Crotta Retain Minor Title Despite Gallant Effort By Abbbeydorney/Parnells

.

Mike O’Halloran reports on the Kerry Minor Hurling Championship Final on Sunday at Austin Stack Park…

Crotta O’Neills 1-14

Abbeydorney/Parnells 1-13

The jubilant Crotta O’Neills players. Photo by Dermot Crean

In a game that held all the drama to the very end, Crotta made it two in a row after Donal Hunt got in for a goal at the death to snatch the victory in added time.

As regards the added time, there was some confusion about the amount of time to be added, a board went up to say 5 minutes added, after some more consultation with the linesman a board then went up displaying two minutes.

Michael Slattery had put Abbeydorney/Parnells ahead by one with two minutes lefton the clock 1-12 to 0-14.

Continued below…

.

Eight minutes earlier Crotta looked home and dry when they led by five points.

Earlier, Abbeydorney/Parnells led by three points to nil after five minutes.

Three minutes later it was three all square and half way through the first half it was double scores in favour of Crotta 0-6 to 0-3.

Abbeydorney/Parnells reduced the lead to two with four minutes left in the first half six points to eight.

Three minutes later the margin was again out to four and at halftime the score was Abbeydorney/Parnells 0-6 Crotta 0-10.

Crotta have now won two championships in a row and are setting up the club for great things in the future.

Crotta, A. O’Sullivan, D. O’Rourke, J. McKenna, M. Kennedy, D. Nolan, D. Behan, E. Rohan, E. Shanahan, J. Quilter, J. Sheehan (0.01), D. Hunt (1.01), A. Behan (0.01) (AMcKenna) D O’Donoghue (0.01), B.Mahony (0.10), D. O’Donoghue.

Abbeydorney/Tralee Parnells: S. Holden; S. O’Donovan, O. McCarthy, J. Downey; J. Parker, T. Brick, C. Spillane; A. Maunsell (0.08), N. O’Mahony (0.01) C. Dunne, (S.Byrne)( M. Clifford) B. Lonergan, B. Lyons (R. O’Sullivan)( K.O’Connor) D. Reen (0.01), M. Slattery (1.01), J. Sheehan(0.02)

Crotta players and Mike Parker celebrate. Photo by Dermot Crean
The celebrations continue. Photo by Dermot Crean