Electric Ireland Munster MFC Final
Kerry 2-18 Cork 1-6
By Stephen Barry at Páirc Uí Rinn
An eight-point exhibition from Gearóid White completed Kerry’s clean sweep of Munster football titles for the second year in a row.
In one of the most impressive minor-final displays between Munster’s old firm, the Kingdom cantered to a 51st crown with second-half goals from captain Ben Murphy and Ronan Carroll, who matched White’s haul by bagging 1-5.
But John Mitchels star White was indisputably the man of the match. The wing-forward cut in from the right flank on repeat and showed devastating accuracy off both feet. His half-time tally of 0-5 was derived entirely from play, with three points off his left and two off his right. He added three more off his left, including two long-range frees, in the second period.
Kerry were dominant from the start in front of 2,444 fans at Páirc Uí Rinn. They wiped out the Cork kick-out with an effective press, splendid fielding, and a hunger for breaking ball. They translated that possession into attacks and scores, outshooting the hosts by 18 attempts to five in the first half.
But for a couple of missed goal chances, the deficit could’ve been more than 0-11 to 0-3 that stood between the teams at the break.
Wing-back Gavin O’Keeffe put in a terrific opening too. He assisted White for his first two points and won a handful of turnovers around the middle to instigate attacks.
Kerry had the first four points, including one from midfielder Murphy and a fine jinking effort from Michael Horan.
Quick counters from Danny Miskella and Ben O’Shea got Cork up and running but Kerry replied with another four in a row. Three of those came from White while Jack Joy was denied by a James O’Flaherty save and Ruairí O’Connell’s blast struck the umpire rather than the back of the net.
Seán Whelton kicked a solo score for Cork but Kerry ended with a brace from Seán Ó Cuinn and Joy.
They pushed on with the next 1-5 to stretch 1-16 to 0-3 ahead. Killian Dennehy started the second half as he did the first; winning the throw-in, charging forward, and drawing a pointed free. Carroll and Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich tacked on others from long range.
Cork’s Cian Cooney was denied a goal by Kacper Robak’s point-blank save as Joey McCarthy took the rebound off the line. A Whelton black card in the aftermath gave Kerry a numerical advantage. Dylan O’Neill would also be sin-binned in the dying moments.
The goal arrived in the 38th minute. O’Keeffe caught a Cork kick-out, Ó Cuinn gave the pass, and Murphy raced through the heart of the defence to find the bottom corner.
Miskella gave home fans some reason to cheer with 1-1. Donnacha O’Callaghan awarded a penalty against Robak for overcarrying and while the keeper saved the initial effort, the Ballincollig attacker dispatched the rebound.
Carroll won and converted a penalty himself to round off a 15-point victory.
Both sides now advance to face the Connacht finalists in their All-Ireland quarter-finals next month.
Scorers for Kerry: Ronan Carroll 1-5 (1-0 pen, 3fs), Gearóid White 0-8 (2fs), Ben Murphy 1-1, Seán Ó Cuinn, Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich, Jack Joy, Michael Horan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Danny Miskella 1-3, Ben O’Shea, Seán Whelton, Dylan O’Neill (f) 0-1 each.
Kerry: Kacper Robak; Fionnán Ryan, Michael Lynch, Ruadhan Donovan; Seán Ó Cuinn, Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich, Gavin O’Keeffe; Ben Murphy, Killian Dennehy; Gearóid White, Joey McCarthy, Ruairí O’Connell; Jack Joy, Ronan Carroll, Michael Horan.
Subs: Éanna Murphy for O’Connell (44), Cian Mac Gearailt for Horan (45), Eoin O’Flaherty for Ryan (48), Oisín Fleming for Joy (52), Killian Dennehy for Dennehy (56).
Cork: James O’Flaherty; Aaron Keane, Niall O’Shea, Joe Mouret; Oisín Harrington, Cian O’Connor, Cathal McCarthy; Harry Cogan, Jack Trench; Cian Cooney, Ben O’Shea, Seán Whelton; Danny Miskella, Dylan O’Neill, Humphrey Canty.
Subs: Billy Ryan for O’Connor (HT), Danny O’Donovan for B O’Shea (h-t), Ben Delaney for Trench (40), Finn O’Dwyer for Canty (44), Cian Ahern for Harrington (55).
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).