Tom O Sullivan, Kerry, tries to break clear from Conor Dorman, Cork, in Mallow.
McGrath Cup
Group A
**Kerry 1-13 Cork 1-9 **
By Denis Hurley at Mallow
A dominant first half meant that Kerry’s passage to the McGrath Cup final never really looked like being challenged at Mallow on Sunday afternoon.
Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side led by 1-8 to 0-5 at half-time, with the first six points all going their way. Full-forward Jack Savage struck four of those as he finished with six in total.
In front of 1,505 people, Cork suffered in front of goal all day and while Niall Coakley’s 60th-minute goal brought them to within five points, they would only score one more point despite Kerry failing to add to their tally after Barry John Keane’s point on 58.
Savage, an All-Ireland minor winner in 2015, had three points to his name by the eighth minute as Cork struggled and James O’Donoghue and wing-back Tom O’Sullivan also got in on the act.
While Niall Coakley and Brian O’Driscoll got Cork off the mark, Kerry responded with a goal from a James O’Donoghue penalty after Jack Barry was fouled. O’Donoghue would add two more points before half-time with Coakley kicking three more for Cork.
Savage extended Kerry’s lead to seven points on the resumption and while Cork gave themselves a chance to get back in the game from a penalty after Brian Ó Beaglaioch’s foot-block on Mark Collins, Coakley’s shot was just wide.
From that let-off, Kerry made sure that they wouldn’t be caught, with Barry and Tadhg Morley continuing to impress at midfield and Brendan O’Sullivan – introduced as an early substitute for Donnchadh Walsh – also endorsing his credentials.
It was 1-13 to 0-8 when Coakley goaled to give Cork hope after Ruairí Deane’s good work. Unfortunately for them, only Gary Murphy could increase their tally, the sub getting his third point.
Scorers for Kerry: J Savage 0-6 (1f), J O’Donoghue 1-3 (1-0 penalty, 1f), BJ Keane 0-2 (1f), T O’Sullivan and B O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: N Coakley 1-5 (3fs), G Murphy 0-3, B O’Driscoll 0-1.
Kerry: B Kelly; J Foley, M Griffin, K Young; B Ó Beaglaioch, P Crowley, T O’Sullivan; J Barry, T Morley; J Lyne, M Geaney, D Walsh; BJ Keane, J Savage, J O’Donoghue.
Subs: B O’Sullivan for Walsh (14, injured), G Crowley for Ó Beaglaioch (44), R Shanahan for Foley (51), C Geaney for O’Donoghue (61), A Spillane for T O’Sullivan (62), D Daly for M Geaney (69).
**Cork **: K O’Halloran; J Loughrey, K Histon, J McLoughlin; S Cronin, C Dorman, M Taylor; I Maguire, R Deane; S Powter, B O’Driscoll, M Collins; N Coakley, P Kelleher, K Davis.
Subs: A O’Donovan for Histon (21, injured), G Murphy for Powter (half-time), R O’Toole for Maguire (49), E Lavers for Loughrey (62), D O’Driscoll for Davis (65).
Referee: D O’Mahony (Tipperary).
Group B
Limerick 0-9 Waterford 0-7**
Kerry will now face Limerick in next weekend's McGrath Cup Final (fixture details to be confirmed). Billy Lee's Limerick defeated Waterford by two points at Fraher Field.
Danny Neville scored five points for Limerick in the second half as the Treatymen prevailed.
