An emotional night for Kerry, a near perfect one for Cork. A Munster final meeting with Tipperary next month awaits and on this performance Cork deserve to be there, writes Ian O'Riordan at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
This time Cork showed no way back for Kerry, but instead exposed them as a mediocre team void of all the vitality and verve that had carried them out of Munster for the past two years.
At no stage in the 70 minutes of this replay was Cork's dominance truly questioned, and at no stage did Kerry get themselves any sort of real advantage. They chased a lead for almost the entire first half and even when Mike Frank Russell's goal levelled affairs early in the second period, it was a false dawn.
Kerry will find some consolation in that they now face Wicklow in the qualifiers and know they can only improve, but with too many of their players operating far below their best they may need a couple of more seasons to regroup rather than just a week.
What a contrast in Cork. The forward line created so many chances in the first half that the contest could have been over well before the break.
Still, with Colin Corkery in excellent form, they were never short of a point when they needed it.
Fionan Murray has rarely been as busy (or enjoyed as much possession), though his 0-3 in the end could well have read three goals had a little more luck run his way.
Brendan Jer O'Sullivan continues to enforce his presence in the attack and the loudest cheer of the evening may well have gone to Diarmuid O'Sullivan when he slotted a point shortly before the end.
Before the start Kerry made four changes in personnel and eight positional switches to the team that started in the drawn game a week ago. In came Enda Gavin at wing back, Declan Quill and Dara Ó Cinnéide in the half forward line, and Liam Hassett to full forward.
Seamus Moynihan started at midfield (where he finished the last day), with Tom O'Sullivan operating at full back, Colm Cooper at wing forward, and John Crowley at corner forward.
Cork, in contrast, made just the one switch, starting Philip Clifford in place of Diarmuid O'Sullivan. The start was delayed 15 minutes as the crowds slowly spilled into the ground, but with the stiff evening breeze in their backs Cork didn't delay in taking the early advantage.
After Murray forced the first of many saves from Declan O'Keeffe, and after briefly conceding the lead to a Dara Ó Cinnéide free, Cork were soon collecting ball and attacking Kerry at will.
Corkery's first two clean catches were sent over the bar, and he was involved with Murray to set up a lively Alan Cronin for their third. Ó Cinnéide chipped over another free but Cork's dominance continued up to the break.
Cork's 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the turnaround did not do them justice. Murray slipped up twice with one-on-ones with the Kerry goalkeeper and Clifford missed a sitter.
Though the Cork supporters would normally have been losing patience at such squandering, the lack of pressure at the other end ensured a calm response.
Russell lacked his usual artistry and John Crowley was slugging around the forwards without even the threat of a threat.
After Declan Quill landed a free, the brief Kerry response was in motion. From 50 yards out Russell floated the ball in, and Kevin O'Dwyer rose to stop it going into the net. He failed to collect, and Kerry were level again 0-8 to 1-5.
The Kerry supporters, as few as they were, were humming now but the response stalled.
Corkery continued his consistency from frees - which were now falling in Cork's favour - and the introduction of Joe Kavanagh and Jim O'Donoghue strengthened their midfield.
On 52 minutes Cork again should have had their opponents well out of reach when Clifford was brought down by O'Keeffe as he charged at the Kerry goal. Corkery stepped up for the penalty but O'Keeffe saved, then did likewise with Alan Cronin's rebound.
Cork's reaction though was to apply even more pressure. Murray hit a typically energetic point and another free from Corkery took them four points clear again.
Russell managed to squeeze in another point at that stage but it was as good as the last shout for Kerry.
Throughout the last 10 minutes Cork's forwards, it seemed, had saved their best until last. Brendan Jer O'Sullivan made and converted a score that few thought he was capable of, and that was followed by Diarmuid O'Sullivan's effort.
There was more. Corkery was lose again and after sending over the point of the game he afforded himself an extended salute, and who could blame him.
With two minutes left to play Kerry were thinking only about the qualifiers. Darragh Ó Sé and Colm Cooper managed to clip on two late points but by then the Cork fans were in full song.
A hard way to fall then, but even under the circumstances Cork were nothing but worthy winners.
HOW THEY LINED OUT
CORK: 1 K O'Dwyer; 2 E Sexton, 3 C O'Sullivan, 4 A Lynch; 5 S Levis, 6 R McCarthy, 7 G Canty; 8 N Murphy, 9 M O'Sullivan; 10 B J O'Sullivan, 11 M Cronin, 12 A Cronin; 21 P Clifford, 14 C Corkery, 15 F Murray. Subs: J Kavanagh for Murphy (39 mins, inj), J O'Donoghue for O'Sullivan (47), D O'Sullivan for Clifford (56), C Murphy for A Cronin (62), C Crowley for Murray (68) Booked: F Murray (18), M O'Sullivan (42), R McCarthy (60).
KERRY: 1 D O'Keeffe; 2 M Ó Sé, 7 T O'Sullivan, 4 M McCarthy; 5 T Ó Sé, 6 E Fitzmaurice, 21 E Galvin; 8 D Ó Sé, 3 S Moynihan; 26 D Quill, 17 D O Cinneide, 15 C Cooper; 13 MF Russell, 20 L Hassett, 14 J Crowley. Subs: M Lyons for Galvin (half time), S O'Sullivan for Hassett (41), N Kennelly for Quill (47), E Brosnan for Ó Cinnéide (54), I Twiss for Crowley (70). Booked: M Ó Sé (18), D Ó Sé (35), E Fitzmaurice (48), D O'Keeffe (51).
