2011

Dr Crokes retain the O’Sullivan Cup

played Wed 7th September 2011

Dr Crokes annexed the O’Sullivan Cup on Wednesday last in Fitzgerald Stadium but not before withstanding a determined Spa effort. Dr Crokes went to the dressing room at half time with a comfortable six point lead 1-8 to 1-2 - and it appeared to many present that they would cruise easily to victory in the second half. But Spa pride and determination put a very different complexion on this entertaining Junior final. Spa clawed back the arrears and got to within a point of their neighbours but they ran out of time and Dr Crokes held on by a single point to take the Cup back across the Lewis Road. Shane O’Neill and Chris Brady had two points on the board for Crokes in the first two minutes. Kevin Healy worked a hard earned point for Spa against a tight Crokes defence. Spa followed up with an attack led by Paul Kelleher whose point attempt rebounded from the cross bar. The alert Craig Hickey pounced and shot to Peter O’Brien’s net. Three minutes later Hickey shot Spa 1-2 to 0-2 ahead. However it was to be Spa’s last score of the half as Dr Crokes turned in a master class performance before half time. The game turned in a six minute period. Wing back Gavin Tucker, midfielder David Moloney and Brian O’Shea(0-2) added four points for the Crokes. Centre forward Chris Brady set up Denis Galvin for a cracker of a goal. In that six minutes of typical Crokes energy, fast movement and hard work, they had scored 1-4 to put themselves four clear of Spa. Edmund O’Sullivan and Shane O’Neill completed the scoring with two points to leave the half time scoreboard reading Dr Crokes 1-6 Spa 1-2.

On the resumption, keeper Peter O’Brien called on all his years of experience to smother a goal attempt by Paul Kelleher of Spa. Unlike the first half when David Moloney and Ambrose O’Donovan dominated around the middle, it was now Spa’s turn to demonstrate their fielding skills as Ivor Flynn and Andrew Fitzgerald assisted by Matthew Moynihan and Fergus Clifford took over around the middle feeding possession to their hungrier forwards. Craig Hickey and Adam Reilly added three Spa points whilst Chris Brady and Shane O’Neill claimed two for Crokes. Spa was attacking in waves as they pinned the Crokes men to their own half of the field. Despite tiger like defending from the Fitzgeralds - Fionn and Killian aided by Kieran Ward and Gavin Tucker, Spa got through for four points by Paul Kelleher, Paul Cronin, Adam Reilly and Craig Hickey. With five minutes left Spa had reduced the Crokes lead to a single point – 1-10 to 1-9. The final five minutes were hectic and dramatic. Ambrose O’Donovan came storming into attack and put the Dr Crokes lead back to two points. Spa retaliated a minute later with a sweeping attack. Half back Michael Paul Doherty took possession twenty metres out and carved his way past defenders Lawlor and Coppinger . The goal came into view and Doherty let fly with venom. But keeper Peter O’Brien sprung cat like to deflect the ball over the bar. Spa needed the goal but O’Briens deflection ensured a one point lead and victory for the Dr Crokes outfit. Referee James O’Sullivan blew his whistle for the last time on a scoreline of Dr Crokes 1-11 Spa 1-10. Afterwards sponsor David O’Sullivan of O’Sullivan Cycles presented the Owen O’Sullivan Cup to Dr Crokes Captain Edmund O’Sullivan and Mrs Kathleen O’Sullivan presented the man of the match trophy to top scorer Craig Hickey of Spa.

Teams
Dr Crokes: Peter O'Brien, Killian Fitzgerald, PJ Lawlor, Sean Coppinger, Fionn Fitzgerald, Kieran Ward, Gavin Tucker(0-1), David Moloney(0-1), Ambrose O'Donovan(0-1), Brendan Falvey, Chris Brady(0-2), Brian O’Shea(0-2,0-1 free), Denis Galvin(1-0), Edmund O'Sullivan(0-1), Shane O'Neill(0-3). Subs Niall O’Connell

Spa: Sean Moynihan (C), Paul Casey, Brian Devane, Paul Russell, Matthew Moynihan, Fergus Clifford, Michael P Doherty(0-1), Ivor Flynn, Andrew Fitzgerald, Paul Kelleher(0-1), Kevin Healy(0-1), Pa Murphy, Paul Cronin(0-1), Adam O'Reilly(0-2,0-1free), Craig Hickey(1-4) Subs:Jamie Spillane, Pat Cronin, Colin Moynihan

Referee: James O’Sullivan Firies