Heartbreak for Juniors in extra-time
Cork 3-20 Kerry 4-24 (after extra-time)
THE beauty and cruelty of sport was arguably laid bare on Tuesday night in Pairc Uí Rinn as despite impressing in taking a nine point lead early in the second-half, Cork were ultimately the victims of a sixteen point turnaround as Kerry won their fourth consecutive Munster Junior title.
The Rebels looked like claiming their first win over Kerry at this level since 2011 when they took a 2-12 to 0-9 advantage, but Kerry somehow found a way back as well as finding the conviction needed to triumph in extra-time.
Although Cork trailed by 0-6 to 0-2 after 14 minutes it had taken two saves from Kerry goalkeeper Tomas Mac an tSaoir to keep the Kingdom in front, the second a fine point blank effort from Ryan Harkin in the sixth minute.
Cork would find the net on the 15th minute mark however as Bart Daly fed the onrushing Ronan O’Toole who blasted home with power to really get Cork’s charge going.
A run of six consecutive points would follow after a Kerry point as Anthony O’Connor and Killian O’Hanlon put over some fine efforts in putting Cork 1-11 to 0-9 ahead at half-time.
The second-half started even better when from the throw-in came Eoghan Buckley finding a way through the bright sun to put Cork ahead by eight and then an O’Connor free would make it a nine point lead after 33 minutes.
Kerry started to make some inroads but it looked like it would be Cork’s night in the 37th minute when Bart Daly made a goal line clearance from corner-forward Tomas Ó Sé with a goal at Ó Sé’s mercy and Buckley nearly went down the other end and scored a third for Cork.
The opportunity seemed to give Kerry the belief there was goals there however and when Brendan O’Sullivan gave Ó Sé another opportunity a minute later, Ó Sé made no mistake in reducing the margin to four points.
A ‘45 by Jeff O’Donoghue would leave just three between them and then Phillip O’Connor came through for the equalising
goal in the 42nd minute at 2-12 apiece.
Kerry went ahead by two (2-5 with reply in total) as a free from O’Connor in the 49th minute ended a sixteen minute scoring drought for Cork.
The same player levelled matters and the lead went back and forth over the final 10 minutes before influential Kerry substitute Liam Carey appeared to have punished Cork for a loose pass in levelling the game and then O’Connor followed up with what looked a winner in injury time.
O’Hanlon ensured there would be extra-time however at 2-17 apiece as the crowd of under 1000 people (929) were getting more than enough value out of the entrance fee!
The decisive scores of the contest came in the first period of extra-time and within a minute of each other as Brendan
If Kerry do go on to claim another All Ireland title at this level they certainly won’t forget their night in Pairc Uí Rinn
O’Sullivan was a provider again to Phillip O’Connor while Kerry’s fourth goal was a scrambled effort by Ó Sé despite the best efforts of Anthony Casey and the Cork defence to keep it out. Kerry’s lead of 4-20 to 2-18 after the first period would go out to 10 points at one stage of the second period.
Ronan O’Toole grabbed a second goal for himself near the end but it was only consolation as Cork lose out to Kerry for the fifth consecutive time at this level.
They can hold their heads high about their efforts however as Kerry were made to fight tooth and claw for their win. The midfield battle between Cork’s Michael O’Leary and O’Toole along with Roibeard Ó Sé and O’Sullivan of Kerry was a sight to behold in the exhibition of fielding and movement on show.
If Kerry do go on to claim another All-Ireland title at this level they certainly won’t forget their night in Pairc Uí Rinn along the way!
CORK: Anthony Casey (Kiskeam), Kieran Histon (Cobh), Peter Murphy (Bandon, Capt), Padraic Clancy (Fermoy), Darren O’Regan (St Vincents, 0-1), Bart Daly (Newmarket), John Cronin (Lisgoold), Michael O’Leary (Naomh Aban), Ronan O’Toole (Eire Óg, 2-1), Ryan Harkin (Mallow), Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig, 0-3), Roy Downey (Delaneys), Eoghan Buckley (St Vincents, 1-2), Seamus Hickey (Rockchapel), Anthony O’Connor (Knocknagree, 0-11, 6f) Subs: Sean T O’Sullivan (Garnish, 0-1) for Downey, Lorcan O’Neill (Kanturk) for O’Regan, Ronan O’Callaghan (Fermoy, 0-1) for Hickey, Matthew Bradley (Aghabullogue) for O’Sullivan and Diarmuid Colfer (Glanworth) for Murphy (Black Card)
KERRY: Tomás Mac an tSaoir, Eamon Kiely, Jack Maguire, Pa Kilkenny, James Walsh, Michael Foley, Daniel O’Brien, Roibéard Ó Sé, Brendan O’Sullivan (0-1), Phillip O’Connor (2-3), Jeff O’Donoghue (0-3, 1’45’, 1f), Eanna Ó Conchúir, Killian Spillane (0-2), Conor Cox (0-5, 3f), Tomás Ó Sé (2-4) Subs: Liam Carey (0-4) for O’Donoghue, Ivan Parker (0-2, 2f) for Cox, PJ Mac Laimh for Foley, Brandon Barrett for Ó Conchúir (Black Card), Evan Cronin for Spillane, DJ Murphy for Walsh and Stephen O’Sullivan for Carey
REFEREE: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)