Cork minors hammer Kerry to end losing run and book Munster final spot

For the first time in three years, Cork have got the better of Kerry in the Munster MFC. The Rebels had been on a five-game losing streak against the Kingdom

The victory over Kerry propels Cork into the provincial decider on May 18, irrespective of how next Monday’s game against Waterford pans out. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

Munster MFC: Cork 3-18 Kerry 1-14 

The first successful trip of the week for a Cork football team across county bounds. John Cleary’s seniors would take even one-tenth of the winning margin so strikingly achieved by Keith Ricken’s minors on Monday evening.

For the first time in exactly three years, Cork have bettered Kerry in a Munster minor championship fixture. For the opening 40 minutes or so, the Cork minor class of 2026 didn’t so much better their Kingdom hosts as they stylishly and tenaciously battered them.

A five-game losing run to Kerry at this level is no more. Said losing run had been reversed long before the final whistle.

Come the game’s 40th minute, Cork led by 1-14 to 0-5. The visitors' tuned-in attitude dipped somewhat slightly thereafter, and understandably so for a group of kids commanding a 12-point advantage on Kerry soil.

Marc Ó Sé’s Kerry team twice cut the margin to seven. A meaningful comeback was never threatened or allowed. Goals from Cork subs Riley O’Donovan and Luke O’Neill, on 47 and 64 minutes respectively, shoved the Cork advantage back into double-digits.

O’Donovan’s was an important score. Green and gold replacement Daithí Laide had goaled two minutes earlier. With referee Eoin Keane playing an advantage on a skewed Eoghan Ahern point effort, O’Donovan gathered and goaled.

The Cork sub pointed in the very next play, profiting from teammate Peadar Kelly’s excellent win on the Kerry kickout. He'd finish with 1-3 beside his name.

Following last week’s facile victory over Clare in their round-robin opener, this second result propels Cork into the provincial decider on May 18, irrespective of how next Monday’s game against Waterford pans out.

The half-time scoreline was a most unusual half-time scoreline for recent Cork-Kerry underage fixtures in Tralee. It was a half-time scoreline that read 1-10 to 0-4 in Cork’s favour. It was a scoreline that told so accurately the story of the half.

Darragh Keane kicked Kerry into a 0-2 to 0-1 advantage on three minutes. They wouldn’t score for another quarter of an hour. They would manage only one shot during this period.

The hosts lacked penetration in the scoring zone. Their passing in the final third was too often telegraphed. Cork grew from the many turnovers they were executing. The last of these arrived in first-half stoppages when the excellent Conor Downing comfortably intercepted a Kerry pass. The breakaway move ended with Ben Hegarty’s fourth converted free of the half and a nine-point Cork lead.

Hegarty was hurting Kerry far more than just from the dead-ball. The Ballinora youngster was part of a towering middle-third effort that pummelled and poached Kerry restart after Kerry restart.

Kieran O’Shea, Darragh O’Sullivan, Peadar Kelly, and Éanna Lynch are others who merit mention for their fine contributions in this red-owned department.

It was this restart dominance that fuelled Cork’s unanswered 1-6 between the fifth and 18th minutes. Joe Miskella, Jacob Barry, and Lynch won converted frees. Eoghan Ahern, who converted two early frees, finished the game’s opening goal.

The same as so many other first-half Cork scores, it was confidently and coherently constructed. Kelly and Jacob Barry were central characters in the defence-opening movement.

Ahern, same as Hegarty, was effective in different facets of the game. The half-forward’s smart running in the opposite direction offered him as a valuable restart outlet for ‘keeper Rory Twohig.

Cork stood 1-7 to 0-2 in front at the end of this period where they dominated the game’s shape, flow, and just about everything else. Lúc Mac Gearailt and Keane ended Kerry’s barren spell. Another 13-minute barren spell followed to finish out their miserable half.

Cork, who didn’t register their first wide until the 28th minute, closed out a half of very few blemishes with two further Hegarty frees either side of a Kieran O’Shea kick. The latter was the standout red pupil upon the change of ends.

And although less sustained in the second period, Cork’s tackling and transitioning of play was just so impressive. Structure and organisation were spot on. The trick now will be to repeat the dose in the Munster final.

For the wider Cork football picture, a most pleasant start to this week of Kerry journeys.

Scorers for Cork: R O’Donovan (1-3); B Hegarty (0-6, 0-5 frees); E Ahern (1-2, 0-2 frees); A O’Herlihy (0-3); L O’Neill (1-0); R Twohig (tp free), K O’Shea (0-2 each).

Scorers for Kerry: D Keane (0-7, tp, 0-2 frees); D Laide (1-1); D Lane (0-3, 0-1 free); D Murphy, L Mac Gearailt, C Moynihan (0-1 each).

CORK: R Twohig (Kilmeen); R McCormack (Midleton), G Oronsaye (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels), C Garvey (St Finbarr’s); É Lynch (Ballincollig), C Downing (Adrigole), P Kelly (Naomh Abán); K O’Shea (Urhan), B Hegarty (Ballinora); D O’Sullivan (Erin’s Own), J Miskella (Ballincollig), E Ahern (Carrigaline); D Herlihy (Shamrocks), A O’Herlihy (St Finbarr’s), J Barry (Aghinagh).

SUBS: R O’Donovan (Barryroe) for Barry (43); L O’Neill (Carbery Rangers) for Herlihy, P O’Connor (Lisgoold) for McCormack (50); M Corkery (Nemo Rangers) for Miskella (51); M Power (Charleville) for Garvey (58).

KERRY: C O Donnell (Tarbert); E Mangan (Austin Stacks), J Breen (Emmets), C Clifford (Dr Crokes); D Murphy (Listry), S Clifford (Listry), M Corridon (Ardfert); M Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), T Slattery (Na Gaeil); Lúc Mac Gearailt (An Ghaeltacht), S Scroope (Legion), J Collins (Ballymacelligott); D Lane (Austin Stacks), D Keane (Kilcummin), O Buckley (Beale).

SUBS: J Ziober (Milltown/Castlemaine) for Clifford (11-13, temporary); D Laide (Finuge) for Buckley, C Moynihan (Rathmore) for Scroope (both HT); T Lenihan (Churchill) for Slattery (45); P O’Sullivan (Firies) for Corridon (51); T Kennelly (Listowel Emmets) for Collins (55).

Referee: E Keane (Clare).