It was a Kerry double at Croke Park today as Ardfert and Brosna claimed the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Club Football titles respectively.
Ardfert maintained their immaculate record at All-Ireland level, as they accounted for first time finalists St Croans of Roscommon by 1-14 to 0-09.
Croans registered the opening score of this game from Kevin Smyth, but once Ardfert took a 0-02 to 0-01 lead after five minutes with back-to-back points they wouldn't trail again.
The Kerry and Munster champions pushed 1-06 to 0-03 ahead by the interval, with Damien Wallace netting a 20th minute goal.
Smyth bagged all of Croan’s first half tally, but Ardfert’s experience told, as they tagged four unanswered points on the restart.
1-10 to 0-03 in arrears, Croan’s kept fighting, with a Smyth pointed free ending a nine-minute scoring drought in the second half.
Eamon Towey pressed hard for a Croan’s goal, and although his side cut the gap to eight points with 10 minutes remaining, Ardfert finished strongly.
Earlier, Brosna gave a stunning defensive display as they became the sixth Kerry club to take All-Ireland Junior silverware, with a 0-08 to 0-05 win over John Mitchels of Liverpool.
The British Champions were contesting their second final, having lost the 2009 decider to Skellig Rangers, and worked hard, but Brosna just had that little bit extra.
Brosna led throughout, and held a 0-05 to 0-01 lead at half-time, with Tom McGoldrick, Dave Curtin, Mike Finnegan and Adam Barry taking their scores.
Westmeath native Kieran Lynam claimed Mitchells' lone score in the opening half, but they fought back on the restart.
Scores from Antrim native Francis Cassidy and Kilcar, Donegal man Michael Molloy cut the deficit to two points, nine minutes into the half.
Defences were on top, with Brosna’s opening score coming at the end of the third quarter from Barry.
Barry’s third point pushed Brosna 0-07 to 0-03 ahead.
Mitchells rallied with points from Conal McGlade and John McDermott, before Shane Curtin bagged an insurance point for Brosna to ensure a three-point win and All-Ireland silverware.
