Kerry finish strongly to reclaim Munster U20 football title from Cork

Kerry 1-11 

Cork 0-7 

KERRY finished strongly to strip Cork of their Munster U20 football title at Austin Stack Park, Tralee, on Monday night.

The Kingdom’s bench played a pivotal role as six of their closing seven points came from substitutes Gearoid Hassett, Jordan Kissane and Jack O’Connor, two each.

Cork only trailed by a point, 1-5 to 0-7, with seven minutes’ regulation time, but were blitzed by Kerry’s late surge.

A best forgotten opening half finished level at 0-3 apiece, the sides tied on three occasions after a very cagey approach by both teams.

Kerry’s Keith Evans opened the scoring after 30 seconds before Ryan O’Donovan equalised with a fine point within a couple of minutes.

Cork took the lead for the first time with a Conor Hanlon free in the seventh minute only for Dylan Geaney to do likewise two minutes later, 0-2 apiece.

Hugh Murphy’s pace engineered an O’Donovan point moments later before Cork, then, sliced together their most exciting move.

Wing-back Sean Brady, however, was denied by the quickly advancing keeper Devon Burns, who stood tall to block the shot with his body and then turn away Hanlon’s rebound.

Cork held that slender advantage for 13 minutes, when midfielder Ruairi Murphy curled over the equaliser just after visiting custodian Callum Dungan did well to stop Tommy Cronin’s effort.

Kerry struck for the crucial goal just two minutes after the resumption, when Geaney’s elegant foot pass found Evan Looney, who then fed Keith Evans for Thomas O’Donnell to palm the ball home.

Scorers for Kerry: T O’Donnell 1-1, G Hassett, J Kissane, J O’Connor 0-2 each, R Murphy, E Looney, K Evans 0-1 each, D Geaney 0-1f.

Scorers for Cork: R O’Donovan 0-2, S Brady, A Walsh, C Walsh, H Murphy 0-1 each, C Hanlon 0-1f.

KERRY: D Burns; D O’Callaghan, A Dineen, J Nagle; E O’Connor, A Heinrich, T Cronin; R Murphy, S O’Brien, captain; C Burke, T O’Donnell, E Looney; D Geaney, K Goulding, K Evans.

Subs: A Curran for Cronin half-time, G Hassett for Goulding 44, J O’Connor for Evans 46, G Hassett for O’Brien injured 47, J Kissane for O’Donnell 55.

CORK: C Dungan (Carrigaline); J O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers), T Walsh (Kanturk), D Peet (Clonakilty); D Cashman (Millstreet), joint-captain, N Lordan (Ballinora), joint-captain, S Brady (Ballygarvan); K Scannell (Carbery Rangers), A Walsh (Kanturk); R O’Sullivan (Newcestown), C Walsh (Kanturk), H Murphy (Eire Og); R O’Donovan (Barryroe), C Hanlon (Buttevant), D O’Mahony (Ballincollig).

Subs: A Walsh-Murphy (Valley Rovers) for O’Sullivan injured 28, L O’Connell (Ballincollig) for Hanlon half-time, P O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers) for O’Mahony 45, F Fenner (Castletownbere) for Scannell 46, E Walsh (Clyda Rovers) for C Walsh 56, C Daly (Clonakilty) for Brady 57.

Referee: C Maguire (Clare).