Kerry thrash Cork to progress to final

Kerry 1-19 Cork 0-9

All-Ireland champions Kerry cruised through to another final with a devastating display of attacking football which simply blew Munster rivals Cork away.

When the teams met in the Munster football final, just three points separated the teams at the end, but this time the Kingdom made no mistake.

The Rebels failed to compete in vital areas, and just didn't have the players to match a classy Kerry bunch.

Colm Cooper was rampant in the first half, kicking some delightful scores, and with a seven-point lead at the interval, the final outcome was virtually decided.

Cork made a promising start with points from James Masters and Philip Clifford, but that early flourish was nipped in the bud by a determined Kingdom outfit who seized control of the midfield area and peppered Cooper with quality ball.

The Gooch responded with a devastating display of finishing, sweeping over four quality points inside the opening quarter.

The All-Ireland champions also had points from Tomas O Se, Laim Hassett, Paul Gavlin and Bryan Sheehan before John Hayes ended a 20-minute barren spell with a Cork point from a free.

But there was no breaking the stranglehold held in the midfield area by Darragh O Se and William Kirby, and Kerry continued to press forward relentlessly.

Cork had no answer to their positive running and clever use of possession, and when Eoin Brosnan, Kirby and Sheehan added to the mounting tally, they were well on their way by the halfway stage, ahead by 0-11 to 0-4.

It was all over for Cork when Brosnan slotted home the only goal of the game nine minutes into the second half after Cooper's effort had come back off a post.

Billy Morgan's side offered little resistance, and the points kept mounting up, with substitutes Mike Frank Russell and Dara O Cinneide on target, as well as Brosnan, Galvin, Aidan O'Mahony and Michael McCarthy.

To their credit, Cork did fight right to the end, and Kevin O'Sullivan was twice denied goals, firstly by goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy, then by the woodwork.