Relief for Cleary as Cork hold off Kerry

Cork 0-14 Kerry 2-7

The denouement of this clash proved far closer than looked likely with just under 20 minutes remaining, though, as, having gone in level at half time, 0-7 to 2-1, the home side began the second half in excellent fashion.

Dan Mac Eoin kicked three wonderful points while fellow West Cork man John O’Rourke added another and to highlight the discord between their fluency and Kerry’s travails, Gavin O’Grady missed a very scoreable free for the visitors and Conor Cox saw his effort first deemed a point before referee Derek O’Mahony overruled his umpire.