Cork rue missed chances in 11-point defeat to Kerry
Cork 0-20
Kerry 1-28
Paul Brennan reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh
NOT QUITE THE Munster semi-final classic of six weeks ago, but perhaps not quite as one-sided as the 11-point margin suggests.
Kerry certainly ran out comfortable winners at the end, winning the second half by 21 points to seven, but Cork will rue a plethora of missed goal chances – three in the first half – and a late penalty that was saved, as their championship lives comes down to a meeting with Roscommon in a fortnight.
Kerry will be just happy to have got out of Pairc Ui Chaoimh a second time with a win, but they will wonder at what cost. Barry Dan O'Sullivan and Paudie Clifford didn't make it to half time with injuries, and Paul Geaney didn't come back out for the second half, adding to the concern over Diarmuid O'Connor, who didn't make the match day squad.
And then there were those goal chances given up that Jack O'Connor will know a more ruthless team that Cork will punish.
Cork made a hero out of goalkeeper Shane Ryan who saved brilliantly from Mark Cronin and Matty Taylor, while Taylor was through again late in the first half but was thwarted from getting a shot off.
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Indeed, the game's only goal came from Cork shooting themselves in the foot when David Clifford intercepted Micheal Aodh Martin's kick-out to roll the ball past the goalkeeper and put Kerry 1-12 to 0-1 ahead after six minutes.
Kerry were 1-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 12th minute and then Cork found some form with Brian Hurley posting two points, Paul Walsh kicking a two-pointer, and those goal chances being made but not converted.
Points from Colm O'Callaghan and Chris Og Jones evened it up, 0-8 to 1-5, and Cork finished the half well, with Hurley's orange flag after the hooter giving the home side a 0-13 to 1-7 lead at the interval.
Playing with a strong wind it hardly seemed enough of a lead, and so it proved. Cronin's free stretched Cork's lead, but David Clifford raked over a huge two-pointer from play, Sean O'Shea converted a free from outside the arc after a three-up breach, and Kerry pulled away after that.
Killian Spillane came on and kicked two from play, Clifford nailed a two-pointer and a point before Sean O'Shea converted two two-pointers and a regular free.
That had Kerry 1-21 to 0-16 ahead after 53 minutes, and Cork's woes and inability to be ruthless was summed up with Cronin's penalty miss – or rather another Ryan save.
Cork head for a neutral venue to face Roscommon in a must win game for them; Kerry are all but headed straight to the All-Ireland quarter-finals again.
Scorers for Cork: B Hurley 0-7 (0-2f, 2p, 2pf), M Cronin 0-6 (5f), P Walsh 0-3 (2p), C O'Callaghan 0-2, C Og Jones 0-1, R Deane 0-1
Kerry: D Clifford 1-8 (0-2f, 2p, 2pf), S O'Shea 0-9 (3 2pf), P Geaney 0-2, K Spillane 0-2, T Brosnan 0-2 (2p), T O'Sullivan 0-2, P Clifford 0-1, G O'Sullivan 0-1, D Geaney 0-1
CORK: Micheál Aodh Martin, Seán Meehan, Daniel O'Mahony, Maurice Shanley, Brian O'Driscoll, Seán Brady, Matty Taylor, Ian Maguire, Colm O'Callaghan, Paul Walsh, Seán Walsh, Seán McDonnell, Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley, Chris Óg Jones
Subs: Sean Powter for S Meehan (43), Ruairi Deane for S McDonnell (50), Cathail O'Mahony for B Hurley (60), Luke Fahy for M Taylor (65), Eoghan McSweeney for P Walsh (66).
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Dylan Casey, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Joe O'Connor, Barry Dan O'Sullivan; Graham O'Sullivan, Paudie Clifford, Sean O'Shea; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Micheal Burns.
Subs: Mark O'Shea for B D O'Sullivan (inj, 21), Dylan Geaney for P Clifford (31), Killian Spillane for P Geaney (ht), Tony Brosnan for M Burns (59), Tadhg Morley for B O Beaglaoich (66)
Referee: D O'Mahoney (Tipperary)
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