Munster SFC Semi-Final

Kerry 0-18 Cork 1-12

By Paul Brennan at Fitzgerald Stadium

Not the most convincing victory for defending Munster champions Kerry, but they will appreciate that Cork can always be a stone in their shoe in these Championship games in Killarney and so will take the win and move on.

While most would have expected a somewhat bigger margin of victory for the Kingdom, Cork brought their best performance of the year to a sun-drenched Fitzgerald Stadium and kept the home side honest and under pressure for the bones of an hour.

Thereafter, Kerry found a little more within themselves, in particular the ability to pick off some hard-earned scores, and saw out a decent contest to win by three.

That it took the defending champions 50 minutes to get out in front of a Cork team that started brilliantly will give Kerry manager Jack O’Connor food for thought between here and a Munster final in a fortnight.

That Cork started so well, but then not so much burned out but faded away will occupy John Cleary’s thoughts between here and the All-Ireland series in mid May

The Rebels had raced into a 1-6 to 0-5 lead, helped by Paul Walsh’s goal in the fifth minute and Paudie Clifford’s goal miss in the sixth minute.

Ahead of a 17,568 crowd under welcome sunshine at Fitzgerald Stadium, Cork took the lead in the first minute through Conor Corbett and then Walsh struck for the game’s only goal after neat approach play from Brian O’Driscoll and Ian Maguire. Too soon to think they might get their first Championship win in Killarney since 1995? Probably.

Points from Dara Moynihan, Cillian Burke (on his Championship debut) and Tom O’Sullivan had the scores level, 1-1 to 0-4, after 10 minutes before livewire Brian Hurley converted three points in a five-minute spell to put Cork in control again.

By the 18th minute Cork were 1-6 to 0-5 ahead, but they would only manage another half dozen points in the remaining 57 minutes. A pair of points each from Sean O’Shea and David Clifford sheared Cork’s lead to just one at the interval, 1-7 to 0-9.

Hurley found the range with a couple of frees in the third quarter, but Kerry were starting to find a little more rhythm and energy, and Moynihan, O’Shea and Tom O’Sullivan converted before David Clifford’s point in the 50th minute put the Kingdom ahead for the first time.

Thereafter it all played out as expected. Though Cork were still within a point by the 57th minute,

Graham O’Sullivan, Sean O’Shea and Tom O’Sullivan iced a point apiece for Kerry with only Hurley really carrying the same scoring threat for the Rebels.

Cork needed a second goal to get back into it, but it never really looked like coming. They will take plenty of heart from their best 70 minutes of the season and have some time now to fine-tune themselves for the All-Ireland series.

Kerry move on to a Munster final in a fortnight where improvement will be expected.

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 0-6 (3fs), D Clifford 0-4 (1f), T O’Sullivan 0-3, D Moynihan 0-2, G O’Sullivan 0-1, C Burke 0-1, P Geaney 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: B Hurley 0-8 (4fs), P Walsh 1-0, C Corbett 0-2 (1m), M Taylor 0-1, C Óg Jones 0-1.

Kerry: Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Tom O’Sullivan, Graham O’Sullivan, Gavin White, Seán O’Brien, Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor, Adrian Spillane, Paudie Clifford, Cillian Burke, David Clifford, Seán O’Shea, Dara Moynihan.

Subs: Paul Geaney for Burke (ht), Stephen O’Brien for A Spillane (48), Mike Breen for S O’Brien (62), Tony Brosnan for D Moynihan (64), Barry Dan O’Sullivan for J O’Connor (70+1).

Cork: Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O’Mahony, Maurice Shanley; Luke Fahy, Tommy Walsh, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Seán Powter, Brian O’Driscoll; Chris Óg Jones, Conor Corbett, Brian Hurley.

Subs: Sean Meehan for M Shanley (35+1), Ruairí Deane for S Powter (45), Steven Sherlock for Jones (53), Mark Cronin for P Walsh (58), Kevin O’Donovan for T Walsh (inj, 60).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)