Cork 1-20
Kerry 0-18
Denis Hurley reports from Mallow
CORK GOT THEIR first Munster SHL win at Mallow on Sunday, but they had to put up with a spirited display from Kerry.
While the hosts led all through and were given an early cushion thanks to Luke O’Farrell’s goal in the ninth minute, Kerry had a great chance to make a game of it when awarded a penalty in the 56th minute.
The score stood at 1-18 to 0-16 – and Kerry had scored the previous two points – when Cork goalkeeper Declan Dalton hauled down Mikey Boyle as he was about to find the net.
With a yellow card the extent of the netminder’s punishment, he was then able to keep out Shane Nolan’s effort from 20m and Cork stood firm for the remainder to ensure that no other goal chances were yielded.
The home side – Kerry were technically the ‘hosts’ as it was their home game but had to be switched from Killarney – had begun well, with Conor Lehane impressing at midfield as they scored the first five points.
After Kerry’s brightest performer, full-forward Micheál O’Leary, got them off the mark, Cork responded through O’Farrell’s goal after good build-up play from Tim O’Mahony.
Glen Rovers duo Dean Brosnan and Brian Moylan were other to get on the scoresheet for Cork before half-time, but points from O’Leary and Nolan frees helped Kerry to within five, 1-11 to 0-9, by the break.
The same pattern pertained in the early stages of the second half, with Colm Harty and Philip Lucid registering for Kerry while Alan Cadogan came off the bench to notch twice for Cork.
Had Nolan made more of the penalty, then an upset might have been in store, but as it was Cork saw out the game well. At the death, Cadogan and Kerry’s Darren Dineen were both red-carded following a scuffle after Cadogan felt Kerry goalkeeper Martin Stackpoole had been over-exuberant with his follow-through when he made a sliding save.
Yesterday, goals from Paudie O’Sullivan and Darragh Fitzgibbon helped Cork to retain the Canon O’Brien Cup as they beat UCC by 2-12 to 0-13 at the Mardyke.
Scorers for Cork: Conor Lehane 0-6 (0-2 frees), Luke O’Farrell 1-3, Séamus Harnedy 0-4 (0-2 frees), Brian Moylan (0-1 free), Dean Brosnan, Alan Cadogan 0-2 each, Chris O’Leary 0-1.
Scorers for Kerry: Micheál O’Leary, Shane Nolan (frees) 0-5 each, Colm Harty 0-3, Philip Lucid 0-2, Brendan O’Leary, Jordan Conway, Jack Goulding 0-1 each.
Cork
1. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills)
2. Cian Buckley (Na Piarsaigh)
3. Colm Barry (Castlelyons)
4. Darren Browne (Kanturk)
7. Brian Moylan (Glen Rovers)
5. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
19. Mark O’Keeffe (Fr O’Neills)
8. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
9. Dean Brosnan (Glen Rovers)
12. Patrick O’Rourke (Na Piarsaigh)
24. Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
10. Cathal Cormack (Blackrock)
13. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum)
14. Luke O’Farrell (Midleton)
25. Chris O’Leary (Valley Rovers)
Subs
17. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields) for Browne (half-time)
23. Alan Cadogan (Douglas) for O’Leary (half-time)
11. William Leahy (Aghada) for O’Mahony (50)
18. Alan Dennehy (Charleville) for O’Keeffe (50)
26. Luke Meade (Newcestown) for Lehane (63)
Kerry
1. Martin Stackpoole (Lixnaw)
2. Seán Weir (Crotta O’Neills)
3. Bryan Murphy (Causeway)
4. Dougie Fitzell (Kilmoyley)
7. Jason Diggins (Causeway)
23. Darren Dineen (St Brendan’s)
5. Daniel Collins (Kilmoyley)
17. Paudie O’Connor (Kilmoyley)
9. Philip Lucid (Ballyheigue)
10. Colm Harty (Causeway)
11. Brendan O’Leary (Abbeydorney)
12. Shane Nolan (Crotta O’Neills)
13. Keith Carmody (Causeway)
14. Micheál O’Leary (Abbeydorney)
15. Jordan Conway (Crotta O’Neills)
Subs
22. James O’Connor (Abbeydorney) for Paudie O’Connor (48)
24. Mikey Boyle (Ballyduff) for Carmody (48)
26. Tom Murnane (Kilmoyley) for Fitzell (58)
27. Jack Goulding (Ballyduff) for Nolan (63, injured)
Referee: Rory McGann (Clare)
