14/11/05
Maurice fits the bill as South regain title
South Kerry 0-12 Dr Crokes 1-6
By Tony Leen, Killarney
CONFIRMATION Day in Killarney. Proof served up that even the most sublime talents in the business are only as effective as their accomplices.
There's a compilation DVD to savour in the works of Maurice Fitzgerald and Colm Cooper, but while his South Kerry colleagues were beavering around Fitzgerald Park in yesterday's AIB Kerry SFC final, a tired-looking Gooch was too often redundant at the other end, denied the service to make miracles happen.
He tried hard, mind you. Cooper set up Andrew Kennelly for a gilt-edged goal chance early on, and his quick thinking gave Ambrose O'Donovan an easy chance of a point shortly afterwards. Both opportunities went a-begging.
Dr Crokes needed those and more. Yes, there was only a score in it at the death, but there was always a sense that South Kerry had the wherewithal to stay an arm's length ahead and secure back to back county football titles in the Kingdom. Considering they had only been in one final in the previous 20 years, it underlines the sea-change on the Iveragh peninsula.
Though Fitzgerald and his young club colleague Bryan Sheehan compiled seven points between them, some of the most productive forward work was done by their captain, Declan O'Sullivan, who has rebounded splendidly from his All-Ireland disappointment.
The Dromid man foraged deep and wide yesterday to demolish opposition attacks and construct his own.
Similarly defender Stephen O'Sullivan played the spare role to perfection, shielding his full back line and interrupting the supply lines into Cooper and co for Dr Crokes in the second half.
In the initial spats, Cooper was enjoying the duel with South Kerry full back Killian Burns, no more so than when he dummied the defender in the 16th minute to put his side 0-3 to 0-2 ahead. However, one of the final's defining moments had already passed - when Cooper slipped Burns, it seemed that Andrew Kennelly only had to avoid the South Kerry keeper, Mark Drummond to goal. He did neither and so passed the type of chance Crokes had to convert if they were to unseat the champions.
Kerry duo Ronan O'Connor and Declan O'Sullivan edged South Kerry back in front and, though their interval lead was only 0-5 to 0-4, the evidence of the half seemed strangely conclusive.
Maurice Fitzgerald took 11 seconds of the second period to confirm that South Kerry were preparing to increase the heat. When he curled over an outrageous point from under the stand, and Ronan Hussey added another, it might have extinguished other teams. But not Dr Crokes, who have made goal-poaching an art form.
An innocuous 38th minute sideline ball from Brian McMahon had nothing going for it, except its general destination in and around the South Kerry goal. Local intelligence claims Colm Cooper got a touch, but it must have been feint; either way the final was tied at 1-5 to 0-8.
What happened next summed it up: South Kerry quickly regrouped, got stronger, and added three points in 10 minutes from an increasingly influential Sheehan, Hussey and the outstanding substitute, Bryan Hickey. After their goal, Dr Crokes failed to score for 15 minutes, and when Eoin Brosnan did (making it 0-11 to 1-6), they promptly had wing forward Ambrose O'Donovan sent off.
In truth, the dismissal was coming. Whether their goal whipped Dr Crokes into a frenzy or not is a moot point, but their shape and discipline disintegrated as referee Peter Lyons and his linesman struggled to keep a lid on things.
With two minutes remaining, Sheehan claimed his fourth point, though the devil's in the detail.
It was set up by Maurice Fitzgerald, whose stats were thus - scored three points, directly set up three points, fouled for one (pointed) free.
Someone reckoned afterwards that Fitzgerald owed South Kerry a big performance.
"Maurice owes me nothing, South Kerry nothing, and Kerry football nothing," said his manager James O'Sullivan. "The bank balance is clear."
Scorers: South Kerry : B. Sheehan (0-4, 2 frees), M. Fitzgerald (0-3), R. Hussey (0-2), C. O'Connor, Declan O'Sullivan, B. Hickey (0-1 each). Dr Crokes scorers: C. Cooper (1-2, 1 free), D. Maloney, E. Brosnan, B. McMahon, K. O'Leary (0-1 each).
SOUTH KERRY: M. Drummond; G. O'Driscoll, K. Burns, A. O'Connell; D. O'Sullivan, C. O'Connor, S. O'Sullivan; J. Sugrue, B. Sheehan; R. Hussey, D.O'Sullivan, R. Keane; M. Fitzgerald, R. O'Connor, S. Fogarty.
Subs: A. O'Sullivan for Fogarty (half time), B. Hickey for O'Connor (40 mins).
DR CROKES: K. Cremin; S. Doolan, L. Quinn, M. Maloney; V. Cooper, B. Moriarty, E. Kavanagh; K. Brosnan; B. McMahon, A. O'Donovan, E. Brosnan, A. Kennelly; C. Cooper, J. Jones, K. O'Leary.
Subs: D. Maloney for Jones (half time); J. Fleming for Kennelly (41); R. Neher for Doolan (51).
Referee: P. Lyons (Laune Rangers).
