Kerry 2-17 Cork 0-11
In what was a dress rehearsal of sorts for their Munster SFC semi-final in May, Kerry owned the stage in Fitzgerald Stadium as they claimed their first McGrath Cup title since 2017 with a 12-point win over an inexperienced Cork team.
Neither returning Kerry manager Jack O'Connor, nor new Cork boss Keith Ricken will read a whole lot into what wasn’t much more than a January challenge match, a week out from the start of the Allianz League.
First half goals from Tom O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney had Kerry 2-09 to 0-05 ahead at half time, and really it was all about both teams emptying their subs benches after that and seeing what they could take from the rest of the game.
O’Sullivan’s goal came after just four minutes after Geaney cleverly played in his Dingle club mate, and at the first water break Kerry led 1-04 to 0-02, with Geaney and Paudie Clifford scoring the pick of the points.
Brian Hurley was very lively at full forward for Cork and a fine point from him, and one from wing back Rory Maguire had Cork back in the contest at 1-5 to 0-4 after 22 minutes. However, the loss of Kevin O’Donovan to a black card put huge pressure on the visitors against a Kerry team – even with David Clifford on the bench – that was quickly finding it rhythm and spark.
Cork had almost weathered that 10-minute spell with 14 players when Geaney gathered Micheal Burns’ pass across the goal and the Dingle man, looking impressively sharp through this competition, beat Micheal Martin for the second time to give Kerry that 10-point lead at half time.
Thereafter it was damage limitation for Cork, and losing the second half 0-08 to 0-06 will be a small source of consolation for the Rebels. By the second water break Kerry were 2-15 to 0-09 ahead, David Clifford on the field and scoring two points.
Cork stuck to their task – something that pleased manager Ricken – and dug out late scores from Mark Cronin, Hurley and Daniel Dineen, but it was Kerry’s day with early silverware and an encouraging January under the returning Jack O’Connor.
Kerry: Shane Murphy, Dan O’Donoghue, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan 1-00, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White, Seán O’Shea 0-02 (0-02f), Adrian Spillane, Micheál Burns, Paudie Clifford 0-02, Stephen O’Brien, Tony Brosnan 0-03 (0-03f), Paul Geaney 1-04 (0-01f), Killian Spillane 0-02
Subs: Jack Savage 0-02 for S O’Brien (inj, 6), Gavin Crowley for P Murphy (ht), Brian Ó Beaglaioch for D O’Donoghue (ht), Greg Horan for A Spillane (46), David Clifford 0-02 for T Brosnan (46), Graham O’Sullivan for G White, Dylan Casey for G Crowley (inj, 55), Paul O’Shea for P Clifford (55), Darragh Roche for K Spillane (62), Cian Gammell for T O’Sullivan (62)
Cork: Míchéal Martin, Sean Powter, Kieran Histon, Tadhg Corkery, Rory Maguire 0-02, John Cooper, Matthew Taylor, Cian Kiely, Joe Grimes, Kevin O’Donovan, Blake Murphy, Colm O’Callaghan, Mark Cronin 0-03 (0-01f), Brian Hurley 0-05 (0-02f), Chris Óg Jones
Subs: Damien Gore for B Murphy (33), Luke Connolly for D Gore (inj, ht), David Buckley for K O’Donovan (ht), Daniel O’Connell for C Kiely (46), Daniel Dineen 0-01 for C Jones (46), Shane Merrit for J Grimes (52), Kevin Crowley for J Cooper (54), Paudie Allen for T Corkery (56), Paul Ring for S Powter (62)
Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare)
