First blood to Kerry as Kingdom under-20s triumph over Cork 

RISING HIGHEST: Kerry midfield player Rob Stack leaps for the ball during the 2024 EirGrid GAA championship U20 game. Pic: David Creedon

Munster U20 FC Phase 2 Round 2: Kerry 1-12 Cork 0-11  

The first Cork-Kerry clash of the week goes the way of the green and gold. 

But no more than Saturday’s Munster senior semi-final, this result will not define or determine either county’s season.

What the result does mean is that Kerry are all but assured of a place in next month’s Munster U20 decider. 

A Cork victory over winless Clare next Wednesday will set up a second meeting of the neighbours, unless Tipperary can manage to stun Kerry in Tralee.

While deeply unhappy with their opening quarter, Kerry manager Tomás Ó Sé will have been extremely satisfied with what his young charges produced in quarters two and three.

Between the 19th and 46th minute, the visitors to Páirc Uí Chaoimh kicked 1-7. During the same period, they held their opponents to just two white flags. An eight-point game-deciding swing.

Trailing 1-6 to 0-6 at the break, Cork had the deficit back to the minimum within five minutes of the restart. The elements mightn’t win you any game, but Cork were not hanging about in seeing from how far out they could find the range.

Hugh O’Connor’s fifth of the evening on 32 minutes was their first since the 13th minute. 

Kerry's Luke Crowley setting up an attack. Pic: David Creedon

Luke O’Herlihy followed with a free on 35 minutes. No more than the opening half, though, they drifted thereafter. Didn’t manage a flag of any description for another quarter of an hour.

Kerry, the exact same as the opening half, came with a burst of flags. Sub John Kelliher came from deep to split the posts. Midfielder Eddie Healy got his name on the scoresheet. Cormac Dillon swelled his tally on the same sheet.

At 1-10 to 0-8 in front turning for home, Kerry entered protection mode.

Cork subs Ross Corkery (free), with his first touch, and Dara Sheedy brought the hosts to within a score. The equalising goal never came close to materialising.

Funny old first half. The stiff breeze blowing from the City to Blackrock End was to Kerry’s advantage. But little advantage they made of it. They actually trailed on a double-scores 0-6 to 0-3 scoreline towards the end of the first quarter.

It was from here on they got their act together. There was greater efficiency to their second quarter. Greater fielding too. They didn’t double back from any goal chance that presented itself, as Luke Crowley had surprisingly done early doors.

Crowley and Dillon were tormentors-in-chief. They were in fact the only two Kingdom forwards to score from play in the first half. And it was this pair who combined to prise open the Cork defence for the game’s opening major on 29 minutes.

Crowley showed vision to thread a delicate pass inside to Dillon. The Duagh youngster showed composure to apply the finish.

Arriving as it did in the wake of points from corner-back Gearóid Evans, full-forward Tomás Kennedy (mark), and Dillon (free), the green flag completed the Kerry overtaking movement and sent them back down the tunnel 1-6 to 0-6 in front.

There was no point in Kerry wondering if such a lead would prove sufficiently sizable when turning around into the teeth of the elements, they had to be grateful for the fact that they were in front at all.

As for Cork, they wondered what had happened to their enterprising start. They vigorously attacked Kerry down the South Stand side. They took on their opposite number and won. They ran hard and intelligent lines.

Aaron O’Sullivan and Ed Myers both landed difficult kicks. Captain O’Connor, meanwhile, produced kick after kick. By the 11th minute, he had converted two frees, one mark, and found time to add another from play.

From the 13th minute on, though, they did not score for the remainder of the half. 

It was a total of 18 minutes before they did so again. And besides the impressive O’Connor, no other starting Cork player would register a score from that 13th minute mark. Much to work on.

Scorers for Kerry: C Dillon (1-5, 0-3 frees, 0-2 ‘45s); G Evans, L Crowley (0-2 each); E Healy, T Kennedy (0-1 mark), J Kelliher (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: H O’Connor (0-6, 0-2 frees, 0-1 mark); A O’Sullivan, E Myers, L O’Herlihy (free), R Corkery (free), D Sheedy (0-1 each).

KERRY: M Tansley (Austin Stacks); G Evans (Keel), R Diggin (Laune Rangers), D O’Callaghan (Kilcummin); C Keating (Dr Crokes), D O’Connor (Kenmare Shamrocks), C Lynch (Glenflesk); R Stack (Beale), E Healy (Listowel Emmets); O Ferris (Ardfert), E Boyle (Ballyduff), D Kirby (Austin Stacks); C Dillon (Duagh), T Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahilly’s), L Crowley (Glenflesk).

Subs: P Lane (Austin Stacks) for Ferris (26); J Kelliher (Glenflesk) for Boyle (37); M Lynch (Dr Crokes) for Diggin (42); F Murphy (Rathmore) for Kirby, A Crowley (Templenoe) for L Crowley (both 56).

CORK: M O’Connell (St Michael’s); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), S O’Connell (Kilshannig), M Óg O’Sullivan (Bantry Blues); C Molloy (Nemo Rangers), D Buckley (Douglas), S Copps (Mallow); D O’Brien (Glanworth), M McSweeney (Knocknagree); B Hayes (Nemo Rangers), H O’Connor (Newmarket), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); O Corcoran (St Mary’s), E Myers (Naomh Abán), L O’Herlihy (St Michael’s).

Subs: D Sheedy (Bantry Blues) for O’Herlihy (42); N Kelly (Newcestown) for Hayes (46); J O’Neill (Castlehaven) for McSweeney (53); R Corkery (Nemo Rangers) for Myers (55); R Kavanagh (St Michael’s) for O’Sullivan (60).

Referee: N Quinn (Clare).