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Kerry's Gavin White and Cork's Brian Coakley will be in opposition tonight.
AS IT HAPPENED

As It Happened: Cork v Kerry, EirGrid Munster U21 football final

Páirc Uí Rinn hosted tonight’s showdown.

Result
Kerry 2-16 Cork 0-6

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Evening all and welcome along to Páirc Uí Rinn for tonight’s EirGrid Munster U21 football final. It’s a familiar pairing, Cork taking on Kerry for the second successive year at this stage.

Here’s the starting Cork team. Kevin Flahive, captain Sean O’Donoghue and Michael Hurley all return.

Cork

1. Ross Donovan (Nemo Rangers)

2. Sean Daly (Dohenys)
3. John Mullins (Eire Óg)
4. Sean Wilson (Douglas)

5. Jerry O’Riordan (Carbery Rangers)
6. Aidan Browne (Newmarket)
7. Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)

8. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
9. Eoin Lavers (Dohenys)

10. Brian Coakley (Carrigaline)
11. Sean Powter (Douglas)
12. Sean O’Donoghue (Inniscarra – captain)

13. Gary Murphy (Castletownbere)
14. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarr’s)
15. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)

Subs

16. Chris Kelly (Eire Óg)
17. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
18. Daniel Meaney (St Michaels)
19. Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty)
20. Sean O’Leary (Bantry Blues)
21. Mark Buckley (Dohenys)
22. Sean O’Donovan (Ilen Rovers)
23. Tim Foley (Bantry Blues)
24. Michael Dineen (Naomh Aban)

Four changes for Kerry from their semi-final win over Waterford as Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Gavin White, Brandon Barrett and Matthew O’Sullivan are all drafted in.

Kerry

1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)

2. Tom (Leo) O’Sullivan (Dingle)
3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
4. Brian Sugrue (Renard – captain)

5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
6. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)

8. Andrew Barry (Na Gaeil)
9. Brian Ó Seanacháin (Ballydonoghue)

10. Brandon Barrett (Ardfert)
11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare)
12. Matthew Flaherty (Dingle)

13. Killian Spillane (Templenoe)
14. Matthew O’Sullivan (St Michael’s-Foilmore)
15. Cathal Bambury (Dingle)

Subs

16. Eoghan O’Brien (Churchill)
17. Barry O’Sullivan (Dingle)
18. Jack Morgan (Austin Stacks)
19. Conor Geaney (Dingle)
20. Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahilly’s)
21. Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk)
22. Jordan Keily (Dr Crokes)
23. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)
24. Roibeard Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)
25. Mark Ryan (Rathmore)

Two late Cork changes. Liam O’Donovan and Mick Dineen come in for Kevin Flahive and Stephen Sherlock.

Waterford’s Alan Kissane is the referee here.

Kerry have only won one of the last 14 titles at this grade back in 2008.

Jack O'Connor Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

Sean Hayes is aiming to steer Cork to their third Munster U21 crown in four years, after previous triumphs in 2014 and 2016, while they lost the 2015 final to Tipperary.

Sean Hayes Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Game on in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Kerry 0-1 Cork 0-0
1 mins – Killian Spillane gets Kerry off the mark with a neat point.

Kerry 0-2 Cork 0-0
1 mins – And Kerry double their advantage, Sean O’Shea slots over a free.

Off the post! Brilliant run by Cork’s Michael Hurley as he cuts through the Kerry defence but is denied as he smashes a shot towards the goal.

Kerry 0-3 Cork 0-0
4 mins – And Kerry counter to notch their third point of the night, courtesy of Cathal Bambury.

Kerry 0-4 Cork 0-0
7 mins – Close range free knocked over by Killian Spillane for Kerry. Yellow card for Cork defender Jerry O’Riordan.

Kerry 0-4 Cork 0-1
12 mins – Cork finally off the mark. Sean O’Donoghue fires over a free after Gary Murphy was fouled after an incisive run.

Kerry 0-4 Cork 0-2
13 mins – And a second converted free for Cork, this time from Brian Coakley after they turned Kerry over at the back.

Kerry 0-4 Cork 0-3
14 mins – A third on the spin from Cork and their first from play. Coakley gathers an O’Donoghue delivery and holds off his man to score.

Sub: Jack Morgan in for Kerry for the injured captain Brian Sugrue.

Goal for Kerry from Matthew O’Sullivan!

Kerry 1-4 Cork 0-3
18 mins – Kerry make a big breakthrough. A swift team move creates an overlap and when Brian Ó Beaglaoich plays it across, Matthew O’Sullivan is alone to sidestep the goalkeeper and billow the net.

Yellow card for Cork’s Aidan Browne.

Kerry 1-5 Cork 0-3
21 mins – Killian Spillane steps inside on the left wing and curls over a marvellous point off his right.

Sub: Cork bring on Daniel Meaney for Dineen.

Couple of Kerry wides from Sean O’Shea and Ó Beaglaoich.

Five minutes to go to the break, Kerry lording matters at midfield.

Kerry 1-6 Cork 0-3
26 mins – Sean O’Shea clips over a free for Kerry at one end and then at the other end Coakley misses one for Cork.

On their rare attacks forward, shooting is letting Cork down. Sean Powter the latest one to see his shot drift wide.

Two minutes of injury time to be played.

That’s another poorly struck free by Coakley for Cork, never got under the ball and it fell into the hands of goalkeeper Shane Ryan.

Half-Time: Kerry 1-6 Cork 0-3

Sub: Cork bring in Stephen Sherlock at half-time for Eoin Lavers.

Second-half action back under way.

Kerry 1-7 Cork 0-3
32 mins – Kerry centre-back Tom O’Sullivan surges forward and punches over a point.

Kerry 1-8 Cork 0-3
33 mins – Third point of the night for Kerry’s Sean O’Shea and his first from play. Kerry well on top now.

Kerry 1-9 Cork 0-3
35 mins – Killian Spillane with the latest Kerry point but it should have been a goal after they prised Cork apart. His shot hit the bar before flying over.

Kerry 1-10 Cork 0-3
37 mins – Spillane on target again for Kerry, this time from a free.

Kerry 1-10 Cork 0-4
38 mins – Cork at last pull a point back, Gary Murphy from a free.

Kerry 1-12 Cork 0-4
40 mins – Kerry completely on top now, Matthew O’Sullivan bangs over an excellent point. They’re in total control.

Conor Geaney had struck the earlier point for Kerry.

Subs: Cork bring in Mark Buckley and Kevin O’Donovan for Gary Murphy and Aidan Browne.

Brian O’Beaglaoich with Jerry O’Riordan and Jerry O’Riordan Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

Kerry 1-13 Cork 0-4
45 mins – Well-struck point by Sean O’Shea as he slots over a ’45.

Sub: An illustration of Kerry’s strength here as they bring in Dr Crokes All-Ireland club winner Michéal Burns for Brandon Barrett. Barry O’Sullivan is also in for Dingle club mate Matthew Flaherty.

Sub: Cork introduce Sean O’Donovan for Brian Coakley.

Kerry 1-14 Cork 0-4
48 mins – A second point for Kerry sub Conor Geaney, this time from a free.

Superb run by Cork wing-back Jerry O’Riordan but his goalbound shot is cleared off the line by Ó Beaglaoich.

Kerry 1-15 Cork 0-4
50 mins – Sean O’Shea taps over a free for Kerry.

Sub: Jordan Kiely in for Kerry for Matthew O’Sullivan.

Goal for Kerry from Conor Geaney!

Kerry 2-15 Cork 0-4
54 mins – And that is most emphatically that. Kerry seal victory with Conor Geaney smashing home a fierce shot after a lovely pass through by Killian Spillane.

Black card for Kerry’s Jordan Kiely.

Kerry 2-15 Cork 0-5
56 mins – Consolation point for Cork from Stephen Sherlock.

Kerry 2-16 Cork 0-6
59 mins – Last year’s minor captain Sean O’Shea has been one of the stars for Kerry tonight. He’s taken his scoring tally to six points with that shot. Sherlock hits over another late free for Cork.

All over, an emphatic win for Jack O’Connor’s Kerry side. Thanks for joining in to our coverage tonight.

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