Cleary: McGrath Cup has helped build Cork panel

Cork 1-14 

Kerry 1-14 

(Cork win 4-3 on penalties)

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

IT’S fair to say collecting the trophy wasn’t the priority for either Cork or Kerry in last Saturday’s McGrath Cup final at rain-lashed Páirc Uí Rinn.

Cork manager John Cleary aptly summed up what the game meant from his perspective, stating it was a good competitive contest, which was just what was needed in preparation for the national league.

‘The game was a draw, and the penalty shoot-out wasn’t of any great significance, but the good thing about the McGrath Cup this year is that we found out a lot about guys, and about the team in general. We have about eight on the injury list at the moment, but we used an awful lot of players in this competition, because we need a panel of 24 or 25 going into the league,’ Cleary pointed out.

Under no illusions about how difficult it’s going to be to achieve Division 1 status, Cleary stressed the main thing was to get a good game in before they commence their campaign in Division 2 against Donegal next week-end.

‘We couldn’t face a tougher task than going to Ballybofey, but today was good preparation for what’s facing us. It’s a very competitive league, but if we’re going to make progress we need to be up towards the top of it, which is our aim, and we’ll see in the next few weeks if we can get there or not,’ said the Rebels boss.

Cork, with David Buckley doing well in attack where the industrious Brian O’Driscoll was also to the fore early on, enjoyed slightly the better of the exchanges for much of the first half.

The complexion of the contest changed somewhat approaching half time, as Cork relinquished the initiative, primarily because of a couple of needless mistakes. Firstly, over-elaboration at the back led to Luke Fahy losing possession, with the result that wing-forward Cillian Burke earned Kerry parity, 0-6 to 0-6, in the ensuing play.

There was worse to follow for Cork when goalkeeper Patrick Doyle was penalised for delaying a kick-out, and Dylan Geaney goaled after Kerry engineered an opening following the resultant throw-in.

Although Brian O’Driscoll drew first blood for Cork on the resumption, Kerry produced the more purposeful and assured football during the third quarter. Just when it seemed as if the Rebels might be slipping out of the game, they enjoyed the rub of the green in the 43rd minute.

After Kerry full-forward Sean O’Shea had what appeared to be legitimate claims for a free ignored, Cork’s counter-attack yielded a well-taken goal by Chris Óg Jones, who had been put clean through by an Ian Maguire delivery.

Now trailing by 1-9 to 1-8, Cork quickly equalised through Eoghan McSweeney before goalkeeper Doyle gave them another boost when proving equal to a rasper from Kerry substitute Mícheál Burns in the 45th minute.

It was largely a case of tit-for-tat after that, with the teams finishing level after Cork’s Darragh Cashman, fed by Cathal Maguire, posted the game’s last score in stoppage time.

In the penalty shoot-out, Patrick Doyle, Fionn Herlihy, Chris Óg Jones and Mark Cronin were the Cork scorers, with Doyle embellishing his contribution to the home side’s success with a fine save.

Scorers

Cork: D Buckley 0-5 (3f); C Óg Jones 1-1; E McSweeney 0-2; R Deane (f), B O’Driscoll, L Fahy, M Cronin, B Murphy, D Cashman 0-1 each.

Kerry: D Geaney 1-1; K Spillane 0-3; S O’Shea 0-3 (2f); D Roche 0-2 (f); C Burke, R Buckley, G White, C Geaney, M Burns 0-1 each.

Cork: P Doyle (Knocknagree); M Shanley (Clonakilty), T Walsh (Kanturk), K Flahive (Douglas); L Fahy (Ballincollig, S Meehan (Kanturk), M Taylor (Mallow); I Maguire (St Finbarr’s), C O’Callaghan (Eire Og); E McSweeney (Knocknagree), D Buckley (Newcestown), B O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCarthaigh); R Deane (Bantry Blues), C Corbett (Clyda Rovers), C Óg Jones (Iveleary).

Subs: M Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for Deane (inj, ht), R Maguire (Castlehaven) for Walsh, (ht), C Maguire (do.) for O’Driscoll (54), F Herlihy (Dohenys) for Buckley (57), D O’Mahony (Knocknagree) for Meehan (57), B Murphy (St Vincent’s) for Corbett (60), D Cashman (Millstreet) for Fahy (62).

Kerry: S Ryan; G O’Sullivan, J Foley, D Casey; B O’Beaglaioch, P Murphy, A Heinrich; J O’Connor, Sean O’Brien; R Buckley, D Geaney, C Burke; K Spillane, S O’Shea, D Moynihan.

Subs: G White for Heinrich (ht), T O’Sullivan for Murphy (ht), Stephen O’Brien for Buckley (ht), BD O’Sullivan for Sean O’Brien (ht), K Evans for O’Beaglaoich (ht), M Burns for Burke (ht), C Geaney for Spillane (54), A Spillane for Moynihan (57), D O’Connor for O’Connor (57), D Roche for O’Shea (57), D Bourke for Casey (57).

Referee: D O’Callaghan (Limerick).