Cork 3-17
Kerry 2-9
Denis Hurley reports from Páirc Uí Rinn
CORK PULLED AWAY from Kerry in the second half at Páirc Uí Rinn today to make it three wins from four in the Allianz Football League Division 1.
Leading by 3-7 to 2-6 at half-time after a frantic first half, Cork limited their visitors to just three points in the second period and powered their way to an 11-point victory – their biggest over Kerry since the 1990 Munster SFC final.
Nobody in the Cork camp will be getting carried away with the win, especially after they beat Kerry by 10 points in Tralee last year only to lose by 12 in the provincial championship. There were plenty of positives to take from the game, however.
Colm O’Neill finished with 1-6 for Brian Cuthbert’s side while Mark Collins operated well as a floating full-forward and Kevin O’Driscoll finished with three points.
O’Neill’s goal came in the second minute, after Barry John Keane’s free had given Kerry the lead. After Fintan Goold made a good interception, the midfielder powered forward and saw his shot come back off the post, O’Neill depositing the ball in the net.
Five minutes later, it was 2-1 to 0-2 as John O’Rourke palmed home Jamie O’Sullivan’s hand pass but then Kieran Donaghy got a Kerry goal, benefiting from Ken O’Halloran dropping Anthony Maher’s delivery.
Cork extended their advantage after that and O’Rourke’s second goal, on 17, put them 3-4 to 1-2 ahead before Kerry enjoyed their best period of the game. They responded with an unanswered 1-3, the goal from first-half sub Tommy Walsh after Donaghy had done well.
By the interval, Cork had settled again and the four-point lead stretched out further as O’Neill, Brian Hurley and Colm O’Driscoll scored points. By the 50-minute mark, the pace of the game had slowed with the outcome decided. Kerry only added one more point, Keane’s fifth, while Cork sub Donncha O’Connor shone in the closing stages, kicking four points.
Scorers for Cork: Colm O’Neill 1-6 (0-5f), John O’Rourke 2-0, Donncha O’Connor 0-4 (0-1f), Kevin O’Driscoll 0-3, Brian Hurley 0-2, Conor Dorman, Colm O’Driscoll 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Barry John Keane 0-5 (0-2f), Kieran Donaghy, Tommy Walsh 1-0 each, Alan Fitzgerald 0-2, Stephen O’Brien, Peter Crowley 0-1 each.
CORK
1. Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown)
4. Tom Clancy (Clonakilty)
6. Stephen O’Donoghue (Ballincollig)
2. James Loughrey (Mallow)
7. Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown)
3. Michael Shields (St Finbarr’s)
5. Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)
8. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
9. Fintan Goold (Macroom)
12. Colm O’Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh)
11. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
10. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh)
13. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough)
14. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
15. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
Subs
20. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond) for O’Rourke (49)
17. Conor Dorman (Bishopstown) for Tomás Clancy (52)
22. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers) for Colm O’Driscoll (57)
23. Daniel Goulding (Éire Óg) for Hurley (62)
24. John Hayes (Carbery Rangers) for O’Neill (62)
18. Noel Galvin (Ballincollig) for Tom Clancy (65)
KERRY
1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)
2. Pa Kilkenny (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
3. Mark Griffin (St Michael’s/Foilmore)
4. Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes)
5. Jonathan Lyne (Legion)
6. Jack Sherwood (Firies)
7. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
8. Anthony Maher (Duagh)
9. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
10. Michael Geaney (Dingle)
11. Bryan Sheehan (St Mary’s)
12. Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes)
15. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys)
14. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
13. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
Subs
18. Killian Young (Renard) for Murphy (12, black card)
17. Tommy Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Sheehan (20)
20. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers) for Sherwood (20)
19. Alan Fitzgerald (Castlegregory) for Maher (half-time)
21. Shane Enright (Tarbert) for Fitzgerald (41)
23. Paul O’Donoghue (St Mary’s) for Moran (63)
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)
