Cork City youngsters beat Kerry and advance to the Munster Senior Cup final

Cork City 2

Kerry FC 1 

Cork City are through to the Munster Senior Cup final after a 2-1 win over Kerry FC at a damp and dreary Mayfield on Tuesday evening.

A goal in either half, from Irish underage internationals Tom McGrath and Brody Lee sent City on their way, but they navigate a tricky few minutes in additional time after Samuel Aladesanusi snapped one back for Kerry in the 89th minute as they returned to the decider after a two-year hiatus.

They’ll meet Rockmount in the final - as they did in 2020 - as the Rebel Army look to win this competition for the first time since 2019.

Just over a week after their First Division clash, a meeting where Barry Robson’s City team came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2, this provincial cup tie was again overseen by Colm Bermingham and Greg Bolger.

Both teams made the usual host of changes that the Munster Senior Cup demands, and senior players Harry Nevin, Matthew Kiernan, Matthew Murray, Lee, Niall O’Keeffe and AJ Bridge all came into the team for Cork City.

They were cruising for much of the second half, though lost Murray to a hip injury in the 76th minute, and Kerry ramped up the pressure.

City’s defending grew more and more desperate as time dragged on, and Kerry found their way through in the 89th minute when Seán O’Connell’s free-kick found Aladesanusi, and he headed in at the back post.

Immediately Kerry went surging for an equaliser - they even had a handball shout waved away in the 90th minute - but came so close in the 93rd.

Donal O’Connor headed away a Kerry cross but it fell perfectly for Ryan Perez who skewed his chance wide.

Matthew Britton struck a wide in the fourth minute for Kerry while Tom McGrath dragged wide for City a minute later, but in the early stages Kerry were the better side.

Samuel Aladesanusi fired in a dangerous cross that Britton snuck in to reach at the back post, but he couldn’t keep his first time strike from going over the bar.

Britton again caused trouble, forcing a big save from AJ Nash with a free kick attempt after 18 minutes.

City had an opportunity three minutes later when Matthew Kiernan was felled for a free kick, but AJ Bridge couldn’t keep the effort down.

Bridge and Matthew Murray raised the tempo for City, the pair orchestrated proceedings in the final third and started to put the squeeze on Kerry.

Cian Brosnan had an effort blocked, and it fell straight to Niall Brookwell, but Nash reacted superbly to deny him from the header.

Moments later, Tom McGrath’s beautiful timed long pass found Harry Nevin, and while his initial cross into the box was blocked it fell for Bridge but again, he couldn’t keep the chance down.

Then, in the 38th minute, City found their breakthrough. Matthew Kiernan ventured into the Kerry box and was tripped by Vincent Borden and referee Kevin O’Sullivan immediately pointed to the spot.

Bridge stepped up to take it and hit for the bottom corner, but Harvey Mangan got down in time and saved it off the crossbar and back into play, where Tom McGrath was quickest to react and slot home in the 38th minute.

Kerry would have two close shaves before the interval as City continued to mount the pressure. The first chance was excellently worked, Murray, Brody Lee, Nevin and Bridge all involved in the buildup for Nevin’s shot, but it tailed wide.

Ike Manjor-Georgewill also had a chance, but again, couldn’t find the target.

On the restart the Rebel Army found their second, Brody Lee profiting from a slick counter-attack as he fired across goal in the 55th minute to put them two up.

Kerry started to gather plenty of possession, but still struggled to break through the City back four as Luke Downey and Donal O’Connor impressed, while former City defender Jonas Häkkinen did well for Kerry.

CORK CITY (4-2-3-1): AJ Nash; M Kiernan, L Downey, D O’Connor, I Manjor-Georgewill; AJ Bridge, N O’Keeffe (S Richmond 73); B Lee (D Ogbene 85), T McGrath (D McCormick 70), H Nevin (F Dalton 85); M Murray (C Daly 77).

KERRY FC (4-2-3-1): H Mangan; S O’Connell, J Häkkinen, E Koufie, C Brosnan (R Perez HT), S Aladesanusi, V Borden (R Keane 60), M Britton (S McGrath 60), N Brookwell, E Lee (K Cantwell 77), A Healy.

Referee: K O’Sullivan (Cork)