Kerry Petroleum Senior Football Club Championship, Group 2, Round 2.
Templenoe 0-10, Dr Crokes 1-06.
Templenoe sit top of Group 2 of the Senior Club Championship after yet another extraordinary result, where they edged Dr Crokes by one point in a tight contest. This win also means that Templenoe has secured senior status for 2023, which is in itself a brilliant achievement making it four consecutive years at top flight.
The match was played before a large crowd in a sun-drenched Templenoe last Saturday evening. Micheal Burns scored the opening point one minute in. Then Adrian Spillane drove forward for Templenoe, but his effort for a score was deflected out for a 45. Aidan Crowley with a slight breeze behind him converted the 45 to draw the hosts level. In the ensuing eight minutes, Templenoe hit four points on the trot to raise the expectations of the home support. Two of these scores came from Killian Spillane frees and then either of Killian’s frees came inspirational scores from wing backs Patrick Clifford and Gavin Crowley. This made the score 0-05 to 0-01 after ten minutes of play. However, there was no chance Dr Crokes were going to let Templenoe run away with this game, as they slowly started to reel in the Templenoe lead. Two Tony Brosnan frees just ahead of the water break left two points between the sides at the end of the first quarter.
On resumption, Crokes continued their comeback with a brace of points from Cian McMahon to even the scores. The visitors it seemed were weathering the Templenoe storm, with the hosts now struggling for scores. Having said that, the Crokes had chances to push on and create a gap themselves too, but they were misfiring as were Templenoe in front of the goal. Templenoe eventually got a much needed score five minutes before half time to regain the lead courtesy of a Killian Spillane effort from play.
Half Time Score: Templenoe 0-06, Dr Crokes 0-05.
It was all to play for at the start of the second half. Dr Crokes squandered two chances to get back on level terms with one wide and one short, before Stephen O’Sullivan had an effort diverted for a 45. Aidan Crowley once again did the business to put Templenoe two points to the good. Then came the Dr Crokes goal, following a quick team movement catching Templenoe open at the back, with substitute Daithi Casey setting up Cian McMahon who finished the ball perfectly to the net. This put Dr Crokes in front for only the second time in the game. Templenoe refused to panic though with team captain Gavin Crowley taking on the responsibility to score his second point of the day. The game was on a knife edge and both sides had goal chances before the second half water break, with Adrian Spillane going close for Templenoe after one of his trade mark runs, while at the other end Tony Brosnan looked like he might have a goal only for the ball to spill away from him at the crucial moment. Mark Casey edged Templenoe in front again with a well taken score to make it 0-09 to 1-05 at the water break.
Dr Crokes introduced Gavin O’Shea and Cillian Fitzgerald in the final quarter. Michael Potts brought Dr Crokes back level with ten minutes left to play. Templenoe were frantically trying to regain the lead, but their finishing was leaving them down. Templenoe hit a total of 10 wides in the game, while Dr Crokes were even more wasteful hitting 11 wides. But perhaps the defences deserve credit for putting pressure on the kickers. While Templenoe keeper Mark Looney in particular deserves credit for dealing effectively with every ball that came his way. In the end, it took a monstrous free from Aidan Crowley to separate the sides, just four minutes before the final whistle. Well done to all our players and management on this huge win!
Final Score: Templenoe 0-10, Dr Crokes 1-06.
Scorers:
Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-03 (2f), Aidan Crowley 0-03 (1f, 2 45s), Gavin Crowley 0-02, Patrick Clifford 0-01, Mark Casey 0-01,
Dr Crokes: Cian McMahon 1-02, Tony Brosnan 0-02, Micheal Burns 0-01, Michael Potts 0-01.
Teams:
Templenoe: Mark Looney, Michael Hallissey, Kieran O’Neill, John Rice, Patrick Clifford, Tadhg Morley, Gavin Crowley ©, Sean Sheehan, Adrian Spillane, Mark Casey, Josh Crowley Holland, Colin Crowley, Stephen O’Sullivan, Aidan Crowley, Killian Spillane.
Dr Crokes: Shane Murphy, John Payne, Neil O’Shea, Michael Potts, Mark Cooper, Fionn Fitzgerald, Evan Looney, Mark O’Shea, Cillian O’Regan, Micheal Burns, David Shaw, Brian Looney, Tony Brosnan, Tom Doyle, Cian McMahon.
Subs used: Daithi Casey, Gavin O’Shea, Cillian Fitzgerald.
Article - Murt Murphy - Irish Examiner
