Kerry forwards lead Cork merry dance with their fancy footwork

GUESS it’s time to take these swash- bucklers seriously. Kerry have had such a summer of truculence, trauma and turmoil, someone forgot to mention that they land a hefty haymaker when they get their eye in.

So, 2-17 against the All-Ireland champions, 3-19 against the Munster champions? When these fellas start talking with their feet, they make an awful lot of sense. But yesterday's script was kinda teed up for them, don't you think?

Had they prevailed on that winter's day in June down in Killarney, they'd hardly be around yesterday. The replay, and more precisely its timing, brought its own injustices, and everybody now knows of the serious finger pointing at training in Killarney the following week. It was time to get livin' or get dyin'.

Anyone watching Seamus Moynihan train last week, that burning intensity evident from the back of the stand in Killarney, felt it inevitable that he would redress the scales with Colin Corkery.

The Kerry captain, Darragh Ó Sé is weighed down with incentives, but

arguably the most alluring is the thought of finishing the year with the Sam Maguire Cup above his head and heading back beyond Blennerville.

You knew these things would come right because night follows day, and logic still has a hold on some parts of the world.

But you had to think that eventually, the small fella Kerry keep sticking in the corner would fail to blow out his birthday candles and would be withdrawn amid a sea of knowing glances from the stands.

Tut tut. Sure, he's only out of minor.

Fact is, Mick O'Dwyer might be right for a change. Colm Cooper may be the next Mikey Sheehy after all.

The Croke's youngster led the Kingdom to a first half performance that skirted with footballing perfection at times.

What Kerry provided us with was a display we won't see bettered in this year's championship.

They had registered six points before Colin Corkery momentarily stopped the Rebel rot in the 11th minute, all their 12 scores in the first half came from play, and corner-backs will twist and turn at the mere mention of Colm Cooper as if Mike Frank Russell wasn't enough to cause restless nights.

The irony of their winning margin, 15 points, won't be lost on Kerry. Almost a year to the day after Meath humbled Kerry by that exact margin in Croke Park, the Kingdom have done the same to their neighbours.

If Cork can recover as swiftly as Kerry remains to be seen. Certainly the bewildering nature of their capitulation, particularly their total abandonment of discipline after working their way back into the game, doesn't bode well.

There is no escaping the majesty of Kerry's attack and the damage Cooper and Russell can inflict on any defence. By the 10th minute, Cooper was threatening to annihilate Cork. Larry Tompkins had detailed Eoin Sexton for the thankless job of shackling Gooch, but he now turned to his prized asset, Anthony Lynch, to look after the teenage sensation.

It made little difference. Cooper and Russell weren't to be stopped and 46,415 people witnessed an exhibition from Kerry's front-line attackers. Russell struck first, ghosting behind two Cork defenders, grasping John Sheehan's long pass, and burying the ball into the left corner of Kevin O'Dwyer's goal.

Just 19 minutes gone Russell's goal put Kerry 10 points in front. Corkery's solitary score was Cork's return at that stage. Ten minutes and two Corkery points later, Cooper ended any lingering All-Ireland dreams the Leesiders had in the most impressive way.

After a nice inter-change of passes between himself and Sean O'Sullivan, the Kingdom's new hero spotted Donal Daly in the square. After feeding the midfielder, Cooper continued his run, shipping a hefty shoulder challenge before the ball was return to him, and slotted the ball past Kevin O'Dwyer. The way he created the goal was eye catching, but his cool finish, was wonderful.

"I played a one two with Sean O'Sullivan, and I was just about to kick for a point when I saw Donal Daly going through. I tried to slip the pass to Donal, over hit it, he managed to get to it, and got the ball back. I just thought of hitting the ball anywhere at the goal, and fortunately, it went in."

Gooch's description plays down the creativity and lethal finishing skills he displayed, but any of his six scores yesterday showed a rare talent. He may look like he should be going into inter cert, but Cooper has tattooed his electrifying talent all over this football championship.

If the contribution of Cooper and Russell were the highlights of a glittering first half, the support acts were just as pleasing on the eye. Darragh Ó Sé. put the turmoil of the past couple of weeks behind him to give another imperious, driving performance from the middle. It was one of those performances that would make Ó Sé the spiritual leader and most significant player on the team, if it wasn't for a man standing 40 yards behind him.

Seamus Moynihan, whose only blemish on greatness was his apparent inability to handle Corkery, was awesome. From the moment, he snatched Nicholas Murphy's pass after 10 seconds, Moynihan made his intentions clear. This day, Corkery would be stopped.

The Glenflesk great curbed the influence of the Cork skipper to such an extent, that Corkery had to watch the final 15 minutes from the stand. His second booking, after a lippy afternoon with Brian White, was a direct result of Moynihan frustrating him. Moynihan himself bore the scars of that frustration early on, getting a ripped shirt.

In the dressing room, the marks of that heated tussle were still visible on his neck, but Moynihan was playing down any personal rivalry in the immediate aftermath. "Every game is different, things went right for me out there and I am pleased with that.

People and the media zone in on certain individuals. You take it on your shoulders, I went out, just wanted to do a job out there.

"Thankfully our wing forwards and midfield worked very hard so the quality of ball wasn't as good coming into the Cork forwards, so that gave us an advantage inside."

The three red cards, which all came in about a 40 second spell, marred the game a little, and brought a barrage of bottles raining down on the field. By that stage, Cork frustration had boiled over.

"I felt unfortunate for the players getting sent off," Moynihan said. "Colin is not that type of player, but the ref at the time, felt there was heat coming into the game, and had to deal with it. It was unfortunate for Tom and Fionan Murray getting sent off as well."

While all the headlines will revolve around Kerry's twin terrors today, Moynihan felt the defence held up, their share of the deal too. "If you are responsible for a man, you must be accountable for what that man does on the field, and all six backs kept their heads high."

Moynihan has been around the block once too often to be counting any chickens. A resurgent Dublin or the swarming defence of Armagh lie in wait. There is work still to do.

"We are absolutely delighted, but there is no silverware won yet. We have won nothing this year and we are not going to fall into any traps because of a result like this."

That can be left to the hacks and pundits. There is no doubting Kerry are the best football team in the country. While Cork support will talk of their team not showing up, there isn't a side in the country who could have lived with that Kingdom performance.

After all the doubts, all the fretting in Kerry, Paídí Ó Sé has moulded a side that ooze class and confidence. He has unearthed a few decent performers, Sean O'Sullivan and John Sheehan, and a pure gem in Cooper.

Whether it is Armagh or Dublin standing between Kerry and their rightful coronation at the top of the heap will be decided next week. Neither presents an easy challenge and it is difficult to see either side crumble as Cork did yesterday. After their wonderfully inventive first 35 minutes, only the foolishly brave would wager against them.