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Kerry 0-20
Cork 1-12
Mark Griffin scores a point for Kerry in the first half. Photo by Dermot Crean
A SUNNY day in every way for Kerry, as they beat old foes Cork in Tralee this afternoon. But they made heavy weather of it for a while!
Cork are now relegated and Kerry head for the semis in Croke Park.
Kerry flew out of the traps at Austin Stack Park, racing into a 0-10 to 0-3 lead with some great shooting. However, wasteful shooting and a penalty for Cork – after Peter Crowley fouled Ian Maguire – saw the rebels peg them back to just a three point lead by half-time – 0-11 to 1-5.
Stephen O’Brien blasts over a point in the first half. Photo by Dermot Crean
Cork continued to eat into Kerry’s lead and were level on 59 minutes. This shocked Kerry back into action and they were dominant in the final 10 minutes with crucial scores from Colm Cooper and Brendan Fitzgerald among others to seal victory.
Michael Shields saw red for this elbow to the jaw of Michael Geaney. Photo by Dermot Crean
The midfield duo of Moran and Donaghy got the better of their Cork counterparts for much of the game while other players who played well for Kerry were Colm Cooper, Donnchadh Walsh and Marc O Se.
The Kerry management will be very pleased with their charges’ recovery from such a dismal start to the campaign and a league final place must be on their minds now.
Scroll down for photos (we’ll have match analysis and more photos tomorrow)…
Kieran Donaghy watches his shot sail over the bar. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kerry scorers: C Cooper (0-6, 0-3 frees); A Fitzgerald (0-5); M Ó Sé, F Fitzgerald, K Donaghy, B O’Sullivan, M Griffin, , D Moran (0-1 ’45), J Buckley, D Walsh, S O’Brien (0-1 each).
Cork scorers: C O’Neill (1-3, 1-0, 0-3 frees); B Hurley (0-6, 0-4 frees); P Kerrigan, D Goulding, B O’Driscoll (0-1 each).
Kerry: B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, P O’Connor; M Griffin, P Crowley, K Young; K Donaghy, D Moran; P Murphy, D Walsh, J Buckley; S O’Brien, C Cooper, A Fitzgerald.
Subs: F Fitzgerald for O’Connor (blood sub, 17 mins), O’Connor for F Fitzgerald (HT), F Fitzgerald for Crowley (bc, HT), B O’Sullivan for Buckley (51), BJ Keane for A Fitzgerald (54), J Lyne for Griffin (62), M Geaney for D Walsh (66), T Walsh for O’Brien (67)
Cork: R Price; E Cadogan, K Crowley, D Hazel; T Clancy, K O’Driscoll, B O’Driscoll; I Maguire, S Kiely; C O’Driscoll, M Collins, R Deane; P Kerrigan, C O’Neill, B Hurley.
Subs: L Connolly for Deane (42), D Goulding for O’Neill (55), F Goold for C O’Driscoll (63), M Shields for Cadogan (63)
Referee: D Gough (Meath).
Donnchadh Walsh scores a point. Photo by Dermot Crean
Alan Fitzgerald gets a fist to the ball but it went wide. Photo by Dermot Crean
Michael Geaney puts in a challenge for which he received a black card in the closing stages. Photo by Dermot Crean
Marc O Se about to slot over a point in the closing stages. Photo by Dermot Crean
Colm Cooper lets fly in the first half. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kevin O’Driscoll is tackled by Donnchadh Walsh. Photo by Dermot Crean
Paul Murphy lets fly at goal in the second half. Photo by Dermot Crean
High-flying action in the first half. Photo by Dermot Crean
