Eoghan Cormican

Fitzgerald Stadium

A powerful start to the second-half – during which Dr Crokes outscored their opponents by 1-6 to 1-1 – propelled the Killarney outfit to a fifth Kerry SFC title in seven years.

Crokes’ 12-minute burst to move them nine clear of Kenmare District rendered the majority of the second-half a non-contest. Kenmare’s best chance to work themselves back into proceedings fell to Paul O’Connor on 47 minutes but his shot came back off the post. From the resulting missed chance, Crokes worked the ball down the field where Brian Looney split the posts.

Looney kicked four second-half points and was just edged out by Colm Cooper, the provider of seven points, for the man of the match verdict. Subs Micheál Burns and Jordan Kiely also registered second-half points.

Dr Crokes were 1-7 to 0-6 clear at half-time and, in truth, their opponents were hanging on by a thread. Paul O’Connor’s dead-ball accuracy accounted for four of their first-half total and the divisional outfit were also hit by the injury-enforced departure of wing-back Patrick Clifford.

His departure directly followed the opening goal of this contest as Fionn Fitzgerald, having cut out a poor John Spillane handpass, sent the ball in the direction of Kieran O’Leary, he turned Dara Crowley and fired a low shot past Kieran Fitzgibbon. O’Leary also kicked a point, with Colm Cooper supplying four white flags.

In the end, it was all too easy for Pat O'Shea's side.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: C Cooper (0-7, 0-3 frees); B Looney (0-4); K O’Leary (1-1); J Buckley (1-0); J Kiely, M Burns, S Murphy (0-1 ’45); A O’Donovan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kenmare District: P O’Connor (0-8, 0-7 frees); T Doyle (1-0); A Spillane, K Spillane (0-2 each).

Dr Crokes: S Murphy; M Moloney, J Payne, E Brosnan; D O’Leary, F Fitzgerald, G White; A O’Donovan, A O’Sullivan; B Looney, D Casey, J Buckley; K O’Leary, G O’Shea, C Cooper.

Subs: M Burns for O’Sullivan (HT); J Kiely for O’Shea (48); L Quinn for O’Leary (48); M Milner for Brosnan (55); PJ Lawlor for O’Donovan (59); T Brosnan for O’Leary (59).

Kenmare District: K Fitzgibbon (Kenmare); G Crowley (Templenoe), D O’Shea (Kenmare), D Crowley (Kenmare); P Clifford (Templenoe), K O’Neill (Templenoe), J Spillane (Templenoe); T Morley (Templenoe), P O’Shea (Tuosist); S O’Shea (Kenmare), S O’Brien (Kenmare), T Doyle (Templenoe); A Spillane (Templenoe), P O’Connor (Kenmare), K Spillane (Templenoe).

Subs: K O’Sullivan (Kenmare) for Clifford (26 mins, inj); M Crowley (Kenmare) for J Spillame (HT); F O’Sullivan (Tuosist) for P O’Shea (HT); P Spillane (Templenoe) for S O’Shea (55); S O’Leary (Kenmare) for Doyle (59).

Referee: B Griffin (Clounmacon).