Moynihan rises above storm

SATURDAY nights tend to have an extra bite, but isn’t the scuffle meant to come after the disco, not the match?

Kerry 0-11 Cork 0-9

There was plenty to dance up and down about in Tralee as Kerry and Cork renewed rivalries, but football was a poor second in conversations afterwards.

A robust affair was punctuated by poor refereeing and two dubious sendings off and finished with furious accusations that a Cork player elbowed Kerry's Paul Galvin in the face as the teams headed for the dressing room.

Galvin, one of the primary architects in Kerry's first competitive victory under Jack O'Connor, "got a belt coming off the field," according to his manager and a visibly swollen cheekbone confirmed as much.

Don't be surprised if this one has an early sequel in the committee rooms of Croke Park. GAC chairman Tony O'Keeffe left a wedding to attend the game, but he might find himself witness to a different set of vows shortly.

However, with referee Michael Ryan already halfway down the tunnel to the dressing room at the time, pin-pointing the culprit may be difficult. However in the victorious dressing room, there was universal agreement on the identity of the assailant.

The GAC chairman can hardly have been impressed either with the performance of referee Ryan, who made a rod for his own back with a number of strange decisions not least of which were the sendings off.

The referee said that Cork corner forward Padraig Griffin was sent off in the 26th minute for "an off the ball incident," and later allegedly told Cork coach Billy Morgan that the decision was for "striking." If so, the television cameras missed this one too.

"Padraig Griffin is not a violent man," Morgan said. "Tell me, why would a little fella decide to hit a corner back. You think he just got a brainwave and hit him? We all know what was really happening."

A minute before half-time, Kerry midfielder Seamus Scanlon was sold short for a pass by Aidan O'Mahony and clothes-lined Nicholas Murphy. There was no malice Scanlon's crime was mistiming, but the referee saw things differently again.

"I thought that sending off was harsh too," reckoned Morgan. "A yellow card would have sufficed from the referee, who did not have a good game. He was evening up the score Scanlon did not deserve to be sent off."

Almost lost in the storm was an impressive first half from Cork, who employed the wind advantage to pin Kerry back in their own half. Micheal Ó Croinín was, again, unerring from frees, including one with the outside of his right boot. He has made an early mark in the new Morgan era and he was a central reason Cork retired at the interval with a deserved 0-7 to 0-2 lead.

"A lot of their scores came from our mistakes in the first half," argued Kerry centre back Eamonn Fitzmaurice. "Balls were spilled or turned over by us, which gave them frees and scoring chances."

Scanlon's sending off so close to half time gave the Kerry selectors a few extra minutes to reshuffle the pack and they made a game-winning move by employing Seamus Moynihan as their 'extra' defender.

Those who suspected that 'Pony's race is run ought to think again. "Like wine, Seamus seems to be getting better with age. We needed leadership and he showed it in his favourite role where he can drive upfield with the ball," explained Kerry coach, Jack O'Connor. "Maybe we made better use of the extra man than Cork did."

Two early second half Dara Ó Cinnéide frees teed up the comeback, and within 12 minutes of the resumption, the sides were level at 0-7 each.

"I'm very disappointed because a five point lead at half time was a fair reflection of the play, but Kerry got back into the game too easily in my view. We lost our way by giving away the ball too easily," said Morgan.

With Cork redundant as an attacking force, Morgan pushed Graham Canty to midfield, and introduced Nemo Rangers' Gary Murphy to bolster their defence. However, Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan and Ronan O'Connor were pushing the visitors further into retreat.

Galvin was, by common consent, unlucky not to be on Kerry's Championship side last season, and he has made an early pitch for a starting berth this year in his favoured wing forward position.

"I'm delighted he's getting a chance," said Finuge club colleague Fitzmaurice. "He's helping the backs, roaming around. He can pop a score, he's good for breaks, and a great tackler. It's important to have that type of player in the half forward line nowadays with the way the game has gone. You need tacklers, who are willing to work and sacrifice their own game for the cause."

Declan O'Sullivan wasn't far behind, and he was fouled twice within a minute to present Ó Cinnéide with two pointed frees, giving Kerry a 0-9 to 0-7 lead with fourteen minutes remaining. Sub Liam Hassett and Eoin Brosnan added two more, and though two late Ó Croinín frees made the home fans sweat, Kerry stood firm this time.

Said O'Connor: "They are two very big points. It might not have been very pretty but we don't mind that. It was hard football and our fellas stood up well to it. The League is becoming more and more competitive this game was played at Championship tempo."

Of course, victory tends to come at a cost these days. With Seamus Scanlon now suspended for Sunday's trip to Dublin, and the Gaeltacht players unavailable, Kerry are running out of midfield options and may turn to Mike Quirke to partner William Kirby.

The defeat leaves Cork struggling to make the League play offs. "We probably need eight points from our remaining five games," reckoned Morgan. "Our lads didn't raise their game until they were four points behind at the end, so that was a bit surprising."

Scorers: Kerry: D. Ó Cinneide (0-6, 5 frees, 1 45), T. Griffin, W. Kirby, D. O'Sullivan, E. Brosnan, L. Hassett (0-1 each). Cork: M. Ó S Croinn (0-7, frees), M. Cronin, C. McCarthy (0-1 each).

KERRY: D. Murphy, A. O'Mahony, M. McCarthy, B. Guiney; S. Moynihan, E. Fitzmaurice, T. Griffin; W. Kirby, S. Scanlon; P. Galvin, D. O'Sullivan, E. Brosnan; M. F. Russell, D. Ó Cinnéide, R. O'Connor (St Michael's Foilmore). Subs: L. Hassett for Russell (51 mins), S. O'Sullivan for O'Connor (62), J. Sheehan for Kirby (67), D. Quill for Galvin (69).

CORK: K. O'Dwyer, S. O'Brien, G. Canty, A. Lynch; N. O'Leary, E. Sexton, M. Cronin; D. Hurley, N. Murphy; A. Cronin, M. Ó Croinín, C. McCarthy; C. Crowley, B. Collins, P. Griffin. Subs: C. O'Sullivan for Murphy (h/t), G. Murphy for Collins (45), J. O'Donoghue for A. Cronin (49), N. O'Donovan for O'Leary (60, blood sub).

Referee: M. Ryan (Limerick).