Ó Sé hails Kerry improvement against Cork as focus turns to All-Ireland semi-final

The Kingdom U20s accounted for the Rebels in the end on Thursday night in Tralee.

Fri, 01 May, 2026 - 06:59

John O’Dowd

After an absolute humdinger of a Munster U-20 football final at Austin Stack Park last night, in the end it all came down to a precocious genius – and the fact that Kerry struck for three goals on a night that could have gone either way.

In the two weeks since Cork, deservedly, took the plaudits in the group stage fixture at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, on an evening when the visitors were restricted to a paltry nine points, there have been plenty of brickbats aimed at the Kingdom forward line.

With a senior panellist in Tomás Kennedy, and other talented operators in the likes of captain Paddy Lane and burgeoning prospect Gearóid White, such an anaemic attacking display on the banks of the Lee led to much negative talk among supporters.

Yet, when the need was greatest, and when they found themselves seven points down, after Ray Keane’s confident outfit stormed out of the starting blocks, messrs Lane, Kennedy and White, with able assistance around them, really stepped up to the plate.

By the final whistle, the dynamic trio had combined for 3-9 of the winners’ final tally and, despite the bravest of brave comebacks from the young Rebels after Kerry’s third goal early in the second half, that full-forward line was simply unstoppable.

Kennedy had three points from play by half-time, before he and his marker Peter Rose got sin-binned in the dying stages of the half, while skipper Lane top scored with 2-4, putting the finishing touches with two palmed finishes to deadly approach work from White.

Everybody knows what the John Mitchels starlet, in his first season out of minor level, is capable of producing. His two assists, for Lane’s green flags, showcased his unselfishness, and his inherent peripheral vision, to find the better option.

Yet, it was his own wonder goal, one minute into first half injury time, that simply took the breath away. Receiving the ball from Mairtín McKivergan, White embarked on a devastating slalom run past three or four defenders before offloading a left-foot missile to the top corner off the far post.

It was a simply sensational piece of footballing artistry that led to gasps within the fabled Tralee stadium. Even though so much drama was to follow on the resumption, this score, above all others, was a fitting way for such a riveting affair to be remembered.

“We needed them (the full-forward line), and they’re capable of that. They did very well tonight. I think they worked better as a team, they worked better as a unit, they threw it around that little bit better, and I think they can be better,” said a relieved Kerry boss Tomás Ó Sé.

“I’ve being saying it loudly, and our lads didn’t listen until after Pairc Ui Chaoimh, but Cork have a new management, they’re very well organised, they’re hard to play against, with extremely good forwards, They’re very direct, play a good brand of football, and we got that in buckets tonight.

“We were possibly lucky to hang on in the end. Cork shouldn’t be out of the championship tonight. You’ve an under-20 structure, that’s the same as minor, except the minor losers of the provincials go through to a quarter-final. Why is that not the same at under-20 level?

“It was very hard earned, and we didn’t make it easy for ourselves. Cork had a great start, and the lads showed unbelievable character – number one, to get possession around the middle, and number two, to actually capitalise on it.

“The two goals are what saved us in that first half, and two very well taken goals, two very well worked goals. We won by three, but I still think we should have won by more. Our defence, and our work-rate, and our attitude, everywhere, was outstanding.”

Man-of-the-match Killian Dennehy, Evan Boyle and Daniel Kirby enjoyed a titanic midfield battle with excellent Cork captain Darragh Clifford and Mark O’Brien, and the losers (shorn of Dara Sheedy and Sean O’Leary) showed tremendous grit to reduce an eight-point deficit to the bare minimum.

Rickey Barrett was superb, with four points from play, goalkeeper Billy Curtin fired over two monster two-point frees, and Kerry felt the squeeze, big-time, down the stretch. No wonder Cork manager Ray Keane felt they could have gotten something out of the game.

“As you probably often heard me saying, there’s no such thing as being half pregnant. We lost the game. The better team probably won. They took their chances when it came about for them,” he said.

“That period from 15 to 30 in the first half, we probably needed to keep the scoreboard ticking. We made some vital mistakes, and they got one or two soft goals.

“Across all grades, ultimately it’s all about small margins. They won the game, no qualms, we’ll get on with it. We’ll dust ourselves down, and get on with life tomorrow.”

All White on the night for Kerry. Roscommon await in the All-Ireland semi-final.