Kerry 1-11 Cork 0-7
Kerry made a real statement with a deserved seven-point win over holders Cork in the Munster Under-20 football final at a sun-drenched Austin Stack Park on Monday.
The win sets up an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Tyrone in less than two weeks’ time.
In what was the first of three meetings between the age-old rivals in the coming weeks - the Cork and Kerry minors and then the seniors meet in their respective semi-finals on May 7th and May 12th - the Kingdom ran out winners after taking over in the final half hour. The sides were level at 0-3 apiece at the half-time break.
Unlike the upcoming senior game, it was all or nothing in Tralee, with the Rebels’ season coming to a sudden halt in front of a healthy, and vocal, home support.
Battle-hardened from their hard-fought semi-final defeat of Clare and seeking revenge for last year’s championship exit at the hands of Cork, Declan O’Sullivan’s side got off the mark first with a Keith Evans effort after just a minute.
However, Cork took a hold of the game and pinned Kerry back well in the early stages. A Ryan O’Donovan double and a Conor Hanlon free gave the Leesiders the narrowest of advantages midway through the opening half.
In what was the first score in 13 minutes, Kerry levelled matters five minutes from the half-time break as Ruairi Murphy coolly slotted over from an acute angle.
After the restart, Colin Walsh burst through the Kerry defence to put Cork a point ahead for the third time, a score that seemed to wake the Kingdom up.
The game came to life a minute later as Thomas O’Donnell raised the green flag for the game’s only goal after Evans selflessly linked up well with the Kerry half-forward before the Castlegregory man found the back of the net.
Kerry eventually showed their class to score nine of the remaining 12 scores, running out comfortable seven-point winners in what proved to be a physical, but skilful and entertaining, game of football.
KERRY: Devon Burns; Dara O'Callaghan, Alan Dineen, Joey Nagle; Enda O'Connor, Armin Heinrich, Tommy Cronin; Ruairi Murphy (0-1), Sean O'Brien; Cillian Burke, Thomas O'Donnell (1-1), Evan Looney (0-1); Dylan Geaney (0-1, one free), Kevin Goulding, Keith Evans (0-1).
Subs: Adam Curran for Cronin (half time), Gearoid Hassett (0-2) for Goulding (42 mins), Jack O’Connor (0-2) for Evans (47 mins), Tom Doyle for O’Brien (48 mins), Jordan Kissane (0-2) for O’Donnell (59 mins).
CORK: Callum Dungan; Jacob O'Driscoll, Tommy Walsh, Dan Peet; Darragh Cashman, Neil Lordan, Sean Brady (0-1); Kelan Scannell, Alan Walsh (0-1); Richard O'Sullivan, Colin Walsh (0-1), Hugh Murphy (0-1); Ryan O'Donovan (0-2), Conor Hanlon (0-1, one free), Darragh O'Mahony.
Subs: Adam Walsh-Murphy for O’Sullivan (29 mins), Liam O’Connell for Hanlon (half time), Paddy O’Driscoll for O’Mahony (43 mins), Fintan Fenner for Scannell (46 mins), Eoin Walsh for Colin Walsh (56 mins), Conor Daly for Brady (57 mins).
Referee: Christ Maguire (Clare)
