Kerry reclaim title

Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13, Killarney

Injury-time points from Kieran Donaghy and Sean O'Sullivan saw Kerry reclaim the Munster SFC title this afternoon, avenging last year's defeat to Cork.

The Kingdom pocketed the provincial crown at their Killarney home for the first time since 1986, but they had a good deal of fortune as Cork missed out on a late goal and had a penalty claim turned down.

A 31,420-strong Fitzgerald Stadium crowd watched Cork take a 0-9 to 0-7 lead into the break after playing with a considerable wind advantage in the first half. Free-taker James Masters and target man Michael Cussen were key figures for the defending champions.

But Kerry made the better start to the second half and Colm 'Gooch' Cooper came into his own, scoring 1-2 in a dazzling spell to have the All-Ireland champions 1-10 to 0-9 in front, ten minutes into the second half.

Mike Frank Russell's fifth point of the afternoon had Kerry five points clear but two moments of Cork brilliance looked like turning the final in their favour. First Cork goalkeeper Paddy O'Shea reacted well to turn a stinging Declan O'Sullivan shot over the bar, and then Billy Morgan's men got in for a goal.

Donnacha O'Connor, who finished with a tally of 1-4, rocketed a shot to the Kerry net and Cork quickly levelled at 1-12 apiece. Russell and Masters then swapped points but those late scores from Donaghy and O'Sullivan saw Kerry reign supreme.

Cork won the toss and captain Derek Kavanagh elected to play with the aid of the wind. Russell and Masters swapped points with Nemo star Masters lobbing over an excellent free from 63 yards out, much to the delight of the Cork faithful.

Kerry moved 0-3 to 0-1 ahead by the 15th-minute as their skipper Declan O'Sullivan showed his marker a clean pair of heels to tag on a brace of points.

Two Masters points followed, ending a barren spell for Morgan's charges, and Cork moved 0-4 to 0-3 ahead when Kevin McMahon capitalised on a poor pass from Aidan O'Mahony to point with a shot that just cleared the crossbar.

A good run forward from Killian Young led to Russell angling over another free and then Kerry had what looked like a let-off when Masters went down looking for a penalty. Marc O Se had sent the Cork forward tumbling but referee Marty Duffy whistled for a free-out to Kerry as Masters was adjudged to have picked the ball up off the ground.

The Rebels piled the pressure on with three straight points as the giant-like Cussen increased his influence by landing two overs and O'Connor was also successful with a free.

A Russell score made it 0-7 to 0-5 and the arch rivals swapped the final four points of an absorbing half as Donaghy and Eoin Brosnan cancelled out overs from Nicolas Murphy and O'Connor (free).

Brosnan's point, in the third minute of injury-time, came after some excellent build-up play from Tomas O Se, O'Mahony and Donaghy and it typified Kerry's will to regain a title they last won in 2005.

Having been level with Cork three times in the opening half, Kerry quickly got back on terms at the start of the second period. Seven minutes in, it was all square at 0-9 apiece after points from Russell and Cooper.

Cooper's goal then followed as a monsterous delivery from Young had the Cork defence back-pedalling, Donaghy swooped to try and break the ball down, it then popped clean into space for the lurking 'Gooch' to collect and net on the turn past a stunned Paddy O'Shea.

Cooper added another point, a Russell free and a goal-bound O'Sullivan shot which O'Shea palmed over the bar then had Kerry 1-12 to 0-9 to the good. Pat O'Shea's side were simply on fire, particularly in front of goal as they gobbled up any chances that came their way.

Still, Cork had plenty left in reserve and the introduction of substitutes Conor McCarthy and John Miskella helped they find a way back into the tie. Pearse O'Neill fired over the Rebels' first point of the second half, sixteen minutes in.

In the 53rd-minute, O'Connor thundered a shot to the Kerry net after good work from McCarthy and Kevin MacMahon. Two O'Connor frees squared up the game at 1-12 apiece and it was well and truly 'game on.'

Russell floated over his sixth point but the sides were level for a sixth time just moments later when Masters superbly dinked over an angled free.

Cork missed a glorious chance to take the win in the 70th-minute when Kavanagh hared forward to pick up a through ball from Masters, but as he closed in on goal his jersey was tugged by Tomas O Se and he sent his shot wide of the mark.

There was no penalty award from referee Duffy and Kerry soldiered on to show their class in added time - Donaghy, last year's Footballer of the Year, thumped over a memorable point from 47 yards out and substitute Sean O'Sullivan made the game safe by launching over a towering left-sided point, right at the death.

KERRY: D Murphy; M O Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T O Se, A O'Mahony, K Young; D O Se, M Quirke; Declan O'Sullivan (capt) (0-3), E Brosnan (0-1), P Galvin; C Cooper (1-2), K Donaghy (0-2), MF Russell (0-6, 0-5f).

Subs used: S O'Sullivan (0-1) for Galvin (57 mins), Darren O'Sullivan for Brosnan (62), T Griffin for Quirke (64), B Sheehan for Declan O'Sullivan (70).

CORK: P O'Shea; M Shields, G Canty, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh (capt), N Murphy (0-1); F Goold, P O'Neill (0-1), K MacMahon (0-1); J Masters (0-4, 0-2f, 0-1 sl), M Cussen (0-2), D O'Connor (1-4, 0-4f).

Subs used: J Miskella for Goold (half-time), C McCarthy for Lynch (50 mins).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)