Kerry juniors repel Cork fightback to seal three in a row

Kerry 0-14 Cork 0-13: Kerry withstood a brave second-half Cork showing to secure a third consecutive Munster JFC crown.

Having had to assemble an entirely new panel for the 2016 campaign off the back of last year’s All-Ireland win, coupled with their less than impressive semi-final show against Limerick earlier this month, expectations in the Kingdom were relatively subdued. They needn’t have been as Stephen Wallace’s young side produced a composed display to kick-start an important five-day period for the Kingdom where all three of their Munster titles are up for defence.

Kerry wore the underdogs tag in this one, yet were led only once over the hour, and that two minutes in when Mark Sugrue put Cork on the board. Even at that, inside Kerry forwards Kieran Hurley and Sean Michéal Ó Conchúir had wasted two decent chances.