Munster Club SFC final: Dr Crokes (Kerry) 0-15 Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) 1-6
Dr Crokes’ ninth Munster football title didn’t come as a surprise but for Micheál Burns, it completed an incredible turnaround.
In 2022, the Killarney kingpins took a 10-point hammering from Dingle in the Kerry quarter-final. In 2023, they didn’t escape their group, knocked out by Na Gaeil.
The return of All-Ireland-winning manager Pat O’Shea has heralded a clean sweep of Kerry League, Club, County, and Munster titles, culminating with a six-point victory over Loughmore-Castleiney.
Facing into an All-Ireland semi-final against Ulster champions Errigal Ciarán, they could yet add a fifth trophy in the new year.
“Back in 2018, I don’t think we’d have thought it would have been this long,” said Burns.
“It’s just amazing. These days don’t come around often and even when you’re there, you don’t appreciate them as much as you should.
“We haven’t been here in a while and it is just a great feeling now leading into the Christmas with something to look forward to afterwards.
“We didn’t get out of the group in the county championship last year so it is some turnaround to have a clean sweep in Kerry and to come up here now and get provincial honours is dream stuff.
“It’s just a powerful feeling at the moment. We are riding on momentum and nobody wants it to stop.”
Burns’ year began on a low note when he was dropped from the Kerry panel.
Given his club form, captain David Naughton backed the wing-forward to make an inter-county return if he wishes.
“There’s just been a resurgence from the man,” said Naughton after accepting the O’Connor Cup.
“Whatever happened with Kerry is in the past but he has absolutely proven that he’s good enough to get back in there in the future if he wants to.”
Burns and Tony Brosnan kicked 0-5 each for the 2017 All-Ireland champions as they burned off Loughmore with an improved second-half performance.
Cautious shot selection meant there was no attempt at the posts between the seventh and 20th minutes. It took 41 minutes for either side to kick a wide.
The Tipperary double-winners, starting with 13 players over the age of 30, couldn’t quite make their experience count and were left to regret an injury that limited John McGrath’s influence.
Despite playing into the wind, Crokes controlled the first half. Their precise tackling swallowed up Loughmore’s running style and their patient possession game had the added benefit of winding down the clock until the wind turned in their favour.
At times, however, O’Shea ripped off his hat in fits of frustration due to their ponderous play.
They started well, constructing a 0-4 to 0-1 lead with scores from Burns (0-2), Kerry hurler Tom Doyle, and veteran Brian Looney.
Loughmore took 20 minutes to register, via captain Liam Treacy, but a pair of Liam McGrath frees pared the half-time gap back to one; 0-4 to 0-3.
After the restart, a quick counter-attack point from Doyle highlighted Crokes’ potential for kick-passing moves with the wind. Loughmore manager Shane Hennessy branded that score “poetry in motion” post-match.
Young corner-back Maidhcí Lynch got the official man-of-the-match award but Brosnan’s second-half display must’ve pushed him close.
Finding more space, the Kerry forward kicked points off left and right as his entire 0-5 total came from play. He would’ve added a goal too but for Joey Hennessy’s alert save.
Mark O’Shea claimed three marks from Hennessy’s kick-outs to pen Loughmore in and Crokes made it a six-point streak with a brace off the bench from Kieran O’Leary.
When Ed Connolly and Brian McGrath threatened goals, Gavin White and O’Shea got back to clear the ball away from the line although substitute Phillip O’Connell smashed home a stoppage-time consolation.
On Saturday, Crokes’ fellow Kingdom giants Austin Stacks blasted seven goals to run out convincing Munster Intermediate champions by 7-7 to 0-2 against Aherlow.
The Kerry champions have won 16 of the last 18 trophies at this grade and this 26-point victory underlined their advantage in entering the county’s ninth-best team.
Playing with the gale, they held Aherlow scoreless for a 1-5 to nil half-time lead even without injured Kerry defender Dylan Casey.
Stacks had 18 first-half shots to Aherlow’s one but sprayed 12 wides. They needed a 30th-minute goal from Paddy Lane to make their cushion more comfortable.
The Tipperary champions were reduced to 14 men in the aftermath, with Cathal Dillon picking up a second yellow card, and Stacks racked up six goals in the second half.
Full-forward Cian Purcell fired a hat-trick, while inter-county midfielder Joe O’Connor was centrally involved in four goals, scoring one himself and hitting the post with another chance.
Substitutes accounted for two further green flags as Seán Quilter capitalised on a handling error and Shane O’Callaghan bundled home.
They will offer a tough challenge for either Arva or Ballinderry Shamrocks in an All-Ireland semi-final.
Kerry were denied a clean sweep of Munster titles in the Junior decider, with Firies beaten by Cork champions Kilmurry, 1-10 to 0-9.
DR CROKES: S Murphy; E Looney, F Fitzgerald, M Lynch; C Keating, G White, B Looney (0-1); M O’Shea, M Potts; M Burns (0-5, 0-2 frees), G O’Shea, T Doyle (0-2); T Brosnan (0-5), D Shaw, C McMahon.
Subs: K O’Leary (0-2) for McMahon (45); D Naughton (capt.) for Keating (54); D Casey for Shaw (58); A Hennigan for Doyle (58); M Cooper for Potts (60+2).
LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY: J Hennessy; L Egan, J Ryan, W Eviston; E O’Connell, T McGrath, J Meagher; J McGrath, L Treacy (capt.) (0-2); T Maher, B McGrath, Eamon Connolly; L McGrath (0-3, 0-3 frees), Ciarán McGrath, N McGrath.
Subs: P O’Connell (1-0) for C McGrath (h-t); C Connolly for J McGrath (46); A McGrath (0-1) for T McGrath (52); D McCahey for Ryan (52); Ed Connolly for Maher (52).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
