February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
If South Kerry had the poise and experience to close the game out with a Declan O’Sullivan fisted point just two minutes from the end, it was a case of more bitter disappointment for the losers.
Dr Crokes have now been on the receiving end in three deciders against South Kerry in the past five years, and a couple of penalty decisions in this latest confrontation won’t have helped their mood.
First of all, there was a doubt as to whether Ronan Hussey was fouled in the square in the fourth minute, but referee Jer Lynch awarded the spot kick and Bryan Sheehan converted to give South Kerry an early advantage. And then in the dying minutes, Eoin Brosnan appeared to be impeded as he battled for Brian Looney’s centre, however, this time Lynch waved play on.
If those breaks weren’t frustrating enough, Crokes also had to cope with the fact that Colm Cooper was held scoreless from play by the limpet-like attentions of Killian Young.
In Meath, Seneschalstown and Wolfe Tones will have to do it all again after extra-time failed to separate the rivals in Navan. It finished 1-13 apiece and if the additional periods had their drama, the end of normal time also gave Wolfe Tones a reprieve when Cian Ward was on the mark with a free after Gerry Sheridan had been penalised for over-carrying.
Then Seneschalstown were fortunate to survive when Damien Sheridan was controversially deemed to have been fouled in the closing stages of extra-time and his brother, Brian, kicked the free to force a replay.
That replay is scheduled for Thursday which gives the winners only three days recuperation before they take on Portlaoise in the Leinster club championship. “If there was an opportunity for that game to be put back, you’d definitely ask for it,” said Wolfe Tones manager, Cathal O Bric. “At the moment, it doesn’t really give Seneschalstown or ourselves a reasonable chance to show our skills on the bigger stage.”
In Waterford, goals in each half by Eddie Rockett and Robert Ahearne gave Stradbally the title for the 15th time with a 2-5 to 0-9 victory over the Nire in Dungarvan.
On the club hurling front, Ballyboden St Enda’s completed a first Dublin county double since St Vincent’s in 1981 when they added the hurling title with a 1-16 to 0-12 victory over Craobh Chiarain at Parnell Park to the football crown.
Three players – Conal Keaney, Simon Lambert and Shane Durkin – were on duty in both codes, and all three will be available when the footballers meet Rathnew of Wicklow in the Leinster championship on Sunday.
With corner forward, Paul Ryan, accounting for an impressive 1-11 of his team’s total, this was a fully-deserved third senior title on the trot for Ballyboden who now face defending provincial champions, Ballyhale Shamrocks, in the Leinster semi-final.
All Star Alan McCrabbe hit seven points for Craobh Chiarain, but although the losers battled until the very end, Ryan’s goal with 12 minutes remaining meant they were chasing a lost cause.
In Clare, there was joy unconfined for Cratloe who captured the county title for the first time in the club’s 122-year history with a 3-5 to 1-9 win over favorites and defending champions, Clonlara, in Ennis.
When Clonlara went a point clear with just two minutes left, it seemed as if Cratloe would be denied, but sub Padraig Chaplin latched onto a long delivery from Sean Collins and fired the ball home for the decisive goal.