1. Waterford league triumph was no fluke
For all the jubilation after Waterford’s league final triumph, Derek McGrath and his players were keen to temper the mood. The championship would provide the ultimate judgement and they needed to back up their league success.
Five weeks on, Waterford were celebrating again today in Thurles against Cork. They firmly proved that league triumph was no fluke as they hit the high notes once more with a powerful display. Their young side took a major positive step forward with this win as they backed up all the springtime promise.
2. Cork carved open at the back
Waterford’s first-half display had its shortcomings. Their shooting was erratic as they chalked up nine wides but they rectified those faults with their two goal blast critical in shaping the outcome of the game.
Maurice Shanahan and Jake Dillon finished clinically to the net to push Waterford into a lead they would never subsequently relinquish. Those strikes gave Waterford confidence and they gave the Cork defence a troublesome afternoon from thereon.
By the final whistle Waterford had hit three goals and Anthony Nash needed to produce three big saves to ensure Cork didn’t leak further goals. After conceding 1-24 in the league final, Cork’s concession of 3-19 reflected their defensive problems.
3. Patrick Horgan and Noel Connors individual duel
Patrick Horgan has been Cork’s marquee forward in recent years, consistently shooting the lights out for the Rebels. He was the joint top scorer in the league but endured a subdued outing in the league decider as he was held scoreless from play.
Again today Waterford delegated Noel Connors to shadow him and again Connors ensured Horgan’s influence was restricted. Horgan finished with only a single point from play and while he did score 1-7, the Glen Rovers man found it difficult to break loose given the close attention Connors was paying him.
Cork’s delivery to their attack was far from top-drawer and the aimless clearances didn’t help Horgan’s ability to impact on the game. But in a key individual duel, Waterford went a long way to secured victory by silencing Cork’s main man.
4. Injuries have their influence in Semple outcome
There was plenty debate about what influence injuries would have prior to today’s clash. Pauric Mahony’s horror leg injury provided the theory that Cork could close the gap but instead Waterford were not deterred by the loss of their chief marksman.
Maurice Shanahan wobbled early on from placed balls but grew in confidence and proved to be a dependable operator. Noel Connors also alluded afterwards to how Mahony’s injury spurred on the rest of the Waterford team to succeed.
Cork had already been hit by the injury of Lorcan McLoughlin to a defence that is threadbare on experience this season. Then Seamus Harnedy’s hamstring gave way before the match and Cork were robbed of a potent force in the half-forward line.
Granted Patrick Cronin had a fine outing as he struck 0-5 but Harnedy’s leadership and aerial ability were ingredients Cork sorely missed.
5. Cork’s road to recovery
Instead of preparing to contest a third successive Munster senior final, Jimmy Barry-Murphy must now pilot Cork through the choppy backdoor waters. They’ll be out again on 4 July and have four weeks to stew over this loss.
There’s plenty of areas that need attention after a second successive sub-standard showing by Cork. Dublin are probably the highest quality team they could face in the first round of the qualifiers and the road to recovery will be challenging.
You only turn up to support the football team when they make it to the all-Ireland semi!
Eight All Ireland finals in the last ten years, that’s still a lot of games!
Ye I only get 1 outing a year but for a different completely reason! :(
A Dub in a pub in Kerry might be told ” watch out, you might find an All-Ireland medal in your change”..
That Fitzgerald point is arguably the greatest gaelic point ever kicked!
No argument about it
Agree.
Baby picture inside Sam and an aerial photo of your house are surely first class Kerry credentials.
Dark times ahead maybe, but this list gave me a bit of a pick me up. God, I’m lucky to say I come from Kerry.
You know you’re a sports fan from Kerry when…… You make arrangements in june, to stay in Dublin during the third weekend in september!
And that will be the first match you bother to travel to …
and the Reeks ARE majestic :)
What does a roadside yellow line mean in kerry.. ‘No parking at all’
What does 2 roadside yellow lines mean in Kerry?.
No parking at all,at all..
‘Line’..upgrade from iPhone to Samsung I’d say.
Lol.
Ya won’t drive a ka with a D reg on it .
You need worry, that’s one works both ways
Adebaaaaaayooooooo!
Need not*
You ate hang sangwiches in a layby
In fairness it was a push by Darby.
Prefer the term “out muscled” him.
As John B Keane said: “Any fella born in Kerry has a headstart over the rest of the country”. Says a lot!
When you cross the county bounds and breath in deeply!
And beep the horn to announce your return
kingdom come, kingdom go
A Kerry footballer with an inferiority complex thinks he’s just as good as everyone else! God be with you John B, an t-uasal is fearr!
The Irish Open was better when it was in Killarney.
This was penned by a kingdom passport holder! Brilliant article lads!
“Being a Kerryman, in my opinion, is the greatest gift that God can bestow on any man. When you belong to Kerry you know you have a head start on the other fellow. In belonging to Kerry you belong to the elements, to the spheres spinning in the heavens. You belong to history and language and romance and ancient song. It’s almost unbearable being a Kerryman and it’s an awesome responsibility.” (John B)
Have to admit to alot of these.
Great article. First time I saw that Sheehy goal. What movement, vision and touch of absolute class.
(RIP Tom Creedon for Cork in the buildup, great player and never forgotten).
It’s a sin not to play in the blitz!!
If I was from Kerry I’d boast about the 3 Spillane brothers that have 19 all Ireland’s between them rather than the 15 by the O’ Se brothers both impressive though.
Forget about No 12 Tadgh’s jig.Put on a kilt.Stop Olympians,Motorsports and spread the word of God and “dance dance wherever you may be!!
That baby is in the Sam draped in the cork colours….
Actually, I thought it was the Armagh colours which unfortunately would make that child about 11 years old now.
Never forget listeing to weeshie munster final day…. moyihan kicks it up the field, o se, fitzgerald , russell hes kicked it, where’s it going…. its a goal …. Its a Goal (roaring down the radio) Actually that ball has just juggled wide.
Best Gaelic Football game of all time Dublin v. Kerry 1977 All Ireland semi.Not a Kerry fan but that Kerry team was greatness from top to bottom as they went on to prove.If you’ve never seen that game go check it out.
”Yerra no need for a hotel. Margaret, willu call awna and tell her we’ll be needing the spare room in siptimber”
Awna.
Haha, perfection.
Excellent article, makes one very proud to be a Kerryman. Sad to say the only all Ireland I ever got to see in Croke Park was the one with the infamous Darby goal.
Jackeen
Enjoyed that thanks journal , poor old weeshie he will never live that beyonce moment down , the great micheál a gent could listen to him all day . Hope Kerry get their mojo back this year , but if not the Dubs get my support . Looking forward to the other counties clips . :)
Weeshie, the legend.
http://youtu.be/zNOUbD2I6XU
Weeshie Fogarty it the worst commentator of all time… if youre trying to hear a match when driving somewhere its just frustrating that he goes on and on about everything except what’s happening on the bloody pitch…. “it hit the bottom of the post, or will i say the butt of the post, or maybe the base of the post is it……..” 5 mins of shyte talk about terminology relating to posts later….. “either way no goal”
Hate the guy don’t see why people like him….
I like him even more now after that
like watching a train wreck, you just can’t look away, same feeling I get with Weeshie the more whacky he gets the more I need to listen
Anthony Weeshie is a natural communicator and a broadcasting legend on this island. You sir are a heretic.
I played in the castleisland blitz and got to the finals and lost both finals also, but some of the best b-ball you will see anywhere back home
Everyone is always going on about how great Kerry people are yet it’s a county that has yet to provide us with one famous person.
John o donoghue….
Tom Crean and Daniel O’Connell are quite famous and John B Keane wrote a few books in his time.
Beat me to it Mike
Tom Crean and Daniel O’Connell are quite famous and John B Keane wasn’t a bad writer.
Off the top of the head Hollywood star Micheal Fassbender and his equally as famous appendage.
Pierce Brosnan fathers family came from Tralee Co Kerry, he is pretty famous I think. :)
Fassbender was born in Germany no?
Born in Germany raised in Killarney
Here’s a picture of him with an accordion I hope that appeases you
http://static.independent.ie/migration_catalog/article25276719.ece/ALTERNATES/h342/fassbender1
I knew he was raised in Killarney, I’m from 25 mins over the road, but he was born in Germany and his father is German, to claim he’s a Kerryman is a little bit of a stretch… It’s like claiming Daniel Day Lewis is Irish!
And who the hell are John Keane and Tom Crean? Never heard of either of them!
Where you spend your formative years is more binding than any bloodline. Danial Day was raised in the UK, not the same at all.
Cavan
When your a female from the kingdom on holidays abroad on a night out with the girls in a Kerry jersey O’Neills tracksuit bottoms and hi-tek runners …..classy
You will smell like urine….
Doctor, why do I hear banjos?
‘Cause you are at the Fleadh Ceoil in Lishtowel boy.
You smell like cat food and you still have your grandfathers communion money !
Weeshie on Terrace Talk…haven’t peed myself laughing like that in a long time…”Beeanky….what does he do?” Frickin brilliant!
Those horrific polyester football jerseys which people choose to wear when abroad are just an embarrassment. Presumably Kerry people’s fashion sense is influenced by the Exhange and Mart.
Well that wasnt even the slightest bit offensive….
Ah get over it. Im a jacket dub….wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
Maybe because Dublin isn’t the butt end of every damn joke in the country!
Pat Spillane is a very good GAA analyst, he is not afraid to speak his mind irrespective of who he might offend (including the Dubs.)
michael fassbenders willy is most certainly NOT from kerry. but watch the last 10 mins of xmen and listen to his accent. janey mac his one of us alright.