Fitzgerald’s stadium as fiery Rebels reeled in
id Fionn Fitzgerald mean it? If he didn’t, Cork would prefer he kept it to himself. To be denied a first championship victory in Killarney in 20 years by a fluke would be far too cruel.
So leisurely a kick, there were strong grounds to suggest he overcooked a pass to Kieran Donaghy. Although, so good was his technique it appeared his strike was full of intent. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Pity so few afforded that generosity to Cork. Defying the detractors, they pieced together a performance that will silence many even if the win eluded them.
For the first time in championship football since the 2008 All-Ireland semi-final, they had a Kerry goalkeeper reaching into his net three times. Not since 1983 had they scored more than two SHC goals in Fitzgerald Stadium.
And yet it wasn’t enough, the counties failing to be separated for the sixth time in 16 championship seasons. Once again, it was Kerry who were spared their blushes, Fitzgerald emulating Mike Frank Russell in 2002, Bryan Sheehan in ‘09 and Colm Cooper in 2010.
Kerry might have had the better spread of scorers — 10 to Cork’s four — but they kicked twice as many wides as Cork and were opened up so cheaply for the three goals. Before Fitzgerald forced the replay, they had to rely on a dubious 54th minute penalty goal won and scored by James O’Donoghue after Mark Collins was deemed to have fouled him. Making it 2-11 apiece, the score levelled the game for a sixth occasion — they were tied a total of eight times.
Cork might be insulted by the general perception that Kerry underperformed whereas they certainly didn’t but some of Kerry’s defending was hazardous. Colm O’Neill’s movement may have been the telling aspect of Cork’s first goal but the space afforded to Donncha O’Connor for the second and pedestrian tackling on Michael Shields in the lead-up to Barry O’Driscoll’s third will be troubling for Eamonn Fitzmaurice. Brendan Kealy also had to be on his toes to deny Barry O’Driscoll in the 31st minute.
“Brendan made at least two very good saves and the goals obviously also went in as well, so yeah it’s an issue,” said the Kerry manager, “It’s something we have been working on, we’ve tried to rectify but we’ll have to go back to the drawing board again for Saturday week.” Cork should be complimented not only for bouncing back after O’Donoghue’s goal had handed Kerry the initiative but also their seven point turnaround from a four-point deficit at half-time — 1-9 to 1-5 — to a three-point lead in the 47th minute — 2-10 to 1-10.
With the impressive David Moran making way for a black card offence, Cork got on top in midfield and Alan O’Connor took his chance. After O’Connor had palmed a lob over Kealy’s head for a 38th minute goal having taken receipt of a Barry O’Driscoll pass, Moran’s absence was felt with Cork scoring four points on the bounce.
A Sheehan point ended that 1-4 run of Cork’s but then O’Neill showed excellent agility to restore Cork’s three-point lead in the 50th minute shortly before Donaghy was fortunate to escape with a yellow card for a high foul on Eoin Cadogan. The next score was the disputed penalty, O’Donoghue going to ground as he and Collins collided. With his first touch of the ball after coming on, Colm Cooper then shaped over a point and Kerry were ahead once more.
They were actually two points to the good when O’Driscoll’s goal put Cork up again, Cooper far too generous to Shields as the Cork captain fisted a ball onto his fellow defender, who had broken the cover, to beat Kealy.
Substitute Paul Geaney then went narrowly close with a goal attempt. From the resultant 45, O’Donoghue kicked wide with their best placed ball taker Sheehan off the field. As Cork attempted to kill the clock, replacement Colm O’Driscoll was shown a black card and Shields and Geaney were both booked although the former was the main agitator as he refused to let go of his marker. To the relief of the majority of the 35,651 crowd, Fitzgerald became something of an unlikely scoring hero but it felt so much like a smash and grab.
Up until the last six minutes of the first half, Cork had managed to do something they have failed to do against Kerry the previous three championships: deny them a running start. Operating Paul Kerrigan as a deep-lying sweeper, they conceded the majority of the possession to Kerry but were economical with their chances. Cadogan was also having the better against Donaghy as Kerry found themselves road-blocked.
Their only fault was a lack of head-up football when, with the wind, they failed to avail of the several occasions when O’Neill and Brian Hurley were isolated on their men. O’Neill’s goal in the ninth minute punished a sleepy Kerry start but Cork’s good work was undone four minutes later when Johnny Buckley stole a ball from Shields and Donaghy was put in for a goal.
Kerrigan’s black card was followed by a dominant patch for Kerry where they bossed the kick-outs. “I would have felt we gave them too much room in the middle third 10 minutes before half time when they kicked two or three points in a row,” said Brian Cuthbert.
“We just backed off them which we didn’t want to do, really. But four points is nothing really major and at half-time I felt we had a great chance of winning the game. But I would just hark back to the fact that we haven’t. And we are disappointed but at the same time we have shown people that we have capability.”
Wise words. After all the vitriol that came their way, it would be easy for Cork to get carried with a performance when it was a result they wanted. July 18 extends them a chance to get it right but the problem is it offers Kerry exactly the same.
Fionn Fitzgerald’s equalising point from downtown, emulating Marc Ó Sé’s leveller in the 2010 Munster semi-final replay.
Choose your pick - did Fitzgerald mean it? Was it a penalty? Was Kieran Donaghy fortunate to stay on the pitch? Have Cork missed their chance?
We could mention Fitzgerald’s point but seeing Paddy Kelly replace Paul Kerrigan whilst already on the pitch was a first. He had come on as a blood replacement for Alan O’Connor.
Paul Kerrigan was doing well as a deep-lying sweeper until his black card and it made Kerry’s job of unlocking them easier. Kerry didn’t offer their full-back line sufficient support and could have been caught earlier.
Cork had by far the larger number of contenders. Alan O’Connor impressed when David Moran was black carded. Barry O’Driscoll stood out for large swathes of the game. Ó Sé coped well with Colm O’Neill.
Hectic game for Padraig Hughes to officiate with so much off-the-ball stuff. A few unusual decisions although the penalty decision was a marginal one.
Two for Cork - Kerrigan and Colm O’Driscoll - and one for Kerry - Moran.
Their second bout will take place again in Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday week.
J O’Donoghue (1-2, 1-0 pen), B Sheehan (0-4, 3 frees); BJ Keane (0-3, 1 free); K Donaghy (1-0); J Buckley, D Walsh, C Cooper, P Geaney, A Maher, F Fitzgerald (0-1 each).
C O’Neill (1-6, 0-4 frees); D O’Connor (1-3, 0-2 frees); Barry O’Driscoll (1-1); K O’Driscoll (0-2).
A Maher for D Moran(black), C Cooper for S O’Brien (both 43); D O’Sullivan for J Buckley (48); P Geaney for BJ Keane (51); J Sherwood for B Sheehan (61); P Murphy for P Crowley (65).
P Kelly for A O’Connor (blood, 21-23); P Kelly for P Kerrigan (black, 23); C Dorman for S Cronin (59); R Deane for F Goold (61); D Goulding for D O’Connor (62); C O’Driscoll for B Hurley (67); J O’Sullivan for C O’Driscoll (black, 70+2).
P Hughes (Armagh)
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