Kerry clutched onto two precious points on Leeside to get their All-Ireland defence back on track, albeit without showing the class that got them up the steps of the Hogan Stand.
They led from pillar to post but Cork never stopped nibbling away at them, with David Clifford's 47th-minute penalty, after Seán Powter was sent to the sin bin, giving Kerry enough of a cushion.
Clifford outscored the Rebels by 1-02 to 0-01 in that 10-minute spell with an extra man and ended with 1-05.
The sides' first meeting back at Páirc Uí Chaoimh since Mark Keane’s shock strike knocked the Kingdom out of the Covid Championship in 2020 ended with another high ball raining down on the Kerry defence. This time, 14,081 fans were present to see them hold out.
They join Cork and Mayo on two points in Group 1, with the Westerners to meet winless Louth tomorrow.
Seán O’Shea showed sparks of his 2022 form from the off. He was well up for this one, fist-pumping after his first from play in the seventh minute (one of three early points set up by Paul Geaney) before adding two more. Maurice Shanley was soon switched to pick him up.
Shanley’s run had created Cork’s opener for Chris Óg Jones, with Brian O’Driscoll and Brian Hurley (free) keeping them in touch.
Kerry kicked three in a row thereafter to push them four up, with Adrian Spillane, Paudie Clifford, and O’Shea keeping them in control.
Powter was deployed as the Cork sweeper, while Paul Murphy took up the free role at the other end. Powter did advance with a skillful give-and-go for a deflected point as both defences denied goal chances.
Daniel O’Mahony was trusted with tagging David Clifford and they shared an engrossing duel. Clifford got off the mark in the fifth minute but O’Mahony dispossessed him twice shortly after.
Clifford retreated further outfield as the rate of scoring began to dwindle. He launched one missile between the posts from outside the 45 on the half-hour to end a nine-minute scoreless spell. He soon found himself playing crossfield passes within his own 45 as Cork seemed pleased to keep Kerry within sight against the wind.
A Hurley free brought them within one score but Paudie Clifford made it 0-09 to 0-05 at half-time.
Jack O’Connor sent Ruairí Murphy on for Spillane at the break but it was Cork who got the jump on the restart.
They had four points inside seven minutes against one O’Shea free, with scores from Hurley (a mark and a free), Powter with a turn of pace, and Killian O’Hanlon, who fired a potential goal chance over.
The heat was being turned up in the Páirc Uí Chaoimh sun, with the crowd getting involved and handbags flaring at midfield.
But one turnover would turn to disaster for the hosts.
Powter coughed up possession after taking a wrong turn, Jack Barry sent Geaney into space and he exchanged a one-two with Tom O’Sullivan.
Powter, desperate to make up for his mistake, brought Geaney down outside the box but David Gough ruled he had denied a goal-scoring opportunity, flashing a black card and awarding the penalty.
David Clifford stepped up and sent the goalie the wrong way.
David Clifford scores from the spot to increase Kerry's lead to four.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 3, 2023
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Kerry would stretch their lead to five with the man advantage thanks to two more Clifford points before Powter’s return. 1-12 to 0-10 with 13 minutes to go.
Cork kept fighting and their subs were making an impact, Eoghan McSweeney scoring with his first touch and a huge Steven Sherlock point helping to cut the gap to two.
David Clifford burst through a packed defence to point but it didn’t quite settle Kerry. The Rebels raided back upfield to send Sherlock in on goal but he blazed over from a tight angle.
Clifford laid off to O’Sullivan, his engine still carrying him from end to end, for a tap-over, insurance point in the 73rd minute.
McSweeney’s final score came with time all but up.
CORK: MA Martin; M Shanley, R Maguire, K O’Donovan; L Fahy, D O’Mahony, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; B O’Driscoll (0-01), R Deane, K O’Hanlon (0-01); S Powter (0-02), B Hurley (0-06, 5f, 1m), C Óg Jones (0-01).
Subs: S Sherlock (0-02) for Jones (48), E McSweeney (0-02) for O’Hanlon (59), J O’Rourke for Deane (65), B Murphy for Hurley (70+2), T Clancy for R Maguire (70+2).
KERRY: S Ryan; G O’Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan (0-01); P Murphy, T Morley, G White; D O’Connor, J Barry; D Moynihan, S O’Shea (0-05, 2f), A Spillane (0-01); P Clifford (0-02), D Clifford (1-05, 1-00 pen, 0-01f), P Geaney.
Subs: R Murphy for Spillane (h-t), S O’Brien for Moynihan (61), T Brosnan for Geaney (62), BD O’Sullivan for Barry (65), M Burns for P Clifford (70+2).
Referee: D Gough (Meath)
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