McGrath Cup Senior Football Final – Cork 1-11 Kerry 0-10

Cork defeated Kerry by 1-11 to 0-10 in

Hayes’ strike decisive for determined Cork

Report from the Irish Examiner newspaper

Cork collected the McGrath Cup yesterday with a four-point win over Kerry in Mallow, a determined second-half display and a good John Hayes goal the key to their first silverware of 2014. A wasteful Kerry attack let plenty of scores behind them in the first-half, and once Cork rearranged their half-back line at the break they had the platform to drive them to victory, though both managers left north Cork with plenty to work on. Kerry started well, with a Bryan Sheehan free and three wides before Donnchadh Walsh chipped in with their second point. The visitors dominated around the middle and David Moran inparticular was able to pick out his man with foot passes, pressurising the Cork defence Sheehan landed a 45 on 10 minutes to make it three points before Aidan Walsh got Cork off the mark with a fine point. Kerry continued to dominate, however, with Cork finding it hard to get into the opposition half.

Kerry came close to goaling at the end of the first quarter when a Barry John Keane effort was deflected just past Bryan Sheehan’s outstretched toe with the goal gaping, but the score remained 0-3 to 0-1 until the 23rd minute, when Daniel Goulding blasted over with a goal on offer. Three minutes later Barry John Keane almost got the game’s opening goal, flicking over from close range after good interplay between Paul Geaney and Alan Fitzgerald. Kerrigan responded and then Goulding pointed a free from beyond the Kerry 45: four points apiece on the half-hour. Kerry should really have goaled a minute later, but Cork ’keeper Ken O’Halloran did well to smother Donnchadh Walsh at point-blank range: Sheehan missed the resulting 45, but there was still time for Keane to point neatly to restore Kerry’s lead – 0-5 to 0-4 at the break, but the Kingdom should have been much further in front given the opportunities spurned.

Cork were much better on the resumption, with Michael Shields at wing-back, James Loughrey at centre-back and Aidan Walsh more influential in midfield. A Mark Collins free and a fine Kerrigan point from play put them one ahead, and then Shields ranged upfield to boot over a point from long range. Kerry had to wait 13 minutes for their first score, a good Jonathan Lyne effort after a fine run, but Cork struck decisively – a long Aidan Walsh delivery broke to sub John Hayes, who bore down on goal and netted from close range: 1-7 to 0-6 at the three-quarter stage.

A good Goulding point promptly stretched the lead further, and when the same man popped a free over it was 1-9 to 0-6 with just over 10 minutes left. Sheehan pulled one back with a free and sub Shane O’Callaghan cut the deficit to four with a point of his own. Andrew O’Sullivan and Jonathan Lyne swapped points before a Keane free made it 1-10 to 0-10 with eight minutes on the clock. There were a few black cards to liven up the proceedings late on, Aidan O’Mahony, Fintan Goold and Michael Shields the men going off early, but Cork held out for a good win, Donncha O’Connor’s late free the insurance point.

Those in the crowd looking for a hint of Cork’s playing style in 2014 saw the Rebels play a more direct game in the second-half, and Shields’ repositioning in the half-back line gave them another attacking option. For Kerry, Paul Galvin came on to his usual reception from a Cork crowd, but didn’t occupy his usual spot. The Finuge man played in the half-back line and did well, intercepting one Cork attack which looked ominous. With Aidan O’Mahony, another sub, replacing Bryan Sheehan and playing up front, Cork may not be the only team shaking things up tactically this season.

Scorers for Cork: D. Goulding 0-4 (0-2 fs); J. Hayes 1-0; M. Collins 0-2 (0-1 f); D. O’Connor (f), A. O’Sullivan, M. Shields, A. Walsh and P. Kerrigan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: B. Sheehan (0-2 fs, 0-1 45) and B. J. Keane (0-1 f) 0-3 each; J. Lyne 0-2; D. Walsh, S O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

CORK: K. O’Halloran; J. McLoughlin, E. Cadogan, M. Shields; J. Loughrey, T. Clancy, K. O’Driscoll; A. Walsh, F. Goold; C. O’Driscoll, M. Collins, A. O’Sullivan; D. Goulding, P. Kerrigan, B. O’Driscoll.

Subs: D. O’Connor and J. Hayes for C. O’Driscoll and B. O’Driscoll, 43; M. Sugrue for Collins, 53; B. Hurley for Goulding, 62; M. O Laoghaire for Goold 65 (b c), A. Sheehan for Shields 67 (b c).

KERRY: B. Kelly, P. Murphy, M. Griffin, S. Enright, P. Crowley, J. Sherwood, M. Geaney, A. Maher, D. Moran, J. Lyne, B. Sheehan, D. Walsh, A. Fitzgerald, P. Geaney, B. J. Keane.

Subs: S. O’Callaghan for Fitzgerald, HT; M. Mangan for Maher, 44; A. O’Mahony and P. Galvin for Sheehan and Sherwood, both 53; B. Maguire for M. Geaney, 62; B. Shanahan for O’Mahony, 64 (b c).

Referee: D. O’Mahony (Tipperary).

Kerry: B Kelly; P Murphy, M Griffin, S Enright; P Crowley, J Sherwood, M Geaney; A Maher, D Moran; J Lyne, B Sheehan, D Walsh; BJ Keane, A Fitzgerald, S O’Brien

There have been two late changes to the Cork team for Sunday’s game which will now line out as follows –

1. Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown)

2. John McLoughlin (Kanturk)

3. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)

4. Michael Shields (St. Finbarr’s)

5. James Loughrey (Mallow)

6. Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)

7. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCárthaigh)

8. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)

9. Fintan Goold (Macroom)

10. Colm O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCárthaigh)

11. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

12. Andrew O’Sullivan (Castletownbere)

13. Daniel Goulding (Eire Óg)

14. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)

15. Barry O’Driscoll (Nemo Rangers)

Subs:

16. Ryan Price (O’Donovan Rossa)

17. John Hayes (Carbery Rangers)

18. Shaun Murphy (Ballydesmond)

19. Micheál Ó Laoire (Naomh Abán)

20. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)

21. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond)

22. Alan Sheehan (Dohenys)

23. Mark Sugrue (Bandon)

24. Colin Lyons (St. Finbarr’s)

25. Killian O’Connor (Mallow)

Kevin Crowley and Noel Galvin, who were originally named to start in the two corner back positions, have both picked up hamstring injuries in training and will be out of action for at least fourteen days. They will be replaced by John McLoughlin and team captain, Michael Shields. Brian Hurley has also been added to the match day panel.

For the Record

Fixtures and Results

Quarter-Finals

Sunday January 5^th

@ John Mitchels Tralee                  Kerry 0-17 IT Tralee 0-8

@ CIT GAA Grounds                       CIT 5-17 Mary I 2-6

@ Mallow                                          Cork 3-22 LIT 0-7

@ Gaelic Grounds Limerick           UL 5-18 UCC 4-16

Semi-Finals

Sunday January 12^th

@ John Mitchels Tralee                  Kerry 2-12 CIT 0-13

@ Mallow                                          Cork 6-16 UL 0-7

Final (Extra time)

Sunday January 19^th

@ Mallow                                          Cork v Kerry                                                              @ 2:00pm

McGrath Cup Senior Football – Odds and Ends

Since 2000, Kerry’s McGrath Cup success rate is 89% (best of any county) winning 17 of their 19 matches (an 89% success rate). In the same period, Cork have won 86% of their matches in the competition with 19 wins out of 22.

There was an average of 2.5 goals per match in the 2013 McGrath Cup Competition (25 goals scored in total). This compares with an average of 2.4 goals per game in 2012 and 1.4 goals per game in 2011. In the six matches played in the 2014 McGrath Cup, there has been an average of 4.5 goals per match.

The record of the Third Level Colleges in the McGrath Cup since entering in 2005 is Won 23, Lost 55 (29% success rate). None of the third level colleges have a winning record in the competition during that period. CIT and UCC have the best record, both winning 7 of their 17 matches (41% success rate) followed by UL who have won 6 of their 15 matches (40% success rate). Meanwhile IT Tralee, LIT, WIT and Mary I Limerick have won 3 out of 29 matches between them.

Kerry have not lost a match in the McGrath Cup since the 2006 final where the Kingdom lost to Cork by 1-9 to 0-6 at Pairc Ui Rinn.

McGrath Cup Senior Football Roll Of Honour

Clare (12) – 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008

Cork (6) – 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Limerick (5) – 1985, 1987, 2001, 2004, 2005

Kerry (4) – 1996, 2010, 2012

Tipperary (3) – 1989, 1993, 2003

Waterford (1) – 1981

London (1) – 1988

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete Roll of Honour since the competition began in 1981 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/mcgrath-cup-football/

McGrath Cup

Presented by Joe McGrath on June 21st, 1981 for the promotion of Senior Football in Munster