Glenbeigh-Glencar (Kerry) 1-14 Rock St Patrick's (Tyrone) 1-11
Croke Park was Darran O'Sullivan's field of dreams again as the Kerry hero dragged Glenbeigh-Glencar to a memorable AIB All-Ireland junior club football championship final success at Croke Park.
The four-time All-Ireland winner with Kerry and 2009 captain booted 1-03, picked up a worrying quad injury and was eventually black-carded in a dramatic afternoon at GAA headquarters.
Opponents Rock from Tyrone finished with 12 men after receiving three red cards while Glenbeigh-Glencar had a man sent to the line too in a fiery affair.
But it was the Kingdom outfit who had the last laugh with O'Sullivan scoring a crucial injury-time point despite an apparent muscle tweak late in the first half.
Gavin O'Grady was excellent for Glenbeigh-Glencar also and top scored with six points.
O'Sullivan's extensive achievements with Kerry marked him out as one to watch and he delivered within seconds of the contest starting with an excellent goal.
O'Grady made the run through the centre before laying off to O'Sullivan who found space to swivel and shoot left footed to the right corner of the net.
The livewire forward, closely tracked by Aidan Girvan, escaped his man again in the ninth minute for a point to put the favourites 1-01 to 0-0 up.
Rock were the better side for the remainder of an intense and often edgy first-half and recovered to draw level at the break, 0-09 to 1-06.
It opened out in a terrific contest with Conor McCreesh displaying his full range of talents up front for Rock, kicking two points and creating several more with some clever play.
O'Grady was excellent at the other end of the field for Glenbeigh-Glencar and cut through Rock's defence with some searing runs, helping himself to four first-half points.
Rock closed out the half strong and Girvan booted a brilliant score from the wing before an errant O'Sullivan pass led to a McGarrity point that tied it up.
Both sides finished the half with 14 men. Rock's Enda McWilliams was first to make his exit after a second yellow card in the 22nd minute for a challenge on O'Sullivan.
Glenbeigh-Glencar then lost attacker Daniel Griffin following a straight red card offence in injury-time.
There were scuffles as the sides departed the pitch for the interval and the ill temper spilled over again when O'Sullivan clashed with a Rock backroom team member in the 43rd minute, resulting in the mentor being ordered to the stand.
A 49th minute Padraig Ward goal for Rock, following great work by Thomas Bloomer and Eamon Ward, put the Ulster outfit two clear, 1-10 to 1-08.
But they only scored once more, a 57th minute McCreesh point, as Glenbeigh-Glencar made sure of the win with a strong finale.
That McCresh point left the scores at 1-11 apiece but three Glenbeigh-Glencar points in a row set the seal on victory with sub Bernard Murphy, O'Sullivan and Jason McKenna all on the mark.
Rock's afternoon ended in frustration with two more dismissals, Diarmaid Carroll and Niall Mullan joining McWilliams in leaving the fray early. O'Sullivan was also sent off but for a black card offence deep into injury-time.
Glenbeigh-Glencar: R O'Connor; S O'Sullivan, C Doyle, J Hoare; J Brosnan, P Kilkenny, C Teahan; C McGillycuddy, F Griffin (0-01); Danny O'Sullivan, Darran O'Sullivan (1-03), T Cahill; K Courtney (0-02), G O'Grady (0-06, 0-03f), D Griffin.
Subs: B Murphy (0-01) for Cahill, V Hoare for F Griffin, J McKenna (0-01) for Danny O'Sullivan, Padraig Griffin for Darran O'Sullivan (black card), D McGillycuddy for S O'Sullivan.
Rock St Patrick's: S Donaghy; N McWilliams, N Mullan, M McAleer; C McWilliams, A Girvan (0-01), S Mullan; C Gourley (0-01), D Carroll (0-01); E McWilliams, E Ward, T Bloomer; C McCreesh (0-03), A McGarrity (0-05, 0-04f), R Crilly.
Subs: P Ward (1-00) for Mullan, D Reid for N McWilliams, L Nugent for C McWilliams, C McWilliamis for E Ward, S Litter for McGarrity.
Referee: J Henry (Mayo).
