Updated 22.05pm
Kerry 0-16
Cork 1-12
Paul Brennan reports from Austin Stack Park
A LAST GASP point by defender Michael Foley proved the match winner for Kerry who are still Munster and All-Ireland minor football champions, but only after surviving an extra-time battle with Cork in Tralee.
A late Daniel O Duinnin goal for Cork levelled matters deep in extra-time and looked to have sent this riveting contest to a replay in front of 4,438 spectators.
But with a minute to play under Austin Stack Park’s floodlights, Foley became the hero of the hour. The win sends Kerry to a Munster final meeting with Tipperary on 5 July, as Cork’s involvement in the championship ends.
Two evenly matched sides went almost score for score in the first half, and were level at 0-5 apiece after 18 minutes before Kerry gained the initiative and edged into a 0-9 to 0-6 lead. Their ninth point came from a ‘45’ from goalkeeper Billy Courtney in the 29th minute, before Stephen Leonard’s point left just two between the team at half-time.
An early second half O Duinnin point was followed by scores from the excellent Conor Geaney and then Cormac Linnane, as Kerry held a 0-11 to 0-8 lead by the 53rd minute. O Duinnin, Leonard and then Gary Murphy raised white flags to draw Cork back level and sent the game to extra-time.
It was all Kerry in the first period, with two late Geaney points giving the champions a 0-15 to 0-12 half time lead, and with just four minutes left Kerry were set for glory.
O Duinnin, however, stole a march on an otherwise solid Kerry defence and fired in an equalising goal, but the final word went to Breen and Kerry who raided forward to kick the winner.
Scorers for Kerry: Conor Geaney 0-5 (0-3f), Cormac Linnane 0-2 (0-2f), Sean O’Shea 0-2, Gavin White, Mark O’Connor, Stephen O’Sullivan, Ronan Buckley, Graham O’Sullivan, Billy Courtney (0-1 ‘45’), Mike Breen 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Daniel O Duinnin 1-3, Stephen Sherlock, Stephen Leonard 0-3 (0-2f) each, Sean McEvoy, Gary Murphy, Cathal O’Rourke 0-1 each.
Kerry
1. Billy Courtney (Dr Crokes)
2. Darren Brosnan (Gneeveguilla)
3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
4. Jack Morgan (Austin Stacks)
5. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
6. Mike Breen (Beaufort)
7. Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk)
8. Mark O’Connor (Dingle)
9. John Mark Foley (Kilgarvan)
10. Brian O Seanachain (Ballydonoghue)
11. Bryan Sweeney (Listowel Emmets)
12. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare)
13. Stephen O’Sullivan (Templenoe)
14. Cormac Linnane (Beale)
15. Conor Geaney (Dingle)
Subs
21. Ronan Buckley (Listry) for Sweeney (5)
18. Michael Foley (Spa) for S O’Sullivan (44)
22. Darren Casey (St Mary’s) for Buckley (53)
20. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses) for White (54)
19. Dara O’Shea (Kenmare) for Breen (57)
25. Andrew Barry (Na Gaeil) for O’Connor (58)
17. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle) for Barry (extra-time)
13. Stephen O’Sullivan (Templenoe) for Casey (extra-time)
23. Brandon Barrett (Ardfert) for O’Shea (extra-time)
5. Gavin White (Dr Crokes) for Foley (extra-time)
6. Mike Breen (Beaufort) for O’Brien (extra-time)
Cork
1. Mark White (Clonakilty)
2. Kevin Dwyer (Macroom)
3. Tiarnan O’Connell (Clonakilty)
4. Sean Powter (Douglas) (Captain)
5. Tom Bushe (Ilen Rovers)
6. Ronan Walsh (Castlehaven)
7. Seamus Madigan (Buttevant)
8. Eoin O’Brien (Douglas)
9. Daniel O’Duinnin (Cill na Matra)
10. David Lowney (Clonakilty)
11. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
12. Sean McEvoy (Clonakilty)
13. Stephen Leonard (Ilen Rovers)
14. Gary Murphy (Castletownbere)
15. Stephen Sherlock (St. Finbarrs)
Subs
18. Nathan Walsh (Douglas) for Dwyer (27)
21. Evan Ryle (Carrigaline) for O’Brien (44)
17. Cathal O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers) for Bushe (48)
19. Conor Hughes (Canovee) for Sherlock (54)
23. Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree) for Lowney (58)
22. Shane O’Neill (Kildorrery) for Leonard (extra-time)
20. Conor Dennehy (St Finbarr’s) for O’Connell (extra-time)
10. David Lowney (Clonakilty) for Kingston (extra-time)
Originally published Wednesday 22.00
There’s a crop of some seriously good young talented centres coming through the clubs atm Forde, Postlewaithe, Brownlee, Gavin, Cooney all in and around 6ft 3’, 16st. And hooker too McCarthy, Stewart, Barron, McKee, Smyth, Sheahan. Not so much at prop although Clarkson has definitely stood up so far. Hopefully Boyle, Milne, Wilson, McCarthy, Foxe can kick on. Niall Smyth in the Leinster academy looks very promising. Big tighthead that is very mobile and athletic and impressed for Blackrock a year or two ago. Hopefully Furlong can stay injury free and find some sort of resurgence in the last couple of years in his career because were definitely reliant on him.
@Harry O’ Callaghan: switch a few of them hookers to prop
@Harry O’ Callaghan: Usanov, u20 again this season, is highly rated . He did well with Emerging Ireland at 19 years of age. He’s not huge but is powerful. I think Niall Smyth must have come off injured for Leinster A last week as he was replaced early in the first half. Another big TH is Andrew Sparrow, huge lad 19 and half stone. Great young talent coming through.
Very talented is Jude. Anybody watching the game properly may even spot him in the lineout occasionally.