Rebel empire strikes back to leave Kerry feeling blue

MUNSTER LADIES SFC FINAL

KERRY relinquished their hold on the Ladies Senior Munster Football crown at Legion GAA club last Sunday night after the old enemy inflicted a heavy seven point defeat on the girls in green and gold.

Kerry, not only came into the fixture as provincial champions, but had also already inflicted two losses on the All Ireland Champions since the start of the league campaign earlier in the year. In fact the Kerry girls had really impressed just three weeks earlier against the Rebels with an impressive win in round one of the provincial championship at Macroom.

On that occasion Kerry stayed with the ladies in red and white up to the break and ran away with the game in the second period thanks to committed challenges and brilliant tactics that left a near full strength all conquering Cork side well in their wake.

So considering all that had gone before, it was no surprise that Kerry went into this game with plenty of confidence and no shortage of pundits predicting a change in the hierarchy at the top of ladies football. However, 60 minutes is a long time in football terms and Cork hit back against their hosts with an impressive win that keeps the status quo well and truly intact.

Kerry started well on Sunday and with a point from midfielder Bernie Breen inside two minutes. Kerry looked good in the opening few clashes, however, they fell behind by two thanks to a brace of points from Cork’s talisman Orla Finn and a point from the legend that is Briege Corkery.

Kerry hit back minutes later thanks to a tasty strike from Sarah Houlihan. Points from Lorraine Scanlon and full-forward Louise Ní Mhuirceartaigh brought Kerry back to parity however four minutes of pain for the Kerry side would go a long way to deciding the outcome of this one.

Firstly, Cork went ahead with a point from Orlagh Farmer before Finn made the most of a slip-up in the Kerry rear-guard, collected the ball on the 20 metre line and raced through to finish with aplomb.

Finn’s strike was a hammer blow to a Kerry side that had done well, without excelling in the opening 25 minutes. Kerry had four chances to score in the last three minutes, but failed to hit the target on all four occasions which meant the home side would go in at the turn trailing by four. 1-5 to 0-4.

Kerry needed a good start if they were going to drag this one out of the fire but unfortunately for them it was the visitors that would push on as a brace of Finn frees followed by a Rena Buckley goal from the penalty spot had this one done and dusted before the three quarter mark.

Buckley’s brilliant finish from the spot was in truth nothing more than the All Ireland champions deserved as they had clearly done their homework on a Kerry side that could and should have done more.

Cork hit another Finn free moments later, however, credit must go to Kerry as they never gave up – fighting back with the last three scores of the game. Emma Sherwood, Houlihan and Scanlon all registered white flags late on to cut the gap to a more respectable seven points, however, that was to be as close as they would get as Cork saw out the game to deservedly take the win.

Both sides will now head into the All Ireland series and considering they are both on the same side of the draw it is highly likely that they will meet each other at least one more time this year.

Kerry will need to bounce back from this result if they are to have any chance of taking the ultimate prize in ladies football this season however in Cork, it appears that normal service has been resumed and all other sides will need to up their games once more.