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MARK Keane scored a goal on the final kick of overtime for one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Cork-Kerry rivalry.
A looping shot by Luke Connolly to force penalties came up short and Keane, a professional Australian Rules player from Collingwood, grabbed the effort-nuanced goal from Tadhgie Murphy in 1983. Keane, from Mitchelstown, was only added to the panel. in recent weeks in the AFL offseason.
Under-20 graduate Seán Meehan made a beautiful blast to drive possession deep into enemy territory, while another rookie, Damien Gore, teamed up with Meehan to send the ball back to Connolly before he kicked it. 2012.
It was no more than Cork deserved, coming from two points down to force extra time and the same margin in the final stages. An extremely difficult Connolly down the left wing after Mark Collins was fouled narrowed the gap to 0-13 to 0-12 in the 86th minute.
A wild shot from David Moran when Kerry should have held possession in the final stages gave Cork one last chance. And boy did they take it!
The reward is a Munster final against Tipp in the two weeks, with the winner in a semi-final from Ireland against Mayo or Galway in December.
In fact, Kerry had been a bit more controlled in overtime. The energy Killian Spillane added was significant and he finished 0-4 from play.
Even well guarded by Ireland’s U-20 winner Maurice Shanley, David Clifford was a handful and smashed a wonderful spot from the sharpest angles. It seemed that the Kingdom was going to create more opportunities, as they did for the first 70 minutes and they did so properly.
Ian Maguire and Seán Powter, both excellent in regulation time, limped off. Inspirational Killian O’Hanlon left at the break for the additional 20 minutes. Cork was a bit flat in overtime, which was completely understandable given how much they had invested to draw the 0-10 tie each.
Losing O’Hanlon and Maguire took away their aerial prowess, but in the end, it didn’t matter. The tremendous work Ronan McCarthy and Cian O’Neill have put in paid off, fueled by minor victories and U-20 All-Ireland last season to boost confidence.
Cork knew exactly what Kerry was going to bring in based on his two recent league outings, a more pragmatic approach and hitting a counter with bodies behind the ball, so they equalized.
It was 0-2 apiece in the first water break, Clifford and Ronan Buckley for Kerry, though Martin had to be vigilant to deny Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Brian Hurley and Mark Collins at the other end. There was a gap between Hurley’s two-man Cork inside attack and Colm O’Callaghan, and they were hungry for spell possession with the leading midline filtering back to clog the channels.
In the third quarter, Clifford huddled on a typically graceful spot and while O’Callaghan encountered Seán Powter in the race to the level, Kerry achieved the following two scores through Dara Moynihan and a free Clifford: 0-5 to 0 -3 after 26 minutes. . The danger was that they would raise the green flag that would force Cork to chase the game.
Instead, a 10 minute Rebel Dominion spell came. Killian O’Hanlon came into the game to help Maguire around center field. Ruairí Deane received a free foul, O’Hanlon hit a 45 and Maguire assisted a good point from Kevin O’Donovan.
It was 0-6 to 0-5 at halftime, a tough arm fight, but Cork wasn’t complaining. It was a real surprise to see Kanturk’s Paul Walsh start ahead of Luke Connolly, who was originally named, but added extra muscle to midfield.
Kerry had blown the best chances in the first half, although Hurley sniffed the goal, frustrated by Kerry’s struggle on the defense line.
The third quarter was more of the same, a point scored by each side, an effort by Tony Brosnan from the game and a tricky free Killian O’Hanlon. An explosion of rain made him demand to secure possession, much less do something meaningful with it.
Clifford sent a deflected goal chance off the post and Flahive and Mattie Taylor had to combine to deny Brosnan. In the second water break, Cork was still leading by the low, 0-7 to 0-6, and had the advantage of having an extra man when Ronan Buckley was sent off.
Still, it wasn’t the type of game or the conditions that 15v14 were going to make a big difference. The Kingdom introduced a series of substitutes with the quick Spillane earning a couple of points, along with two from O’Shea, who nullified a free Collins: 0-10 to 0-8 with time running out.
Cork kept his focus. Luke Connolly beat a good score on the loop and then in added time, Cork’s patience and perseverance paid off when Powter was fouled after an opening shot was blocked and Collins converted.
Extra time in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, battered by rain. And what drama it brought.
M Collins 0-4 (0-3 f), L Connolly 0-3 (0-2 f), M Keane 1-0, K O’Hanlon 0-2 (0-1 45, 0-1 f), B Hurley (brand), S Powter, K O’Donovan 0-1 each.
D Clifford 0-4 (0-1 f), K Spillane 0-4, S O’Shea 0-2 (0-1 f), R Buckley, D Moynihan, T Brosnan 0-1 each.
M Martin; S Powter, M Shanley, K Flahive; K O’Donovan, S Meehan, M Taylor; I Maguire (c), K O’Hanlon; J O’Rourke, M Collins, R Deane; C O’Callaghan, B Hurley, P Walsh.
M Keane for O’Callaghan (43), L Connolly for O’Rourke (44), M Hurley for Walsh (53), P Kerrigan for B Hurley (62), S White for O’Donovan (68), P Ring for Flahive (ET), T Corkery for Powter (inj 72), K O’Driscoll for Maguire (inj 76), D Gore for O’Hanlon (inj ht ET).
S Ryan; J Foley, T Morley, T O’Sullivan; P Murphy, P Crowley, G White; D Moran, D O’Connor; B Ó Beaglaíoch, S O’Shea, R Buckley; T Brosnan, D Clifford (c), D Moynihan.
S O’Brien for Moynihan (47), K Spillane for Brosnan (49), J Barry for Ó Beaglaíoch (54), R Buckley (black card 52-62), J Sherwood for Buckley (62), D Moran (black card 68), G Crowley for White (ET), Ó Beaglaíoch for O’Sullivan (ht ET), T Walsh for Foley (82), P Clifford for O’Connor (88).
Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary).
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