Heroic Cork footballers lose out narrowly to Kerry after extra-time classic
Disappointed Cork player Eoghan McSweeney after the defeat by Kerry in the Munster SFC semi-final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
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A thriller down the Páirc as a heroic Cork performance fell short after extra time against Kerry in the Munster SFC semi-final at a damp SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening.
The Kingdom were hot favourites to record a fifth championship victory on the trot over their rivals and looked in control when they led by seven points with 13 minutes remaining of normal time.
Cork made a stirring comeback, full of belief and a never-say-die attitude, and led by a point after 63 minutes, but Kerry responded and it required an Eoghan McSweeney point to send the game to extra time.
Kerry were down to 14 players after 59 minutes after a straight red card for Paudie Clifford. Cork didn’t take advantage and they were down to 14 players four minutes into extra time when Seán Brady was also shown a straight red card.
John Cleary’s charges will have regrets with extra time as missed opportunities came back to prove costly. They had nine wides in extra time. Kerry's third goal was the most critical score five minutes from the very end.
It’s a case once again of so close yet so far for Cork played in front of a crowd of 14,358. The Rebels haven't beaten Kerry now since 2020.
In difficult conditions, Kerry kicked the first score after just 26 seconds when Ruairí Murphy pointed before Cork drew level when Rory Maguire and Seán Powter combined to set up Mark Cronin for a neat point.
The teams then swapped fisted points, David Clifford for Kerry before Chris Óg Jones returned in kind for John Cleary’s team.
The Kingdom landed five unanswered points to lead 0-7 to 0-2 after 12 minutes.
An O’Driscoll two-pointer did bring the crowd into the game, but it was short lived when Kerry went down the other end to convert two quick-fire points through David Clifford and Paul Geaney.
Kerry’s class was showing even if they were helped by basic mistakes by Cork. Jack O’Connor’s team scored two of the next three points to lead 0-11 to 0-5 with 10 minutes to the break. Ian Maguire with the effort for Cork.
The Rebels did end the half well with Cork now getting a handle in midfield. O’Driscoll kicked a point and then his second two-pointer to leave just three points in it.
A beauty of a 45 from Cronin did cut the gap to two, as Kerry held a slender advantage at half-time, 0-11 to 0-9.
A Brian Hurley two-pointer from a free drew the sides level two minutes into the new half, but Kerry had the composure to move away from Cork again with points from sub Seán O’Shea and Paul Geaney.
The teams swapped points until David Clifford put Kerry three points clear, 0-15 to 0-12 after 48 minutes.
Dylan Geaney and Barry Dan O’Sullivan efforts made it a five-point game.
A Hurley white flag did keep his team just about in touch with 14 minutes remaining.
The game looked all but over a minute later when Paul Geaney billowed the back of the net, 1-17 to 0-13.
Paudie Clifford then got a straight red for a high challenge before two two-pointers from sub Cathail O’Mahony and Seán McDonnell left a goal in it before Jones drew Cork level with a great goal after 61 minutes, 1-17 each.
Rebels sub Ruairí Deane nudged the Leesiders ahead, but a sucker-punch arrived after 65 minutes when O’Shea scored Kerry’s second goal.
Cronin did reduce the deficit to one with a free with three minutes left before Cork sub McSweeney drew parity to send the game to extra time, 1-20 to 2-17.
With the man advantage and tiring bodies, Cork kicked two wides at the start of extra time and had a goal opportunity through Jones, which got deflected out for a 45, which also went wide.
The referee balanced up the teams when Brady got a soft red four minutes into extra time. David Clifford took over with a free and a two-pointer, 2-20 to 1-20.
A Jones free left just two points in it going into the second period of extra time.
The same player kicked a point followed by a McSweeney two-pointer to nudge Cork ahead with eight minutes remaining.
The teams swapped points before Joe O’Connor struck for Kerry’s third goal with five minutes left, 3-21 to 1-25. A hammer blow for the Rebels.
Cork sub Conor Cahalane nearly replied straight away, but his effort for a goal went narrowly wide. A pair of Cathail O’Mahony two-point efforts, one from a free, also went wide.
Heartbreak.
C Óg Jones 1-3, B O’Driscoll 0-5 (2 2pt), M Cronin (0-1 f, 0-1 45), E McSweeney (1 2pt), S McDonnell (1 2pt), B Hurley (1 2pt f) 0-3 each, C O’Mahony 0-2 (1 2pt), I Maguire, C Cahalane, R Deane 0-1 each.
D Clifford 0-9 (1 2pt, 0-1 f), P Geaney 1-3, S O'Shea, J O’Connor 1-1 each, D Geaney, P Clifford 0-2 each, R Murphy, B D O’Sullivan, K Spillane 0-1 each.
M A Martin; S Brady, D O’Mahony, T Walsh; B O’Driscoll, R Maguire, M Taylor; I Maguire, C O’Callaghan; P Walsh, S Powter, S McDonnell; M Cronin, B Hurley (c), C Óg Jones.
M Shanley for T Walsh (14), R Deane for S Powter (47), E McSweeney for P Walsh (52), C O’Mahony for B Hurley (59), N Lordan for M Shanley (65), S Walsh for I Maguire (75), C Cahalane for S McDonnell (77), H O’Connor for M Cronin (80), D Cashman for R Deane (83, inj).
S Ryan; P Murphy, J Foley, D Casey; B Ó Beaglaoich, G White (c), T Morley; J O’Connor, B D O’Sullivan; R Murphy, P Clifford, G O’Sullivan; D Clifford, P Geaney, D Geaney.
S Murphy for S Ryan (23, inj), S O’Shea for R Murphy, D Bourke for P Murphy (both h-t), T Brosnan for P Geaney (60), S O’Brien for B D O’Sullivan (65), K Spillane for D Geaney (70), M Burns for G O’Sullivan (77), A Heinrich for B Ó Beaglaoich (80).
Barry Tiernan (Dublin).
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