Munster SFC Final

KERRY 1-19 CORK 3-10

By Denis Hurley at Páirc Ui Chaoimh

Kerry retained the Munster SFC title at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening, having been asked stern questions by a battling Cork.

The great majority of the crowd of 18,265 came to Leeside expecting an away win, but the Kingdom’s victory wasn’t assured until the very end. Though Cork never led at any stage, they pushed their visitors hard but will perhaps feel that they could have made more of a numerical advantage in the final quarter. While a moral victory will be of little comfort, the scoreline is at least far more palatable than the 3-18 to 2-4 loss in 2018.

A year ago, Cork had a good start with two early goals but failed to build on that. This time, Kerry didn’t even afford their neighbours the false hope of a good opening.

Points from Seán O’Shea and David Cliford had the Kingdom off the mark as Cork had some sloppy wides – they would have six in the first half compared to none for Kerry – and a goal arrived in the sixth minute.

Seán O’Shea was the instigator, with his surging run cutting a swathe through the Cork defence before offloading to wing-back Tom O’Sullivan, who finished well beyond Mark White.

Mark Collins did open Cork’s account with a close-in free after that but Dara Moynihan and David Clifford extended the Kerry advantage to seven points by the 13th minute. There could have been another goal too as lovely Clifford skill created a chance for O’Shea but White somehow kept the ball out.

On 19 minutes, Cork gave themselves a lifeline. A Luke Connolly delivery for Mark Collins might have drawn a foul but instead resulted in a throw-up on the 20m line. From that, Ruairí Deane won possession and his handpass for Connolly allowed for a palmed finish to the net.

Winning their fair share of possession, Cork were struggling to convert that into more scores. The wides continued to come and when Mark Collins had a goal attempt it was foiled by a heroic Tadhg Morley block.

That was at 1-7 to 1-2 and though Collins had his third point for Cork on the half-hour, three in a row from Kerry, one by Clifford and two from O’Shea, opened up a seven-point advantage as injury time dawned.

Seán White might have had another Cork goal but snatched at his chance, however Cork had had an advantage and Collins sent over the resultant free to leave six in it at half-time.

O’Shea’s fifth pushed Kerry further ahead again but Cork won a penalty with the next play after Killian O’Hanlon’s driving run was illegally halted. Connolly sent his shot high to the left, beyond Ryan’s dive, and Mark Collins’s point meant that there were just three between the sides.

An O’Shea free tried to halt the Cork momentum but Seán White’s point made it a one-score game again and the leveller came as Ian Maguire’s delivery was deflected perfectly to allow Brian Hurley to flick to the net past Ryan.

Unfortunately for Cork, they couldn’t find a lead score and Diarmuid O’Connor and Clifford gave Kerry breathing space again. However, they were reduced to 14 men as Paul Geaney received a black card for a foul on Kevin Flahive, having previously been booked.

Though James Loughrey had a point for Cork in the immediate aftermath, Kerry pushed on again through a pair of Stephen O’Brien points and O’Shea’s seventh.

Still Cork came, with Collins getting one from play and two frees to leave just one in it again.

It wasn’t to be for them, though, as sub Micheál Burns was set up by Clifford in injury time and O’Shea was on hand with a late free to leave three in it.

Scorers for Kerry: Seán O’Shea 0-8 (0-6frees), David Clifford 0-4 (0-1 free), Tom O’Sullivan 1-1, Stephen O’Brien 0-2, Paul Geaney, Micheál Burns, Dara Moynihan, Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: Mark Collins 0-8 (0-6 frees), Luke Connolly 2-0 (1-0 penalty), Brian Hurley 1-0, Seán White, James Loughrey 0-1 each.

KERRY: Shane Ryan; Jason Foley, Tadhg Morley, Paul Murphy; Gavin White, Jack Sherwood, Tom O’Sullivan; David Moran, Jack Barry; Dara Moynihan, Seán O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Connor; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Stephen O’Brien. Subs: Gavin Crowley for Foley (43), Micheál Burns for Moynihan (50), Adrian Spillane for Barry (53), Brian Ó Beaglaioch for O’Connor (66), Mark Griffin for O’Sullivan (68).

CORK: Mark White; Nathan Walsh, James Loughrey, Kevin Flahive; Liam O’Donovan, Tomás Clancy, Matthew Taylor; Ian Maguire, Killian O’Hanlon; Paul Kerrigan, Seán White, Ruairí Deane; Luke Connolly, Brian Hurley, Mark Collins. Subs: Kevin O’Donovan for Walsh (35, injured), Kevin O’Driscoll for Seán White, Michael Hurley for Brian Hurley (both 59), Stephen Sherlock for Connolly (66), Aidan Browne for Taylor (68), Stephen Cronin for Loughrey (69).

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).