Munster U20FC final: Cork outclassed by a better Kerry side and never once threatened to win the game

Kerry 1-15 

Cork 0-12 

MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT for Cork as Kerry claimed a third consecutive EirGrid Munster U20 football championship crown after seeing off the Rebels in the final at Austin Stack Park in Tralee on Wednesday evening.

It’s the Leesiders third defeat on the bounce in the provincial decider as their wait to win a first title since 2021 will go on into another campaign.

Tomás Ó Sé’s side had the wind in the first half and had a four-point advantage at the short whistle and pushed on in the second half and despite a Cork rally, Kerry kept them at arm’s length. The Kingdom were much smarter with the ball and were clinical when they got their chances. Cork will have regrets with a combination of things that just didn’t pay off.

On a glorious evening for football, Kerry were aided by a slight wind in the opening 30 minutes, but it was Cork that got the first score through an Ed Myers point after three minutes following a clever pass by Dara Sheedy. Kerry settled and two points in two minutes nudged the home side ahead.

A long-range Cormac Dillon free and also points from Aidan Crowley and Daniel Kirby pushed the Kingdom four points clear before Rebels captain Hugh O’Connor slotted over a beauty, 0-5 to 0-2 after 16 minutes. The rivals exchanged the next four points, 0-7 to 0-4 with six minutes to the break as Kerry remained in control.

A Dillon free pushed his sides advantage out further but a Rory O’Shaughnessy white flag kept O’Mahony’s outfit in touch, but it was that man Dillon again with another free right on the stroke of the half-time whistle to give Kerry a 0-9 to 0-5 lead at the interval.

On the resumption with Cork now wind assisted, they made the worst possible start as Kerry goaled two minutes in when Tomás Kennedy billowed the back of the net. The home side had a firm grip on proceedings as they tacked on three unanswered points to push 1-12 to 0-5 clear after 37 minutes.

The Leesiders did settle and two points from O’Connor, one which was a free, and substitute Gearoid Kearney with a fine effort cut Kerry’s lead to seven points, 1-12 to 0-8 with 19 minutes remaining.

Ross Corkery, just on the pitch, converted a 45 and suddenly Kerry were wobbling. The sides swapped points before a fisted Luke Crowley point gave the green and gold a seven-point buffer after 52 minutes. There was to be no grandstand finish despite Cork finishing well, kicking two of the last three points, as Kerry prevailed. 

Scorers for Kerry: C Dillon 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 m), T Kennedy 1-0, D Kirby 0-2, G Evans, R Diggin, C Keating, O Ferris, L Crowley, A Crowley, C Brosnan 0-1 each.

Cork: H O’Connor 0-3 (0-1 f), D Sheedy 0-2, R O’Shaughnessy, D O’Brien (f), E Myers, R Corkery (45), G Kearney, O Corcoran, C Molloy 0-1 each.

KERRY: M Tansley; M Lynch, D O’Callaghan, G Evans; C Keating, D O’Connor, C Lynch; R Stack, E Healy; D Kirby, O Ferris, T Kennedy; L Crowley, A Crowley, C Dillon.

Subs: R Diggin for D O’Callaghan (38, inj), A Segal for D O’Connor (46), C Brosnan for O Ferris, P Lane for A Crowley (both 50), E Boyle for E Healy (57).

CORK: M O’Connell (St Michael’s); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), C Molloy (Nemo Rangers), M Óg O’Sullivan (Bantry Blues); G Daly (Mallow), D Buckley (Douglas), S Copps (Mallow); R O’Shaughnessy (St Michael’s), M McSweeney (Knocknagree); D O’Brien (Glanworth), H O’Connor (Newmarket, capt), J O’Neill (Castlehaven); O Corcoran (St Mary’s), E Myers (Naomh Abán), D Sheedy (Bantry Blues).

Subs: G Kearney (Kinsale) for M McSweeney (38), R Corkery (Nemo Rangers) for D O’Brien (41), S O’Connell (Kilshannig) for D Twomey (49), M Maguire (Castlehaven) for R O’Shaughnessy (55), L O’Herlihy (St Michael’s) for D Sheedy (61).

Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare).