VIDEO: Cork fans bereft of Killarney hope

Kerry gold has essentially ruled the southern provincial roost since '95.

By Peter McNamara

Perched on the terracing directly across from the covered stand in Fitzgerald Stadium, a nine-year-old with tingles of anticipation coursing through his veins watched on as the ball was thrown-in.

Alongside his father, Patrick, and a local-based elderly couple hell-bent on winding him up to the gills about the superiority of the green and gold, the young boy kicked every ball (handpassing was not really in vogue back then), was lifted by every score and equally despaired by every miscued pass and wide.

Can Cork claim the upper hand on Sunday?

Ah yes, the Munster SFC final of 1995.

‘Ogie’ Moran. Billy Morgan. Maurice Fitz. Eamon Breen. Colin Corkery. Don Davis. Kerry Group. Barry’s Tea. Kerry 1-9. Cork 0-15.

The good old days for Leesiders.

Kerry gold, however, has essentially ruled the southern provincial roost ever since, particularly, of course, when it comes to collisions of Munster’s ‘Big Two’ under the Reeks.

Irrespective of the Kingdom’s dominance of this fixture, Rebel supporters, usually, venture to Killarney in their thousands.

A huge number of these people would be far from the diehard variety but the allure of summer sun beaming into every corner of Fitzgerald Stadium is too great to ignore for even the flakiest brand of ‘football fan’ from the banks of the Lee.

And so, Leesiders travel, en masse, to Killarney.

However, as you discuss the forthcoming match on Sunday with those who you know are genuine supporters that pitch up at the majority of venues throughout the country for even league encounters, there is a common trend.

A large percentage of even these dyed-in-the-wool Corkonians have absolutely no intentions of travelling for this particular Munster final.

Their reasoning and attitude? ‘Sure what’s the point, we’ll be slaughtered again’.

Time after time Cork supporters make their way to the town with hope in their hearts of emulating great days such as that aforementioned occasion in ’95.

Not this year, however.

Kieran Donaghy awaits Cork in Killarney.

Instead, Colm Cooper and Kieran Donaghy ‘will tear Cork’s light-weighted defence to shreds’ we are told by many.

And their sentiments are not throwaway comments, either.

There is a deep-rooted seriousness and frustration in their tones that gives you an eerie chill.

Assessing the contest coldly, Kerry truly are justifiably favourites to retain the provincial title en route to a potential All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin.

Yes, Donegal and Mayo will have a word or two to say about that but Dublin and Kerry are rock-solid first and second favourites to collect Sam Maguire in September for more than one reason.

Discussing the game on Radio Kerry’s Terrace Talk on Monday night, presenter Weeshie Fogarty, regarded as ‘The Voice of Kerry football’, asked this writer a very simple question that led to a stark realisation.

Fogarty queried: “How many of Cork’s players would get into Kerry’s team?”.

Would Colm O'Neill claim a place in Kerry's starting 15?

And then it really hit home because the harsh reality is outside of Mark Collins, Colm O’Neill, a firing Brian Hurley and a fully-fit Donncha O’Connor, there are not too many others that could honestly stake a claim for a spot in Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s starting 15.

Or so we are led to believe by the masses anyway.

Back in ’95 Morgan had a wealth of quality at his disposal with the likes of Ciaran O’Sullivan, Mark O’Connor, Larry Tompkins, Danny Culloty, Mark O’Sullivan, Joe Kavanagh et al to supplement the offensive contributions of Corkery and Davis.

However, in another 20 years will we be able to roll off names from the Cork side that will go into battle in the Killarney cauldron as easily as we have those gems from yesteryear?

Certainly, people from each corner of the city and county would not think so based on their musings in the last 24 to 48 hours.

In contrast, operators such as Cooper, Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan, James O’Donoghue, Johnny Buckley, David Moran and others may join the pantheon of greats in the Kerry archives in years to come.

And maybe therein lies the reason for such Leeside negativity in advance of a fixture previously adored by those who relish the opportunity to witness Cork success on Killarney soil.

KEY STAT: Neither side has managed to score more than one goal in a Kerry-Cork Munster SFC final since 1999 with the Rebels winning 2-10 to 2-4 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on that occasion.