Cork minor footballers show their bouncebackability. Can Kerry do likewise?

Cork triumph over Kerry in Munster MFC final with barnstorming performance

JUMPING FOR JOY: Cork's Brian Hayes celebrates scoring a goal against Kerry in their Munster MFC final clash this evening. 

TWENTY-two minutes of Cork controlled aggression and dominance had elapsed in Wednesday’s Munster MFC final when their wing back Darragh O’Donovan ran himself down the wrong channel and away from goal.

Most in Páirc Uí Rinn, not least the two Kerry players shadowing him, assumed the danger had subsided. Instead O’Donovan adroitly turned himself back onto his left side and pointed with aplomb. As a cameo of a a first half where Cork made the smart moves at the right time, it was as appropriate as it was illustrative.

That went for the Cork management too. The benefits of last week’s back-door victory over Tipperary were evident in terms of sharpness and energy but Cork were set up to eliminate the route into the Kingdom’s danger forwards, especially Paddy Lane and Cormac Dillon. At all times, both had an extra rival for company and further out the field, Kerry were struggling in traffic and showing the downside of no outing since that May 12 canter against Cork.

Midfielder and captain Colm Gillespie launched two first half bombs for points and that O’Donovan point eased them five points clear, 0-8 to 0-3. As impressive as Cork were in the tackle, Kerry’s choice of pass was really poor and the visitors were unable to find any momentum with a succession of turnovers.

They were soon made to pay as another Gillespie effort from distance came back off the upright and the clever movement of Brian Hayes got him to the second ball first. Goal, and a commanding 1-8 to 0-3 advantage after 25 minutes. If the margin was a surprise to many, the first half display utterly merited it.

The early second half dismissal of Kerry centre back Darragh O’Connor should have laminated Cork’s superiority but instead the visitors claimed the next three scores. A revival or the final bit of resistance from the favourites? As it transpired, the latter. Ian O’Sullivan missed a Kerry free when the gap was six (1-10 to 0-7) and that was that.

Cork’s Alan O’Connell, a powerful ball-carrier who improves with every outing in red, sauntered through the centre cut of Páirc Uí Rinn to power Cork’s second goal and a third, the coup de grace, wasn’t’ long coming from Brian Hayes.

And so the critique begins. How can Cork turn a 14-point negative on May 12 into a handsome 11-point advantage within 19 days. In this regard, the comments of Kerry manager James Costello after the first game are worth reheating. The Munster campaign structure at minor level is wholly inadequate for Cork and Kerry’s purposes and one is better served losing and securing the extra game to have any prospect of being championship-baked.

As bad as Cork were in Tralee, there was no question that they would not improve significantly with more games, and the confidence winning one would bring.

They had exorcised the Kerry disaster, where they failed to score from play, within the first 15 minutes of the Tipperary game. Darragh O’Donovan has been a find at wing back, just like Ed Myers is on the 40. Kinsale’s Gearoid Kearney is a fearless, direct runner, the sort that defenders loathe. And Colm Gillespie showed the leadership qualities that his management saw when they entrusted the captaincy to him.

The issue now for Michael O’Brien and his management is getting consistency into their game ahead of the All-Ireland quarter-final against Derry. Doubtless it is the easier proposition – Kerry face impressive Ulster champions Tyrone as they bid to replicate Cork’s bouncebackability.