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T hree first half goals set a strong Cork team up for 12-point win against a clearly callow and leggy Kerry side

Kerry midfielder Barry O'Sullivan is tackled by Ian Maguire, left, and Chris Óg Jones of Cork during the McGrath Cup Group A match at Páirc Ui Rinn in Cork. Photo by Sportsfile

McGRATH CUP GROUP A ROUND 1

Last year it was Kerry winning by 12 points in the final, this year it is Cork avenging that defeat by 12 points in a opening round game that probably ends the defending champion’s hold on the McGrath Cup itself. Swings and roundabouts. Not that Jack O’Connor or John Clearly will be getting too excited either away about a January 4 game that was little more than a training spin for both counties.

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In the wind-up it was a Kerry defence as fragile as glass that, ostensibly, will take the rap for the width of the defeat, but, in truth, there were too many malfunctions – as Jack O’Connor phrased it – all over the field to apportion blame to any one sector.

For Cork’s part they were pretty much dominant all over and all the time, save for the first 10 minutes when Kerry shifted the ball around purposefully, and in the last quarter when they strung together seven unanswered points, albeit when the game was well beyond them.

With just three starters from last year’s All-Ireland final team, Kerry were always going to be on soft ground against a Cork side that Cleary might well field come the Championship in May. 

In Jason Foley, Tadhg Morley, Diarmuid O’Connor, the Spillane brothers and Tony Brosnan, Kerry had a strong spine, but as their manager alluded to afterwards, the lack of legs from just two training sessions they have done was obvious. Cork looked like a group that might have had their Christmas day dinner in the gym.

Newcomers to the Kerry team, James McCarthy, Barry O’Sullivan, Ruairi Murphy and Barry Mahony all looked at ease in the first 10 minutes or so, but the warning signs for Kerry’s callow team came early when Brian Hurley found the net in the sixth minute.

Kerry had early points from converted frees from Brosnan and goalkeeper Shane Murphy, and a Killian Spillane score from play, but they began to lose their way after the first quarter as Cork caught their second wind and began to stretch a leggy opposition and pick holes in that porous defence.

A cheap turnover in the Kerry defence led to Hurley playing in Chris Óg Jones for a second goal to make it 2-2 to 0-3 on 20 minutes. Darragh Roche landed a couple of points to keep Kerry reasonably competitive but Cork were pressing home their physical advantage, with Colm O’Callaghan especially prominent in midfield, and his goal and three points in the last 10 minutes of the half helped Cork to a 3-7 to 0-6 half time lead.

O’Connor sent for some reinforcements at half time – Tom O’Sullivan, Jack Barry and Dara Moynihan among seven half time changes – but it turned out to be smoke and mirrors stuff in a house of horrors. Brosnan converted an early free to offer a glimmer of hope to the small Kerry support in a decent crowd, but Brian O’Driscoll smashed in Cork’s fourth goal after 38 minutes, and that was that.

Nine minutes later O’Callaghan ran his second and Cork’s fifth nine minutes later to make it 5-8 to 0-7, with very few of the Kerry subs improving what was a collective malaise through the team.

With Cleary also running his bench Cork’s dominance began to wane a little, and that afforded Kerry a little latitude to fight back. Brosnan converted a couple of frees, Dara Moynihan kicked a couple of neat scores, and Micheal Burns and Donal O’Sullivan tacked on late points as Kerry kicked seven unanswered points in the final quarter, but it was inconsequential to the outcome.

The Kerry manager said afterwards that Cork might have had eight or nine goals, and certainly Shane Murphy was the busier goalkeeper with Micheal Martin hardly worked at all by the Kerry forwards.

It was Cork’s evening, then, and fully deserved it was. They will look on with interest as Kerry host Clare in Tralee on Sunday where anything less than a big win for the home side will surely see the defending champions relinquish their title. Thereafter it could be a straight fight between the Rebels and the Banner for a place in the final.

CORK: Micheal Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers), Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers); Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), Mattie Taylor (Mallow); Colm O’Callaghan 2-4 (Éire Óg), Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s); Eoghan  McSweeney (Knocknagree), Sean Powter 0-1 (Douglas), Brian O’Driscoll 1-2 (Tadhg Mac Carthaigh); Chris Óg Jones 1-1 (Iveleary), Brian Hurley 1-2 (Castlehaven), Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers).

Subs: John O’Rourke 0-1 (Carbery Rangers) for E McSweeney (50), Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig) for I Maguire (50), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk) for K O’Donovan (53), Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues) for C Corbett (53), Luke Fahy (Ballincollig) for M Taylor (57), Fionn Herlihy (Doheny’s) for S Powter (57), Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for C Jones (57), Cian Kiely (Ballincollig) for R Maguire (60), Shane Merritt (Mallow) for C O’Callaghan (60), Chris Kelly (Éire Óg) for M Martin (64), Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s) for B Hurley (64)

KERRY: Shane Murphy 0-1 (f) (Dr Crokes); Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks), Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), Jack O'Shea (Austin Stacks); James McCarthy (Kenmare), Tadhg Morley (Templenoe) Cian Gammell (Legion); Diarmuid O'Connor (Na Gaeil), Barry O'Sullivan (Dingle); Adrian Spillane (Templenoe), Ruairi Murphy (Listry), Barry Mahony (St Senan's); Tony Brosnan 0-6 (5f) (Dr Crokes), Darragh Roche 0-2 (Glenflesk), Killian Spillane 0-1 (Templenoe).

Subs: Jack Barry (Na Gaeil) for B O’Sullivan (ht), Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle) for J Foley (ht), Micheal Burns 0-1 (Dr Crokes) for R Murphy (ht), Dara Moynihan 0-2 (Spa) for B Mahony (ht), Stefan Okunbor (Na Gaeil) for A Spillane (ht), Greg Horan (Austin Stacks) for J McCarthy (ht), Mike Breen (Beaufort) for C Gammell (ht), Dan O’Donoghue (Spa) for T Morley (23), Donal O'Sullivan 0-1 (Kilgarvan) for D O’Connor (53), Dylan Geaney (Dingle) for K Spillane (58)

REFEREE: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick)

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