Elusive corner forward Daniel Goulding kicked seven points as Cork overcame arch-rivals Kerry under the Páirc Uí Rinn floodlights tonight.
Red cards for Cork duo Noel Galvin and Eoin Cadogan along with Kerry’s Paul Galvin may grab the headlines, but Goulding’s seven-point haul decided this contest between last year’s All-Ireland finalists.
Young Cork defender Galvin was sent-off for his second bookable offence - a neck-high challenge on Kieran Donaghy - and Cadogan and former Kerry captain Galvin were rather harshly dismissed by referee Maurice Deegan for an off-the-ball altercation.
Cadogan and Galvin wrestled each other to the ground, but no striking occurred, and Galvin was visibly stunned when Deegan reached for his red card 22 minutes into what had been a free-flowing game of football.
Kerry were without a hatful of their All-Ireland winners and Cork certainly edged it in the experience stakes, with their attack notable for the usage again of Nicholas Murphy at full-forward.
Murphy started in that position in last weekend's win in Monaghan and he caused some early problems for Kerry, helping Paul O'Flynn to level matters after an opening point from Kerry's Barry John Walsh via a free.
A pacy fourth-minute move led to the game's only goal.
Cork thundered through the middle of the Kerry defence to put Paul Kerrigan through for a crisp finish to the net.
Donaghy played in his traditional role of target man at the other end and a high catch teed up a second point for Walsh.
Seamus Scanlon was operating well at centre-field and Paul O'Connor popped over another point from a free for the Kingdom.
Donncha O'Connor replied for Cork from a placed ball
After 19 minutes Cork lost the services of young defender Galvin, a late call-up to the team, while O'Connor converted a free from the errant challenge that led to the injury.
Just three minutes later, as things started to boil over slightly, Deegan gave Cadogan and Galvin their marching orders for their midfield clash, but the dismissals only served to add to the increasingly ill-tempered feel to the game.
When Donaghy and Cork full-back Michael Shields subsequently tangled near the Cork square, the large crowd breathed a sigh of relief when the pair just got yellow cards.
When the focus was switched back to the football, Cork managed to edge ahead for a half-time 1-04 to 0-06 lead thanks to two late points from Goulding, who had missed his first two shots at the posts.
The Eire Óg clubman finished off a flowing move that involved Murphy two minutes into the second half to move Conor Counihan's men two clear.
Kerry boss Jack O'Connor had brought Barry John Keane on at half-time and he made a sudden impact, kicking two points and setting up another for Donncha Walsh.
Kerry were enjoying a purple patch as they edged 0-09 to 1-05 ahead, albeit with David Moran, their third free-taker of the night, missing a shot to the right of the posts.
Keane from the Kerins O'Rahillys club caught the eye by moving into space out wide and rifling over for his first point. He skimmed a second shot over the crossbar to level the game and scrapped for possession to set up Walsh for the lead score.
Worryingly for the home support, Cork had moved their wides tally to seven, but the strong running Paudie Kissane got them back on track when setting up Kerrigan for a well-taken point off his right.
Kerry goalkeeper Brendan Kealy then had to react smartly to deny Goulding at his near post.
However, Goulding was soon hogging the limelight again. The 23-year-old showed great bravery, under pressure from Kealy, to fist a route one delivery over the bar and he followed up with a left-footed point from the left wing for his fifth of the encounter.
Kerry hit three of the next five points, with Keane clipping over a free for his third and fellow substitute David O'Callaghan helping himself to two from play.
But, as in their victory over Monaghan last Sunday, Cork found an extra gear in the closing minutes. Shields, Goulding and Kerrigan all split the posts to put three points between the sides, Kerrigan's superb effort from close to the right sideline being worth the admission price alone.
Goulding proved too hot to handle for the likes of Killian Young and Tommy Griffin and as Kerry moved Micheal Quirke into full-forward, Paddy Kelly and John Hayes could afford to miss two late shots as the Rebels made it two league wins out of two.
