The 42 Reports from St Conleth's Park, Newbridge

Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone) 2-18

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 1-18

(After extra-time)

IN A GAME that was defined for so long by the scoring magic of Errigal Ciarán’s Canavan brothers, it was a swing of the right boot of Joe Oguz that proved pivotal to the Tyrone side reaching the All-Ireland senior club final for the first time.

Substitutes Eoin Kelly and Mark Kavanagh created the space to transfer possession to Oguz in the 72nd minute and he rifled a shot to the roof of the net. It broke the game open in extra-time, sending Errigal 2-15 to 0-18 clear.

They tacked on three further points courtesey of Ruairi Canavan, Ben McDonnell, and Mark Kavanagh, leaving them with an advantage sufficiently great to withstand a late  burst of Dr Crokes pressure that yielded a goal from Charlie Keating in a frantic finale.

Extra-time was required due to a heroic intervention from Peter Óg McCartan, replicating his stunning kicks in the Ulster final, as he lofted over a 65th minute shot that left the teams deadlocked.

Dr Crokes had been in the ascendancy after the brilliant Micheál Burns looked to have hit the match-winner in the 63rd minute with his fifth point of the game, but they coughed up possession through Gavin White from a free and Errigal countered to rescue their challenge.

Micheal Burns of Dr Crokes celebrates his late point in normal time. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

The Tyrone champions were inspired by the Canavan brothers all day, Ruairí arrowing in a 40th minute free, that was won thanks to the hard yards made by Niall Kelly, for Darragh to race clear and he fired a wonderful shot to the top corner of the net.

That placed Errigal in front 1-9 to 0-10, but it was a game where neither side enjoyed much daylight on the scoreboard and Dr Crokes hung tight to their opponents all day despite the concession of that goal.

Gavin O`Shea of Dr.Crokes and Daragh Canavan of Errigal Ciarán. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

The Canavan brothers gave an exhibition of classy score-taking in the first half, illuminating the Newbridge venue. Ruairí finished the half with five points to his name, Darragh was two further break with three. Both weighed in with a trio of scores from play, Ruairí’s two pointed frees both stemming from fouls on him.

Crokes began with White detailed to watch Darragh, while Maidhci Lynch shadowed Ruairí. By half-time, Evan Looney was marking Ruairí and had drawn a yellow card.

The 0-8 to 0-7 scoreline gave Errigal a slender advantage, Burns showing up brightly for the Kerry champions with three points to demonstrate his opportunism and accuracy. Towering midfielder Mark O’Shea rounded off the opening half scoring, a thumping shot with the outside of his right boot to leave Dr Crokes only one adrift.

Maidhci Lynch of Dr.Crokes and Ruairi Canavan of Errigal Ciarán. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

More to follow…

Scorers for Errigal Ciarán: Darragh Canavan 1-6, Ruairí Canavan 0-7 (0-3f), Joe Oguz 1-1, Peter Óg McCartan 0-1, Pádraig McGirr 0-1, Ben McDonnell 0-1, Mark Kavanagh 0-1.

Scorers for Dr Crokes: Tony Brosnan 0-8 (0-7f), Micheál Burns 0-5 (0-1f), Charlie Keating 1-0, Brian Looney 0-2, Mark O’Shea 0-1, Cian McMahon 0-1, David Shaw 0-1.

Errigal Ciarán

1. Darragh McAnenly

4. Ciarán Quinn, 3. Aidan McCrory, 2. Cormac Quinn

6. Niall Kelly, 5. Peter Óg McCartan, 7. Tiarnán Colhoun

8. Ben McDonnell, 9. Joe Oguz

12. Ciarán McGinley, 13. Ruairí Canavan, 10. Thomas Canavan

14. Darragh Canavan, 11. Peter Harte, 15. Odhran Robinson

Subs

• 22. Mark Kavanagh for Thomas Canavan (43)
• 24. Pádraig McGirr for Robinson (53)
• 27. Ronan McRory for Colhoun (64)
• 21. Eoin Kelly for McCartan (71)
• 20. Dermot Morrow for Cormac Quinn (72)
• 7. Peter Óg McCartan for McGinley (inj) (78)

Dr Crokes

1. Shane Murphy

18. Maidhci Lynch, 3. Fionn Fitzgerald, 6. Gavin White

9. Michael Potts, 2. Evan Looney, 7. Brian Looney

8. Mark O’Shea, 5. Charlie Keating

10. Micheál Burns, 11. Gavin O’Shea, 12. Tom Doyle 

13. Tony Brosnan, 14. David Shaw, 15. Cian McMahon

Subs

• 17. Kieran O’Leary for Doyle (38)
• 19. Daithí Casey for McMahon (46)
• 24. John Payne for Keating (48)
• 4. David Naughton for Potts (52)
• 26. Alex Hennigan for Shaw (inj) (62)
• 15. Cian McMahon for Burns (inj) (69)
• 9. Michael Potts for Brian Looney (73)
• 14. David Shaw for O’Shea (75)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

Written by Fintan O’Toole and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.