Cooper oozes class

MUNSTER SFC FIRST ROUNDTHE WATERFORD champions were dazzled by the guile of Colm "Gooch" Cooper, who has been described by one opponent as "unmarkable within the rules of the game".

Little wonder then Gavin Breen of Ballinacourty got his marching orders in the 40th minute, but the Gooch is nothing if not brave and his 2-3 in an explosive six-minute spell turned this game on its head.

Dr Crokes went in at the break only two in front, 0-6 to 0-4, and in fact had to survive two scares, as Ballinacourty were denied goals in the fifth and 11th minute when Alan Kelly made a great save and then John Payne blocked Gary Hurney. Eoin Brosnan was deployed to the edge of the square to mark Gary Hurney and Brosnan won that battle, but the war was won at the other end by Cooper.

The second half was just over a minute old when Daithí Casey played a ball over the top, Cooper caught it, dropped the ball to his foot and shot low to the net.

Johnny Buckley then fielded the kick-out, and a long delivery was fielded by Cooper, who turned and, though Stephen Enright did well to parry his shot, Gooch stroked the rebound to the net. Three Cooper points followed, including one from a free for a foul on himself that saw Gavin Breen shown a second yellow and Ballinacourty were 2-9 to 0-4 adrift.

Andrew Kennelly scored a third goal in the 42nd minute before O’Mahony kicked the home side’s first point of the half, in the 47th minute.

DR CROKES: A Kelly; J Payne, E Brosnan , D O'Leary; F Fitzgerald, L Quinn, S Myers; B McMahon, J Buckley (0-1); A Kennelly (1-1), D Casey (0-4, one free), B Looney (0-1); C Cooper (2-3, one free), K O'Leary, J Doolan (0-2). Subs: C Brady (0-1) for B Looney, K McMahon for J Payne, J Jones for B McMahon, G Tucker for S Myers, S O'Neill for A Kennelly.

BALLINACOURTY:S Enright; M Lavin, J Phelan, G Breen; J Hurney (0-1), P Lynch, R Foley; S Briggs (0-1), S O'Hare; J Gorman, P Hurney, M Fives; J O'Mahony, G Hurney (0-3, one free), M Ferncombe (0-1). Subs: C Keane (0-1) for J Gorman, C Moroney for J OMahony, M Gorman for M Fives.

Referee: C Lane (Cork).