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Kerry's Sean O'Shea in action against Cork's Stephen Cronin. Bryan Keane/INPHO
Kingdom Rule

2-4 for Geaney as Kerry cruise past Cork to make it 6 Munster senior titles in a row

27,674 fans in attendance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for this evening’s encounter.

Kerry 3-18
Cork 2-4

Fintan O’Toole reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh

KERRY’S GRIP ON the Munster senior football championship shows no signs of loosening after they cantered to another title win over Cork this evening.

After dominating proceedings in Killarney in recent years, a different venue did not change the pattern of clashes between these counties as Kerry were in complete control and had victory wrapped up long before the finish.

Even the concession of two early goals to Cork did not unduly worry Kerry. Paul Geaney hit 2-4 from play as he spearheaded their scoring drive with Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side having 17 points to spare at the finish.

Cork could not have envisaged a better start. Two minutes in, Ruairi Deane fielded a high delivery from Sean White and transferred across the Kerry goalmouth to hand Jamie O’Sullivan, who had ventured forward from deep, the simple task of palming home a goal.

Kerry’s response was telling with David Clifford snapping over a point and then Stephen O’Brien rifling the ball to the net after David Moran made a superb catch from a kickout.

But Cork breached the Kerry cover once more as Deane again did the damage in the 9th minute, his powerful run enabling Mark Collins to flick in their second goal.

Luke Connolly floated over a lovely point a minute later to put Cork ahead 2-1 to 1-2 yet they could never build on that and failed to score for the remainder of the half. Kerry took ownership of the action with a range of able and willing scoretakers in Sean O’Shea, Clifford, Paul Geaney and James O’Donoghue.

It was 1-11 to 2-1 in Kerry’s favour at the interval and once Geaney fired the ball to the net early in the second half, there was only going to be one victor.

Geaney would bag his second goal at the finish from close range with a large chunk of the crowd having already departed. His full-forward line colleagues James O’Donoghue and David Clifford notched a combined tally of 0-5 from play between them, while Sean O’Shea hit 0-4 from centre-forward.

Scorers for Kerry: Paul Geaney 2-5, Sean O’Shea 0-4 (0-2 ’45, 0-1f), James O’Donoghue 0-3, Stephen O’Brien 1-0, David Clifford, Paul Murphy 0-2 each, Gavin White, Barry John Keane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: Mark Collins 1-1, Jamie O’Sullivan 1-0, Luke Connolly 0-2 (0-1f), Peter Kelleher 0-1.

Kerry

1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)

2. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
3. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
4. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)

5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)

8. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)

10. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)
11. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks)
12. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks)

13. David Clifford (Fossa)
14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion)

Subs

20. Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin) for O’Brien (black card) (26)
22. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar) for Burns (half-time)
23. Mark Griffin (St Michael’s-Foilmore) for Foley (54)
17. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks) for Clifford (55)
24. Killian Young (Renard) for Morley (64)

Cork

1. Mark White (Clonakilty)

5. Kevin Crowley (Millstreet)
3. Jamie O Sullivan (Bishopstown)
2. Sam Ryan (St Finbarr’s)

6. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers)
4. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
7. Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)

8. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
9. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s – captain)

10. Kevin O Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
11. Sean White (Clonakilty)
13. John O Rourke (Carbery Rangers)

14. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
12. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues)
15. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)

Subs

17. James Loughrey (Mallow) for Ryan (black card) (21)
23. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers) for Deane (black card) (34)
22. Peter Kelleher (Kilmichael) for O’Rourke (half-time)
25. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven) for Kevin O’Driscoll (half-time)
20. Brian O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) for Cronin (58)
26. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough) for Walsh (59)

Referee: Ciarán Branagan (Down)

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