High drama as late goals see Cork snatch draw

Kerry 1-13 Cork 3-07

A 72nd minute penalty goal from John Hayes ensured Cork and Kerry must meet again for a replay following a pulsating All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park.

Despite Cork taking a 14th minute goal from Daniel Goulding, Kerry held a deserved 1-05 to 1-04 interval lead, after Kieran Donaghy immediately responded with a goal for the Kingdom.

The second half began badly for Kerry when Darragh Ó Sé received a straight-red card in the 37th minute - having previously seen red against the Rebels in the Munster decider.

However Kerry failed to be effected by their numerical disadvantage with points from Donnacha Walsh and Bryan Sheehan stretching the Kingdom's lead to four points by the 46th minute.

If Pat O'Shea's charges were failing to crumble despite being a man down, Cork also played some of their best football following the 50th minute dismissal of Donnacha O'Connor.

Late goals from substitute James Masters and Hayes' penalty strike ensured Cork equalised and despite a late Kerry chance, this tailed wide as the sides shared the spoils at the finish.

Cork footballers don't make anything easy on their loyal followers, but the Cork contingent and the neutrals among the 35,137 in attendance at GAA Headquarters couldn't have been but impressed by the charismatic display by the Rebels who really earned a replay the hard way in this dogged encounter.

Kerry's hunger seemed greater for three-quarters of this game, with the Kingdom eager to make amends for a dismal second half showing against Cork in the Munster final, which ultimately earned the Rebels their 35th provincial crown.

A glimmer of this hunger was shown by an eager Kerry attack in the 15th minute, when the Kingdom snuffed out a goal of their own after Colm Cooper linked with Kieran Donaghy for 'Star' to punch to the net, an immediate response to a Rebels goal from the previous attack.

Daniel Goulding's goal for Cork was just as well executed as Donaghy's 'major' but the Tralee man's effort propelled Kerry into a one-point lead and gave his side the momentum to continue driving into the Cork defence.

Pat O'Shea's charges tagged on some magnificent points as scores from Donaghy and Tommy Walsh; helped to build up a 1-04 to 1-01 lead as the game entered the second quarter.

But Cork weren't to throw in the towel just yet as they staged a rally before the interval with scores from Donnacha O'Connor and Nicholas Murphy, helping to cut the gap to the minimum at the interval, although a keen Kerry attack, should have had the Kingdom in front at the break, with Tommy Walsh fluffing a chance wide in injury-time.

Kerry's strength and character again came to the fore in the second half with full-back Tom O'Sullivan well positioned to exert a block on a Daniel Goulding scoring opportunity, while at the opposite end, Colm Cooper send a point between the posts.

Then came the first red card of the afternoon from the pocket of referee Joe McQuillan, as Kerry midfielder Darragh Ó Sé was punished for an off-the-ball tackle on Pearse O'Neill.

Nonetheless Kerry motored on to hold a 1-12 to 1-05 lead with six minutes remaining after half-back Tomás Ó Sé powered forward following a Killian Young pass, to stick Ó Sé through to score from 21 metres out.

Some Cork fans may have headed for the exits at that stage, but they weren't the clever ones as their footballers had the last laugh on the pitch, as they overcame a seven point deficit, to ensure a replay next weekend.

Firstly John Miskella got the Rebels off the mark in the 66th minute for his sides first score in over 20 minutes, before Hayes sent over a point, and then the goal fest which stunned Kerry and helped the Rebels maintain a place in the 2008 All-Ireland SFC.

44th minute substitute James Masters ensured he made his mark on the stroke of injury-time, when he cut the gap to three points, with his effort from the edge of the square, and then John Hayes' penalty kick slotted calmly to the right of Kerry goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy.

Kerry not out – Cork's chance at a first All-Ireland SFC title since 1990 rekindled, another Munster derby to whet the appetite next weekend.

This game was only the third meeting of the sides this decade to end in a draw and with the sides set for an 18th meeting in ten years next weekend, it shows that the Cork-Kerry pairing is indeed one of the greatest rivalries in the GAA.

CORK: A Quirke; D Duggan, D Kavanagh, A Lynch; J Miskella (0-1), G Spillane, K O'Connor; P O'Neill, A O'Connor; D O'Connor (0-4, 2f), G Canty, S O'Brien; D Goulding (1-0), M Cussen, J Hayes (1-1, 1f 1-0 pen). Subs: N Murphy (0-1) for A O'Connor (21); J Masters (1-0) for Goulding (44); K McMahon for S O'Brien (47); M Shields for Spillane (59)

KERRY: D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, T Griffin; T Ó Sé (0-1), A O'Mahony, K Young; D Ó Sé, S Scanlon; B Sheehan (0-4, 3f 1 45), C Cooper (0-3, 2f), D Walsh; Declan O'Sullivan, K Donaghy (1-1), T Walsh (0-2). Subs: E Brosnan (0-1) for D Walsh (HT); Darren O'Sullivan (0-1) for (56) S O'Sullivan for Declan O'Sullivan (68)

REFEREE: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)