Kerry hit spectacular form

Kerry hit spectacular form in a bruising Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Football Championship semi-final at Croke Park, where they gained sweet revenge for a Munster final defeat by Cork with a whopping 15 points win.

Three players were sent off in an incident-packed second half, but this game will be remembered for more its more positive offerings, particularly the precocious talents of Kerry's impish teenage corner forward Colm Cooper.

The discovery of the season, the tiny attacker terrorised the Cork defence each time he gained possession, and contributed a dream goal and five wonderful points to his team's cause.

Mike Frank Russell chipped in with 1-06, and Cork had no answer to an awesome Kerry combination which hit devastating form on the day.

Cork had tried three different markers on the elusive Cooper by the time 10 minutes had elapsed, but to no avail.

He was on fire right from the moment he flashed over a superb score in the second minute.

He quickly added a second and created another for Liam Hassett, with Dara Ó'Cinnéide also on target as the Kingdom tore the Cork defence to shreds.

With Donal Daly and Dara Ó Sé in command of the midfield region, they poured forward relentlessly.

Then it was time for Russell to make his mark with two neat scores, and when Ó Sé fielded high in the central region to power through for an inspirational point, Kerry had scored seven times from seven attempts.

Cork were in disarray, and with Seamus Moynihan comfortably winning his personal duel with full forward Colin Corkery, it was difficult to see where Rebel scores would come from.

Corkery did open their account in the 11th minute following enterprising approach work from Brendan Ger O'Sullivan and Martin Cronin, but Cooper soon hit another magical score, and in the 20th minute, Russell gathered a long delivery from Daly to shoot low past Kevin O'Dwyer for his side's first goal.

Corkery converted two frees, but Kerry struck gold again in the 29th minute.

Cooper mesmerised a row of static defenders, played a neat one-two with Ó'Cinnéide and planted the ball just inside a post for a wonder goal.

And after he had extended his tally to 1-04, Philip Clifford pulled a goal back for Cork, thanks to Fionán Murray's selflessness.

Sean O'Sullivan's injury-time point sent Kerry in for the half-time break on a high, ahead by 2-10 to 1-4, all of their scores having come from play, and totally in control of their own destiny.

And they refused to allow their opponents even a glimmer of hope as they turned the screw after the interval.

Scores from Ó'Cinnéide (2), Cooper and Hassett opened up a yawning 13 points gap, but Cork found the resolve to hit back with a second goal, a superb Fionán Murray strike from Brendan Ger O'Sullivan's pass.

At last Cork were able to express themselves, and two Corkery points and another from substitute Jim O'Donoghue cut the gap to seven.

Tensions were running high in a game which frequently threatened to boil over, and when Kerry substitute Tom O'Sullivan clashed with Cork attacker Fionan Murray, both players were sent off.

Moments later Corkery, who had already been booked, was also dismissed after kicking the ball at referee Brian White.

Missiles, mostly plastic bottles, showered onto the pitch from irate Cork fans, and immediately Kerry picked up the pace after going 14 minutes without scoring.

Three Russell points and another gem from Cooper restored normal service, and it was all over for Cork when Sean Levis deflected an Eoin Brosnan shot into his own goal.