Kingdom make wasteful Cork pay dearly

KERRY stripped Cork of their Munster and All-Ireland junior football championship titles with a two-point victory at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night in a keenly contested provincial final.

Cork will have nightmares over losing this game. They totally dominated the opening quarter but they paid the price for some appalling finishing.

Twice in the opening period and once in the second they spurned goal chances that would surely have seen them retain their crowns, but in typical Kerry fashion, the visitors, with limited possession, gave Cork a sharp lesson in how to convert chances when they present themselves.

The winners included a number of their successful U21 All-Ireland winning team and they were the main difference. Paddy Curran oozed class in attack, ably assisted by his colleague Alan O’Sullivan while the vastly experienced Pat Corridan and Wayne O’Sullivan were rock solid in defence.

Kerry opted to play with the strong wind after winning the toss but it was Cork who did all the pressing. Three wides were struck in as many minutes before Cathrach Keane missed a sitter of a goal when he blazed wide with only the Kerry ‘keeper to beat.

It took Cork nine minutes to open their account when David Goold fisted a point when a goal looked on.

Kerry finally drew level with a Conor Daly point. The score settled Kerry and Niall Fleming who plays his club football with the Ballydesmond club in the Duhallow division, edged them Kerry into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Then Alan O’Sullivan, who was doing well at wing forward, ghosted in behind the Cork full back line to take a pass from John Paul Brosnan inside the bid square and he made no mistake with only the goalkeeper to beat.

It was a sucker punch to Cork and they began to struggle as Kerry came more and more into the game. Pat Corridan was excellent at centre back and they finished the half strongly with points by Alan O’Sullivan and Conor Daly to lead 1-4 to 0-3 in front at the break.

The sides swapped points early into the second half before Cork, for the third time in the game, wasted another gilt edged chance of a goal when Brendan Jer O’Sullivan put Colm O’Driscoll through with a great knockdown but with only the ‘keeper to beat he blazed wide across the face of the goal.

It was a huge let off for Kerry and as the Cork challenge faded, the visitors upped the ante considerably. Anthony Maher began to dominate at midfield and with Paddy Curran showing his class up front, the visitors kicked three points in a row to open up a 1-8 to 0-5 lead after 40 minutes and barring a total collapse by Kerry, they looked likely winners.

Only the magnificent free taking of David Goold kept Cork in touch and he pointed twice in succession before the defending champions were thrown a life line when Eamon Lyons was fouled after running on to the perfect pass from Brendan Jer, and Goold drilled the resultant penalty home.

As the tension mounted the classy Goold pointed a long-range free to leave the minimum between the teams with 10 minutes to go.

It was a close as Kerry allowed them to get however and it took a brilliant save by Cork ‘keeper Pat White to deny Conor Daly a goal. Curran continued to torment the Cork defence with his pace and ball control, and his U21 colleague Alan O’Sullivan in a similar mood, the Waterville youngster edged his side two points clear with five minutes to go and Kerry held that advantage to the finish to win their 38th provincial in this grade.

Scorers: Kerry: A. O’Sullivan 1-2; C. Daly, A. Maher, P. Curran (0-1 45) 0-2 each; N. Fleming, M. O’Donoghue (free), M. Murphy 0-1 each. Cork: D. Goold 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-4 frees); C. Keane, BJ O’Sullican, S. Kiely 0-1 each.

KERRY: S. Og O Ciardubhain; K., Quirke, W. O’Sullivan, C. O’Mahony; F. Griffin, P. Corridan, J. King; A. Maher, A. Garnet; A. O’Sullivan, JP Brosnan, M. O’Donoghue; P. Curran, N. Fleming, C., Daly.

Subs: M. Murphy for Garnet; D. Doyle for Griffin; N. Og Horgan for O’Donoghue.

CORK: P. White; M. Prout, G. Healy, P. Gayer; R. O’Sullivan, S. Fox, S. Levis; E. Lyons, N. O’Riordan; S. Kiely, C. Keane, P. O’Flynn; D. Goold, BJ O’Sullivan, C. O’Driscoll.

Subs: D. O’Donovan for O’Riordan; J. O’Sullivan for R. O’Sullivan.

Referee: M. McCann (Clare).