O'Donoghue Cup Final ---- Dr Crokes  0-7 ----- Kilcummin  0-5(Played in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday 23rd November 08)

  In a very low scoring game we emerged victorious over Kilcummin by two points. While our opponents could bemoan a missed penalty, or rather a saved spot kick by our goalie Alan Kelly as a major cause of their defeat, I think that our better use of the wind was a big factor in the game resulting in our favour. We scored four points from play when aided by the elements whereas our opponents only managed one point from play in the second half when the wind was at their back. It was however a very even game and we were glad to hear the full time whistle.

 Kilcummin despite playing against the breeze had the first scores of the game, two points from frees. We gained equality by the tenth minute. The teams exchanged points in the next five minutes but we had three unanswered points before half time to go in 0-6 to 0-3 in front. Before our last point came Alan Kelly's save from a penalty.

 The second half yielded just three scores, two points for our opponents and one point for us. This is not to say that this thirty minutes was unexciting. Both back lines performed heroics and both goalkeepers brought off point blank saves. We had a lot of play in this half but our opponents staunch defending made it very difficult for us to break through. We had to defend stoutly, in the last five minutes especially to keep out the goal that would have changed the result of the game.

Alan Kelly was outstanding in goal. Best in a very tight defence were John Payne, Fionn Fitzgerald and Shane Doolan. Eoin Brosnan and Ambrose O'Donovan gave us superiority at midfield. In attack we were best served by Colm Cooper, James Fleming and Kieran O'Leary.

 Dr Crokes Best Player;  John Payne.

 Team and Scorers;  Alan Kelly; John Payne, Luke Quinn, Fionn Fitzgerald; Batt Moriarty, Mike Moloney, Shane Doolan 0-1; Eoin Brosnan, Ambrose O'Donovan; Johnny Buckley, Kieran O'Leary 0-1, Brian Looney 0-1; James Fleming, Colm Cooper 0-3(0-2frees), Jamie Doolan 0-1free.  Subs;  Daithi Casey.

 Congratulations to our Manager, John Galvin and his selectors Colm O'Shea and Mark Cooper and all the backroom staff on winning their two in a row O'Donoghue Cups.

Dr Crokes 1-12 Scartaglin 0-08 (Sun Nov 16th)Played in Kilcummin.(Semi-Final)

For the second year in a row we got a very tough game from Scartaglin in the O'Donoghue Cup semi-final. We attacked from the start and had two points on the board in the first five minutes. Our opponents had their first score, a point in the tenth minute to narrow the gap to a point. Ten minutes followed , without a score for either side. We were the more guilty party during this period, with a number of wides. A goal by Colm Cooper in the 21st minute put us four points ahead but the next five minutes was a productive period for Scartaglen as they scored three unanswered points to leave just the minimum between the sides. Fionn Fitzgerald closed the scoring with a point just before half time to give us an interval lead of 1-3 to 0-4.

Our opponents started the second half the better with two points in the first five minutes to level the game. We got well on top thereafter. We had seven points without reply in the next twenty minutes, to go into a 1-10 to 0-6 lead. Scart did have a good chance during this period for a goal but their effort was brilliantly saved by Alan Kelly. The teams exchanged points on two occasions in the last five minutes, leaving us winners on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-8.

Dr Crokes Best Player;  Colm Cooper.

Team and Scorers;  Alan Kelly; John Payne, Luke Quinn, Barra O'Connell; Batt Moriarty, Mike Moloney, Shane Doolan; Ambrose O'Donovan 0-1, Eoin Brosnan; Johnny Buckley, Colm Cooper 1-2, Brian Looney 0-2; Fionn Fitzgerald 0-1, Kieran O'Leary 0-2, Jamie Doolan 0-4(0-2frees). Subs;  Brian McMahon, James Fleming, Daithi Casey.

Dr Crokes 3-13 Fossa 0-02 (Sat Oct25th) Played in Fossa.

At half time in this game one would not have predicted such an easy win for us. At the end of this thirty minutes we just led 1-2 to no score. We were lucky to be ahead by five points at the interval as Fossa squandered a number of scoring chances. If they had taken them they could have been very close to us on the scoreboard.

Whatever dressing down (excuse the pun)  our players got in the changing room they put in a very good second half, scoring 2-11 to our opponents 0-2 to gain a comprehensive win. Fossa started the better in the third quarter and had two points without reply. Thereafter we were very much in control, mainly through outstanding midfield displays by man of the match Eoin Brosnan and Johnny Buckley. Scores came quick and fast and the game was over by the threequarter stage. Fossa to their credit never gave up and on another day they would have added considerably to their tally of two points. We have now qualified for a semi final meeting with Scartaglen on November 16th in Kilcummin.

Dr Crokes Best Player;  Eoin Brosnan.

Team and Scorers;  Kieran Cremin; John Payne, Luke Quinn, Eanna Kavanagh; Batt Moriarty 0-1, Barra O'Connell, Shane Doolan; Eoin Brosnan 1-1, Johnny Buckley 1-1; Fionn Fitzgerald 0-1, Kieran O'Leary 0-2, Brian Looney; Gavin Tucker 0-2, Colm Cooper(capt) 0-2, Jamie Doolan 1-1.Subs;  Alan Kelly, James Jones 0-2, James Fleming.

Dr Crokes 2-18 G/Guilla 1-20 AET (Sat Oct11th)in Gneeveguilla.

In one of the best games in many years in this competition(a game befitting a final) we overcame Gneeveguilla by the minimum margin in extra time. Our opponents opened the scoring with a point in the second minute but we were in front a minute later, a sublime goal by Colm Cooper. A point by our opponents followed by four unanswered  points by the black and amber, followed by a goal by our hosts, left us 1-4 to 1-2 ahead at the end of the first quarter. The second fifteen minutes saw neither side getting the upper hand and adding four points each to their total. This gave us an interval lead of 1-8 to 1-6.

Gneeveguilla got on top in the first ten minutes of the second half. They scored four points to our one, to lead by a point after 50 minutes. We were in the ascendancy in the next ten minutes and had three points without reply, to lead by two points with ten minutes to go. Gneeveguilla levelled the scoring with two points as we reached the hour mark. When Colm Cooper put us a point in front in injury time it looked as if victory was ours. However a minute later Danny O'Sullivan equalised from a long range free to put the game into extra time.

Kieran O'Leary , who had been quiet in normal time ( he hadn't played a game in months) shone in extra time and was responsible for putting us four points in front at the end of the first ten minute period. The hosts had two points in the first five minutes of the second period. The teams then exchanged points and even though Gneeveguilla had a point in the 80th minute we hung on in injury time for victory by a point.

A feature of the game were the scoring exploits of Colm Cooper and Danny O'Sullivan, who scored 1-9 each for their sides.

Dr Crokes Best Player;  Colm Cooper.

Team and Scorers; Kieran Cremin; John Payne, Mike Moloney, Eanna Kavanagh; Barra O'Connell, Luke Quinn, Gavin Tucker 0-1; Johnny Buckley 0-1, Brian McMahon; Shane Doolan, James Fleming 0-1, Brian Looney 0-1; Kieran O'Leary 1-2, Colm Cooper 1-9( 0-4frees), Jamie Doolan 0-2(0-1free).  Subs;  Ambrose O'Donovan 0-1, Fionn Fitzgerald, Daithi Casey, James Jones.