Allianz Football League Division 1 – Cork 0-17 Kerry 1-13

Cork display champion poise

Cork 0-17 Kerry 1-13

By John Fogarty for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Monday, February 07, 2011

AS phoney wars go, this was a compelling one. Ultimately, a victorious one for Cork — and a particularly sweet win for the All-Irelandchampions with Daniel Goulding’s late free deciding matters on Kerry’s home patch — but an intriguing bout for a plethora of reasons. Forget the two red and six yellow cards — this was no grudge match. On a sodden Austin Stack Park pitch, both defences were on their best behaviour and the players endeavoured to give the 4,100-sized audience an entertaining game if one lacking in quality. Given it was the second month of the year, that was hardly surprising but the affair was riveting. The teams were level on seven occasions and looked set to share the spoils before Goulding arrowed a long-range free to grab the two points for Cork.

Taking into account how dominant they were in possession, the visitors just about deserved it. Kerry may have kicked eight wides after the break but their barren spell in the third quarter couldn’t go unpunished. Ironically perhaps, they had the better spread of scorers (nine as opposed to Cork’s six), accrued more points from play and were economically clinical with their scoring chances in the first-half to lead by a point at the break, 0-11 to 0-10. But that yawning gap between Donnchadh Walsh’s 39th minute score and substitute Geaney’s 63rd minute goal was their downfall. In that time, while the likes of the aforementioned Walsh were dreadfully off-target, Cork — lording midfield — pointed four times. Kerry recovered briefly and actually led with six minutes left before Darran O’Sullivan was rather harshly pulled up in injury-time for challenging Pearse O’Neill. Donncha O’Connor, despite slipping, converted the free.

Almost straight from Brendan Kealy’s restart, Kerry were fire-fighting again and were adjudged by referee Michael Duffy to have overstepped the mark again seconds after the equaliser. Goulding, after striking two immaculate 45s earlier in the half, didn’t need to be prompted from a similar distance. Admittedly, losing Aidan O’Mahony to a hand injury in the 45th minute had deprived Kerry of some nous at the back. The Ó Sé brothers, captain Tomás and Marc, provided a solid spine but around them there were issues. Corner-back Padraig O’Connor was called ashore just before half-time after haemorrhaging scores and picking up a yellow card on the half-hour mark. Indeed, Cork were finding a lot of reward from pumping ball into their full-forward line in the first-half. All but one of their scores came from their inside line in that time-span.

By the 26th minute, they were three points in arrears when Kieran Donaghy — a terrific target figure for Kerry in the opening 35 minutes — fed Donnchadh Walsh. But they outscored Kerry three points to one for the remainder of the half, all their successful efforts coming from O’Connor in open play. It was a half of gaelic football to enjoy and a departure from previous league encounters which in recent years had offered some wealth of notorious posturing. Toothgate in Páirc Uí Rinn last year, BryanSheehan and Noel O’Leary sent to the line here in Tralee in 2007… frightful Februarys. Not this one. It appeared both teams benched that belief in a game pockmarked by Duffy’s whistle but lacking any of the ugliness seen in previous encounters. On a trying surface, the referee might have considered it more of a mitigating factor in differentiating between tackles and fouls. He did play a lot of advantage but the hefty free count wasn’t justified.

What Barry John Keane and Noel O’Leary did to merit their straight red cards isn’t certain as both were admonished for separate off-the-ball incidents, although the Kerryman’s 55th minute dismissal involved an entangling with O’Leary after Duffy consulted his linesman. Much to the delight of the crowd, the Kilnamartyra man followed Keane two minutes later after an umpire brought something to the referee’s attention but his departure hardly affected Cork. Goulding punted over a 45 soon after the incident when Marc Ó Sé stretched to clear Kerry’s lines and added a second in the 62nd minute following a deflection. Kerry were now trailing by three points and hadn’t scored since Donnchadh Walsh’s 39th minute point when Darran O’Sullivan broke through the middle. His darting run had Cork on the back-foot but his delivery to Paul Geaney was just as good and the replacement’s shot beat KenO’Halloran. Kieran O’Leary swung over a free seconds after and it appeared Kerry had arrested Cork’s momentum. They hadn’t. Cork pressed on and, according to Duffy, forced Kerry into committing fouls, which O’Connor and then Goulding expertly punished.

Scorers for Cork: D Goulding 0-7 (four frees, three 45s); D O’Connor 0-6 (three frees); F Goold, C O’Neill, C O’Driscoll, P Kelly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: D Geaney 0-4 (one free); P Geaney 1-0; K Donaghy, D Walsh 0-2 each, D Moran, D O’Sullivan, BJ Walsh (one free), BJ Keane, K O’Leary (one free) 0-1 each.

Subs for Cork: P O’Flynn for Spillane (17); C Sheehan for Hayes (44); N Murphy for Walsh (53); D Goold for C O’Neill (66); Denis O’Sullivan for O’Driscoll (69). Red card: N O’Leary (57)

Subs for Kerry: K O’Leary for BJ Walsh (28); S Enright for O’Connor (34); P Crowley for O’Mahony (45); S Scanlon for Maher (53); P Geaney for D Geaney (61).

Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo)

Goulding guides Rebels over the line

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Two injury time frees helped Cork to a narrow 0-17 to 1-13 victory over their Munster rivals Kerry in an enthralling Allianz League Division One clash at Austin Stack Park, Tralee on Sunday. Remarkably, it was the Rebels’ heroes from last September’s All-Ireland final defeat of Down, Daniel Goulding and Donncha O’Connor, who provided the late inspiration once again for Conor Counihan’s side. A goal from substitute Paul Geaney followed quickly by a Kieran O’Leary free gave Kerry a 1-13 to 0-15 lead going into injury-time. However, Cork displayed the resolve that helped them to a first All-Ireland title in 20 years last Septmber to win the game in injury time, O’Connor leveling from a free before Goulding landed his seventh point of the game from a free from 45 metres out to secure the two points with what was effectively the last kick of the game.

Last September, Cork’s forward pair landed 0-14 between them; on this occasion, with O’Connor chipping in with 0-6, they scored all but four of Cork’s haul. It was a brilliant finish to a fascinating game that had all the quality one would expect from much later in the year. The first half alone offered 21 points, with the Kingdom going in at the break ahead by the odd point, 0-11 to 0-10. While the second half may have lacked the same pyrotechnics, the exciting finish was precipitated by a sending off on each side, as Cork’s Noel O’Leary and Kerry’s Barry John Keane were sent off on straight red cards following an off-the ball incident. At that stage, Cork had moved 0-13 to 0-12 ahead, and two more points from Goulding left the All-Ireland champions in the driving seat, three points clear with seven minutes left.

Kerry hit back immediately when Darran O’Sullivan knifed through the Cork defence and set up Paul Geaney – the Dingle man, a cousin of David, had been brought on as a sub minutes previously – for the only goal of the game. Another sub, Kieran O’Leary nudged Kerry ahead with a free before the Rebels reasserted their place as the team to beat this year with a trademark late finish. Kerry had started the game brightly. David Geaney, making his Allianz League debut, didn’t take long to settle into his new surroundings, putting Kerry into the lead inside the first 30 seconds, before David Moran added a second a minute later.

The standard of play, and especially the quality of shooting on display, was quite remarkable, with Goulding and Fintan Goold responding for the Rebels with points from play. Kieran Donaghy was causing havoc at full forward for the Kingdom, his physicality proving problematic for Jamie O’Sullivan, the Cork full back. Donaghy turned O’Sullivan inside out in the sixth minute to nudge Kerry two clear.

However, Cork soon moved up a gear and four successive points saw them assert their dominance on a game that was a brilliant showcase for Allianz League football. Cork’s forwards began to bully the Kerry defence, with Donncha O’Connor, who ensured it was a torrid debut for Pádraig O’Connor, hit the final point of the that purple patch. Cork’s Ger Spillane, a late replacement for John Miskella, was forced off the field after suffering an injury while being blocked by Barry John Walsh. Kerry kicked four points on the trot to ease three ahead, 0-10 to 0-7, by the 27th minute. Donncha O’Connor, who chipped in with four first half points, kicked a brace off his weaker left foot in first half injury time to leave the minimum between the sides at the break.

Scorers for Kerry: D Geaney 0-4 (0-1f), D Moran 0-1, K Donaghy 0-2, BJ Walsh 0-1 (0-1f), BJ Keane 0-1, Darran O’Sullivan 0-1, D Walsh 0-2, K O”Leary 0-1 (0-f), P Geaney 1-0.

Subs: K O’Leary for BJ Walsh, S Enright for P O’Connor, P Crowley for A O’Mahony (inj), S Scanlon for A Maher, P Geaney for D Geaney.

Scorers for Cork: D Goulding 0-7 (0-2f, 0-3 ‘45), F Goold 0-1, C O’Neill, D O’Connor 0-6 (0-4f), C O’Driscoll 0-1, P Kelly 0-1

Subs: P O’Flynn for G Spillane, C Sheehan for J Hayes, N Murohy for A Walsh, D Goold for C O’Neill.

Team News

CORK (v Kerry): K O’Halloran; R Carey, J O’Sullivan, E Cadogan; C O’Driscoll, J Miskella, N O’Leary; A O’Connor, A Walsh; P Kelly, P O’Neill, F Goold; D Goulding, D O’Connor, C O’Neill

The Kerry Senior team to play Cork in The Allianz League on Sunday is as follows –

1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)

2. Pádraig Reidy (Scartaglin)

3. Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)

4. Padraig O’Connor (Legion)

5. Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore)

6. Tomás Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)

7. Jonathan Lyne (Legion)

8. Anthony Maher (Duagh)

9. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahilly’s)

10. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys)

11. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar)

12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)

13. Barry John Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys)

14. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)

15. David Geaney (An Daingean)

Subs:

16. Tomás Mac a t’Saoir (An Ghaeltacht)

17.Seamus Scanlon (Currow)

18. Paul Geaney (An Daingean)

19. Shane Enright (Tarbert)

20. Brian Maguire (Listowel Emmets)

21. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)

22. Gary O’Driscoll (Skellig Rangers)

23. Daithí Casey (Dr. Crokes)

24. Kieran O’Leary (Dr. Crokes)

Physical Trainer: Alan O’Sullivan

Manager: Jack O’Connor

Physical Trainer: Alan O’Sullivan

Selectors: Ger O’Keeffe & Diarmuid Murphy

Match Preview

Kerry v Cork, Tralee, 2.30pm

From the GAA.ie web site

Friday, February 04, 2011

This local joust is, no doubt, the big game of the first weekend of the Allianz Football League. It doesn’t get much better than Cork and Kerry – especially when we’ve all been starved of this level of inter-county football for the best part of four months. As Allianz League and GAA All-Ireland champions, the Rebels will be afforded a guard of honour onto the pitch in Tralee by their great rivals. You can be sure that is where the cordiality between the sides will begin and end.

In the corresponding fixture last year Cork won by 1-12 to 0-12 at Páirc Uí Rinn, but the game will be remembered for the dismissal of Kerry’s Paul Galvin and Cork’s Eoin Cadogan. Noel Galvin was also sent off for the Rebels, who won thanks, in the main, to seven Daniel Goulding points. Paul Galvin is unavailable for Kerry as he is recovering from a hip/groin problem, while Cadogan is expected to start at full-back for the Rebels, as he continues to play a duel role at inter-county level this year. Kerry, of course, endured a troubled season last year and the general consensus is that they are in a period of transition and rebuilding following the sundering of their All-Ireland winning side from 2009.

Manager Jack O’Connor tried out a number of new players in the successful McGrath Cup campaign and has signalled that some of the new guard will be given a chance to prove their worth in the Allianz League. Paul Galvin, in a recent interview with www.gaa.ie, believes there are opportunities up for grabs. “There is a huge opportunity there for the younger players. If you are a young player you are in a great position because there are spots up for grabs,” “Any fella who shows the old bit of attitude and a bit of desire to get in there, and who doesn’t care about reputations, just wants to make a spot for himself, he is on a winner. That’s all it takes, a fella who doesn’t care about who is in front of him or behind him, just wants to play.”

The Geaney cousins from Dingle have already made an impression, while Daithí Casey and Kieran O’Leary of Dr Crokes are likely to play a part after impressive Munster campaigns with their Club. Cork’s second game of the campaign is against Dublin in Croke Park, so with the tough schedule, ambitions on Leeside have been tempered somewhat, especially as the squad spent most of last month on holiday in South Africa. Anthony Lynch, Graham Canty, Alan Quirke and Paudie Kissane are all out injured for Cork; the Nemo Rangers contingent are also unavailable due to their upcoming AIB GAA Club semi-final against St Brigid’s of Roscommon.