Gaelic Games

Cork see off Kerry and remain on course for five-in-a-row in Munster

A fifth successive victory over Kerry sets up final with Tipperary

Brian O’Driscoll captained Cork as they beat Kerry at Páirc Uí Rinn. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Brian O’Driscoll captained Cork as they beat Kerry at Páirc Uí Rinn. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Wed Mar 18 2015 - 21:27

MUNSTER UNDER-21 FOOTBALL SEMI-FINALS

Cork 1-12 Kerry 1-9

Cork stay on course for a record equalling fifth consecutive Munster Under-21 Football Championship title after registering their fifth successive win over Kerry in a gripping semi-final at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

Watched by a crowd of 2,844, Cork finished the stronger after Kerry restored parity for the sixth time with a pointed free from top scorer Conor Keane after 47 minutes.

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The champions, chasing their 26th title, responded straight away with points from Seán White and substitute Conor Horgan before another Keane free cut the gap to the minimum.

But, Cork replied with clinching scores from senior player and captain Brian O’Driscoll and a second from Horgan.

At the outset Cork started promisingly, dominating the early stages and racing 1-2 clear inside seven minutes. A couple of points from a Cathal Vaughan free and Michael Kelleher from play settled them immediately before the holders struck for the opening goal.

Kevin Davis was alert to the breaking ball around the middle and headed straight at the Kerry defence before passing to the awaiting Seán O’Donoghue, who blasted home from close range, goalkeeper Shane Ryan getting his hands to the shot, but unable to stop it.

Kerry eventually found their wind and proceeded to dominate large chunks of the rest of the first-half, though free-taker Jack Savage lasted only 14 minutes as he was shown a black card for a foul on Kevin Crowley.

Still, Kerry were boosted by a 20th minute goal. It stemmed from a booming high ball into the danger zone from Dara Roche that goalkeeper Michael Martin could only parry into the path of Conor Keane, who duly netted.

Keane levelled matters at 1-2 apiece five minutes later though Cork grabbed the closing points, Vaughan converting a difficult free from the right before scoring from play for a 1-4 to 1-2 interval advantage.

Kerry’s best spell came on the resumption as Keane pointed three frees to edge in front, but Cork rallied as the lead exchanged hands several times before the home side prevailed in an exciting finish.

CORK: M Martin; M McSweeney, J Davis, S Cronin; T O'Rourke, S White (0-2), K Crowley; A O'Donovan, D Murphy; B O'Driscoll (capt; 0-1), K Davis, D O'Callaghan; C Vaughan (0-4, three frees), P Kelleher (0-2), S O'Donoghue (1-1, one free).

Subs: D Quinn for Crowley (21 mins inj), M Hurley for O'Callaghan (37 mins), C Horgan (0-2) for K Davis (47 mins), C Kiely for McSweeney (55 mins).

KERRY: S Ryan; C Coffey, G Crowley, B Begley; R Murphy, D Daly, C Ó Luing; J Barry, B O'Sullivan; B Crowley (0-1), J Savage (0-1, free), M Burns; M Flaherty, D Roche, C Keane (1-7, six frees).

Subs: G Horan for Savage (black card, 14 mins), C Murphy for Daly and K McCarthy for Burns (50 mins), E O Conchuir for Crowley (55 mins), L Carey for O Conchuir (black card, 57 mins).

Referee: D O'Mahony (Tipperary)

Tipperary 0-15 Clare 0-7

Tipperary found their rhythm late on to beat Clare by eight points at Semple Stadium .

The hosts were sloppy for spells against a Clare team with a quarter-final victory over Waterford under their belts.

But when they clicked into gear in the closing minutes, Tipp finished with four unanswered points to set up a third successive provincial final meeting with Cork.

Jason Lonergan was star of the show for Tipp with five points from play on a night when the Premier County had nine different scorers.

In contrast, only Jamie Malone registered a score from play for Clare and the Banner boys were reliant on frees alone to remain in touch at half-time.

They trailed by 0-4 to 0-7 at the break and while the gap was down to two shortly after half-time, Tipp responded with three unanswered points to help see off their dogged opponents.

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; K Fahey, J Feehan, C O'Shaughnessy; C O'Riordan (0-1), R Mulcahy, B Maher (0-1); L Casey (0-2), S O'Brien (0-2); J Lonergan (0-5), I Fahey (0-1), P Shanahan; P Maher (0-1), J McGrath (0-1), J Keane (0-1, free).

Subs: D McEnroe for Keane (44 mins), G Cronin for Shanahan (50 mins), T Sweeney for P Maher (57 mins).

CLARE: K Normoyle; C O'Mahoney, J O'Dea, C Brennan; D Nagle, C O'Brien, C O'Dea; E Hanrahan, J Malone (0-2); L Corry, P O'Malley (0-1, free), D Masterson; M O'Leary, K Sexton (0-4, four frees), E Courtney.

Subs: D Burke for Hanrahan (28 mins), C Cleary for Masterson and M Byrne for Corry (half-time), J Downes for O'Malley (41 mins), N Bonfil for Courtney (58 mins), C MacNelis for O'Mahoney (60+1 mins).

Referee: J Bermingham (Cork)