Rathmore dethrone 14-man Dr Crokes to claim second Kerry senior club title

John Moynihan of Rathmore celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Dr Crokes ©INPHO/David Ribeiro

Rathmore are Kerry club senior football champions for the first time in 15 years after dethroning Dr Crokes with a 2-10 to 0-12 victory at Fitzgerald Stadium this afternoon.

Well-time goals proved crucial for Aidan O'Mahony's side against their Killarney counterparts who were reduced to 14 men after dismissal of Micheál Burns after the Kerry forward became involved in a physical altercation with Rathmore's physio in the 18th minute.

Rathmore, who saw Cathal Ryan black carded for his part in the incident, were 1-2 to 0-3 up by that stage after Fionn Murphy had netted the game’s first score 10 minutes into this decider.

Darragh Nagle and Ciaran Collins added points to the Rathmore tally after Burns’s sending off, with Tony Brosnan and Cian McMahon firing over at the other end to help trim Dr Crokes’ deficit to 1-4 to 0-6 come the interval.

A Brendan O’Keeffe two-pointer increased the lead to three early in the restart, with the Killarney men seeing an opportunity to level matters spurned after Brosnan sent his penalty over the bar.

Brosnan and McMahon raised white flags that cut the margin to the minimum prior to John Moynihan and O’Keeffe restoring the three-point advantage for Rathmore.

Moynihan would deliver a second hammer blow to the holders in the 46th minute with a palmed in goal and, despite Brosnan sending over three-in-a-row for Crokes, Brian Friel’s late score put a seal on Rathmore second Michael O’Connor Cup success.