Rebels find extra gear

They needed more than 80 minutes of action to get over the line but ultimately Cork’s trip to Austin Stack Park in Tralee proved fruitful last night as they retained their Cadbury’s Munster U21 football title with a narrow success over Kerry.

A game that bristled with potential failed to scale any heights for long stages and was marred by the fussy officiating of referee Keith O’Brien.

The encounter was redeemed for the 5,318 patrons present by the dramatic finale to normal time, when Kerry hauled Cork back for a draw. In the additional periods Cork eradicated the sluggishness of their play in the closing stages of normal time and a powerful opening burst to extra-time when they registered 1-3 without reply proved pivotal to their success.