Impressive Cork stun Kerry in McGrath Cup

McGrath Cup Group A Round 1

CORK 5-11 KERRY 0-14

By Paul Brennan at Pirc U Rinn

Quite what to read into this runaway win for Cork over Kerry in this McGrath Cup opener is anyones guess, but suffice to say that neither Cork manager John Cleary nor his counterpart Jack OConnor will not be getting carried away with what was little more than a training game for both counties.

Three first half goals set Cork on their to a neat reversal of last years McGrath Cup final loss to Kerry by 12 points, as they led by 10 points at half time, and grew to final lead to 12 points, even as Kerry rallied with a volley of fourth quarter points.

With just three starters from last years All-Ireland final team, Kerry were never going to be even a shadow of their Championship winning selves, but the warning signs for their callow team came early when Brian Hurley found the net in the sixth minute.

Kerry had early points from converted frees from Tony Brosnan and goalkeeper Shane Murphy, and a Killian Spillane score from play, but they began to lose their way after the first quarter against a near full strength Cork team.

A cheap turnover in the Kerry defence led Hurley playing in Chris g Jones for a goal to make it 2-2 to 0-3 after 20 minutes. A couple of Darragh Roche scores kept Kerry reasonably competitive but Cork began to exert their dominance with Colm OCallaghan especially prominent in midfield, and his goal and three points in the last 10 minutes of the half helped Cork to a 3-7 to 0-6 half time lead.

Kerry called on some of the cavalry at half time Tom OSullivan, Jack Barry and Dara Moynihan among seven half time changes but it was moving deckchairs on the Titanic stuff.

Brian ODriscoll smashed in a fourth goal after 38 minutes, and OCallaghan ran his second and Corks fifth nine minutes later to make it 5-8 to 0-7.

With Cleary also running his bench the Cork dominance waned a little, and Kerry kicked seven unanswered points in the final quarter, but it was inconsequential to the outcome by then.

Kerry host Clare in Tralee on Sunday where anything less than a big win will surely see the defending champions relinquish their title.

Scorers for Cork: C OCallaghan 2-4, B Hurley 1-2, B ODriscoll 1-2, C g Jones 1-1, S Powter 0-1, J ORourke 0-1

Scorers for Kerry: T Brosnan 0-6 4f, D Roche 0-2, D Moynihan 0-2, S Murphy 0-1 f, K Spillane 0-1, M Burns 0-1, D OSullivan 0-1

CORK: Micheal Aodh Martin, Maurice Shanley, D OMahony, Kevin ODonovan; Rory Maguire, Sean Meehan, Mattie Taylor; Colm OCallaghan, Ian Maguire; Eoghan McSweeney, Sean Powter, Brian ODriscoll, Chris g Jones, Brian Hurley, Conor Corbett. Subs: John ORourke for E McSweeney 50, Killian OHanlon for I Maguire 50, Tommy Walsh for K ODonovan 53, Ruairi Deane for C Corbett 53, Luke Fahy for M Taylor 57, Fionn Herlihy for S Powter 57, Mark Cronin for C Jones 57, Cian Kiely for R Maguire 60, Shane Merritt for C OCallaghan 60, Chris Kelly for M Martin 64, Steven Sherlock for B Hurley 64

KERRY: Shane Murphy; Dylan Casey, Jason Foley, Jack O'Shea; James McCarthy, Tadhg Morley Cian Gammell; Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry O'Sullivan; Adrian Spillane, Ruairi Murphy, Barry Mahony; Tony Brosnan, Darragh Roche, Killian Spillane. Subs: Jack Barry for B OSullivan ht, Tom OSullivan for J Foley ht, Micheal Burns for R Murphy ht, Dara Moynihan for B Mahony ht, Stefan Okunbor for A Spillane ht, Greg Horan for J McCarthy ht, Mike Breen for C Gammell ht, Dan ODonoghue for T Morley 23, Donal O'Sullivan 0-1 for D OConnor 53, Dylan Geaney for K Spillane 58

Ref: Donnacha OCallaghan Limerick