes, who were forced to line out without the injured Eoin Brosnan, into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead after the opening quarter.

Then they essentially sealed their success with two goals before the break from corner-forward Chris Brady, who continued his recent goal-scoring form after he had hit three goals in last weekend’s East Kerry divisional final win over Rathmore.

Brady, who lined out for the Kerry U21′s earlier this year, grabbed his first goal after being set up by wing-forward Brian Looney and then profited from excellent work by Colm Cooper to raise Dr Crokes third green flag of the game.

At the interval Dr Crokes enjoyed a 3-7 to 0-3 advantage and they were 15 points clear come the final whistle as Tír Chonaill Gaels, who had the Kilmacud Crokes 2009 All-Ireland club winning manager Paddy Carr at the helm for them, were unable to cut the deficit.

YouTube credit: JC O’Shea

The result leaves just four clubs now in the running for the 2013 All-Ireland club SFC title with Dr Crokes to face Dublin’s Ballymun Kickhams, who will be appearing in their first All-Ireland semi-final, while Armagh’s Crossmaglen Rangers take on Roscommon’s St Brigid’s, in a repeat of the 2011 decider, in the other last four clash. Both games will be played on Saturday February 16th next with the venues still to be confirmed.

Meanwhile Dublin outfit Castleknock needed extra-time before they emerged successful from their All-Ireland club JFC quarter-final game this afternoon against St Peter’s (Lancashire) at the Old Bedians Sports Ground in Manchester.

Castleknock ultimately ran out 3-13 to 1-12 winners but needed a late goal in normal-time from Tommy Corcoran to help them draw the game at 1-9 apiece. Extra-time goals from Dessie Carlos and Rory Corcoran enabled the club of Ciaran Kilkenny, who recently moved to Melbourne to embarked on an AFL career with Hawthorn, to triumph by seven points.

Castleknock now go forward to the All-Ireland club JFC semi-final, which will be played on the weekend of January 26th/27th, where they will meet Kerry side Kenmare who recently were crowned Munster champions. Ballinasloe of Galway face An Port Mór of Armagh in the other semi-final of that competition.