Munster Final a walk in the Páirc for Kerry

Kerry 0-24 Cork 0-12

The builders won’t move in to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for another few weeks but Kerry did a demolition job of their own on a shell-shocked Cork side in a one-sided Munster final today.

Cork, despite a bright start against the wind, disintegrated as the Kingdom ran riot to secure a win by double scores against their biggest rivals.

All-Star James O’Donoghue, who missed the semi-final win over Clare, returned to produce a stunning display, landing 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance with all but two of his points coming from play.

Johnny Buckley, also returning to the side from injury, was superb in the middle of the field and crowned a fine display with four points from play.

The sides were deadlocked at 0-3 each after eight minutes when O’Donoghue and Kerry took off and they 0-10 without reply in the ensuing 27 minutes.

Cork goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran kept his side in the game when he saved from O’Donoghue and they finished the half with Daniel Goulding and Fintan Goold getting points to reduce the margin to 0-13 to 0-5 at the interval.

Cork’s hopes soared after the restart when Brian Hurley pointed a free and then Goulding kicked two more to reduce the margin five points.

But that was as near as they got as Kerry took control again with Bryan Sheehan and O’Donoghue getting a couple of points each.

Stephen O’Brien blasted a goal effort off the crossbar, but Kerry continued to pick off points and extend their lead.

Goulding and Brian Hurley were the only Cork players to score in the second-half but they never looked like hauling back their biggest rivals.

This is tough to watch

— RedFM Sport (@BigRedBench) July 6, 2014

O’Donoghue continued to be the star figure as he kicked some wonderful points, landing three in a row in the closing stages and Cork’s day of woe was completed when John Hayes was given a straight red card in the closing stages of a one-sided and disappointing encounter.

Ten mins left and some Cork fans are heading home

— Sinéad Kissane (@sineadkissane) July 6, 2014

It was Kerry’s 76th Munster title and it left manager Eamon Fitzmaurice very pleased as they put their arch rivals to the sword.

“I’m delighted for the players as they worked ferociously hard. At times during the year we were probably scratching our heads because the performances weren’t reflecting the amount of work put in.

“We didn’t play well against Clare a couple of weeks ago and in the meantime we vowed we had to play better and with more consistency and we did,” said Fitzmaurice.

Kerry: J O’Donoghue 0-10 (0-2 frees), J Buckley 0-4, B Sheehan 0-4 (0-1 free, 0-1 ’45), P Geaney 0-3, S O’Brien 0-1, Declan O’Sullivan 0-1, D Walsh 0-1.

Cork: D Goulding 0-6 (0-4 frees), B Hurley (0-4 0-3 frees), A Walsh 0-1, F Goold 0-1.

Kerry: B Kelly; M Ó Sé, A O’Mahony (P Crowley 49), S Enright; P Murphy, K Young, F Fitzgerald; A Maher, J Buckley; S O’Brien (Darran O’Sullivan 53), B Sheehan (D Moran 56), D Walsh (K Walsh 63); P Geaney (BJ Keane 63), Declan O’Sullivan, J O’Donoghue.

Cork: K O’Halloran; M Shields, E Cadogan, N Galvin (Thomas Clancy (Fermoy) 63); J Loughrey, Thomas Clancy (Clonakilty) (J O’Sullivan 53), D Cahalane; A Walsh (J Hayes 56), F Goold (R Deane, blood 17-20); P Kelly (C O’Neill 35), P Kerrigan, J O’Rourke (C O’Driscoll 35); D Goulding, B Hurley, B O’Driscoll (M Collins 45).

Referee: C Reilly (Meath).