Cork 4-19 Kerry 1-7: Cork, as expected, strolled to a comfortable victory in this Guinness Munster Senior Hurling Championship tie played in glorious conditions at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday. Quoted at 1/200 by bookmakers to advance to a semi-final meeting with Limerick in a fortnight, Cork lived up to their billing.
The champions were sluggish enough in the opening half, leading by just 1-9 to 0-1 at the interval, but they improved considerably on the resumption.
It took Cork 29 minutes to score their opening goal and there was more than a stroke of good fortune about the manner in which full back Diarmuid O'Sullivan's long free bounced over the head of opposite number Aidan Healy into the path of Ben O'Connor, who scored from close range.
Kerry goalkeeper Tadhg Flynn did his best to keep the scoreline respectable in the period, making three fine saves. He kept out a stinging O'Connor effort after just three minutes before making a superb double save from Timmy McCarthy five minutes later.
By the break all six Cork forwards had scored with full forward Joe Deane and newcomer Jonathan O'Callaghan scoring 0-3 each. Kerry's only point came from a Shane Brick free.
The one-way traffic continued on the resumption. O'Sullivan was involved in the second goal as well. His long free found O'Connor, whose clever pass sent Deane clear for a well-taken score which gave Cork a 2-11 to 0-2 lead after 40 minutes.
A third goal followed five minutes later. O'Callaghan created the opening with a determined run from the left corner before spotting John Gardiner alone on the fringe of the square and the midfielder finished in style.
One of the biggest cheers was for the introduction of Brian Corcoran at full forward after 51 minutes and the former All Star flicked home the fourth goal three minutes later.
Kerry didn't throw in the towel and centre back James McCarthy scored one of the best points with a huge effort from inside his own 65. Kerry managed a goal three minutes from the finish. Errol Tuohy's first attempt was blocked by Donal Óg Cusack, who let Tuohy's second effort trickle under his stick. Corcoran added a point and then Flynn reacted brilliantly to turn a powerful John Anderson shot over the crossbar for the final score.
CORK: D Óg Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, C O'Connor; T Kenny, R Curran (0-1, free), S Óg Ó hAilpín; J Gardiner (1-1), M O'Connell (0-2, one '65); J O'Connor (0-3), N McCarthy (0-2), T McCarthy (0-1); B O'Connor (1-0), J Deane (1-4, two frees), J O'Callaghan (0-3, one free). Subs: J Anderson (0-1) for N McCarthy (48 mins); B Corcoran (1-1) for Deane (51 mins); P Tierney for Gardiner (55 mins); J Browne for Kenny (56 mins); B Lombard for O'Callaghan (62 mins)
KERRY: T Flynn; B Blackwell, A Healy, A Keane; K O'Sullivan, J McCarthy (0-1), C Harris; A Cronin, D Young; I McCarthy, S Brick (0-2 frees), P O'Connell (0-2, 0-1 free); E Tuohy (1-1), JM Dooley, J Egan (0-1). Subs: L Boyle for Young (half-time); M Lucid for I McCarthy (54 mins)
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath)
