Centre back Luke Quinn was the unlikely hero for Dr Crokes as his two late points in normal time saved them from a shock defeat to Aherlow in yesterday's AIB Munster club football semi-final at Cashel.

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 2-11
Aherlow (Tipperary) 0-9
(After extra-time)

The Killarney men were on the brink of making a shock exit before Quinn twice surged forward in injury-time to shoot points that forced extra-time and denied Aherlow a famous win. The fact that Quinn's equaliser came 20 seconds past the three minutes of stoppage-time indicated by referee Rory Hickey only added to the Tipperary champions' pain.

Managed by Kerry native Liam Kearns, Aherlow were in no way intimidated by their highly-rated opponents and spearheaded by the Grogan brothers, Seamus and Barry, they opened up an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead. Crokes were level by the ninth minute, but Aherlow continued to play the better football and led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.

Crokes levelled eight minutes after the restart when Colm Cooper and Daithi Casey combined to set up Andrew Kenneally for a brilliant equalising goal. But Aherlow refused to buckle and a brace of points from Barry Grogan had looked like giving them the win until Quinn's late heroics forced extra-time for the relieved Kerry champions.

In the fifth minute of extra-time, Quinn again burst forward and his delivery from 50 metres slipped through the fingers of Aherlow goalkeeper Brian Moroney for the goal that sent Crokes on their way to the final against Nemo Rangers. Tweet

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