Welcome to the second bumper weekend of the 2011 GAA championship and the first hurling installment of the diary!
Joining us on the couch today, a packet of Cadbury's mini chocolate chip cookies and a large box of Turkish Delight which is a present from a recently returned holidaymaker. I am eyeing the Turkish Delight suspiciously, it smells like flowers.
Our analysts for today's game are Cyril Farrell (CF) and Tomás Mulcahy (TM), although the term 'analyst' can only be applied in the loosest of senses to Tomás, a spoofer and raiméis artist of the highest order.
Mulcahy communicates with Michael Lyster through a variety of nods, winks, grins and combinations of 'right', 'ya know' and 'as well I spose'. Maybe RTE hired him as a counterbalance to the machine gun delivery of Cyril Farrell, who if left to his own devices, could analyse a half of hurling before the teams were back in the dressing room.
Cyril starts his analysis with a warning for Waterford: 'They will need a few scores to stay in the game.'
TM says something long-winded and incomprehensible.
Our commentary team for this one is Ger Canning (GC) and Michael Duignan (MD), the young pretender to CF's words-per-minute crown.
Davey Fitzgerald has elected to deploy championship debutant Jerome Maher to mark goal machine and hurler of the year Lar Corbett. Big managers make big decisions...
Eoin McGrath is also given the nod, leading me to wonder if the story about Eoin Kelly, Davey's cornflakes and the expulsion of liquid waste has any truth to it.
2 min Great catch by Shane McGrath, his second of the game. He is fouled, and as Eoin Kelly runs out to take the free, there is a strange incident as Tony Browne tries to prevent Kelly from giving McGrath a pat on the back by grabbing McGrath and pushing him away. I put it down to the onset of dementia, as Kelly converts the free.
3 min Goal for Tipp! Padraig Maher delivers a long, high, angled ball into space where you would expect the Waterford full back to be. Lar Corbett , as has become almost customary, is on to it in a flash, takes it in his stride and finishes to the net. Even Michael Walsh's flying hurley couldn't prevent that one.
Tipp 1-02
Waterford 0-00
Eoin McGrath is dropping deep in what appears to be one of Davey Fitz's 'tactics', but Maher is holding his position and picking up plenty of loose ball.
10 mins Lovely catch and point by the perpetually moving Corbett. His striking at speed on the run is amazing.
Tipp 1-05
Wat 0-03
11 mins GC: 'Patrick Bonner Maher, the man they call Bonner.'
17 mins Eoin Kelly flexes his thighs and drives a free over the bar. Clinton Hennessy, as all hurling goalkeepers do, roars 'Wide ball' at the umpire, but this man will not be coerced and raises the white flag. I wonder if this tactic ever works, or whether it's a symptom of the mild psychosis required to be a hurling goalkeeper.
19 mins A trademark Kelly score from play, twisting and hitting over his left shoulder.
GC: 'Tipperary's forward play can be quite bewildering at times'
Well, it seems to be making sense at the moment as they open up a seven point lead -
Tipp 1-09
Wat 0-05
Waterford's only score from play has come from 85 year old wing back Tony Browne.
25 mins Lovely blind handpass by Bonner Maher to John O'Brien who taps over to extend the lead.
31 mins Goal for Tipp! Noel McGrath makes a fine catch and dishes off to Bonner Maher, who finds Eoin Kelly on the run with a handpass. Kelly finishes low to Hennessy's right.
Bonner Maher has that rare attribute among hurling forwards: unselfishness. Plenty players would have tapped that ball over the bar and ignored the run of Kelly. He really is the playmaker of this gifted forward line.
33 mins Goal for Waterford! Just joking, another one for Lar Corbett. He reacts quickest to the breaking ball and finishes well. 2-3 from play now for Corbett.
35 mins Another goal for Tipp! Seamus Callanan is put clear by a handpass by Bonner Maher and Hennessy has no chance.
Callanan has been very quiet up to now it must be said.
Tipp 4-10
Wat 0-07
36 mins Yet another goal for Corbett, the Waterford full back line is absolutely hopeless and this game is well and truly over.
Half time score Tipp 5-10
Wat 0-07
Whew! Where do you start with Tipp? Shane McGrath, Padraig Maher, Lar Corbett, Eoin Kelly and Bonner Maher have all been outstanding. Only two points have come from dead balls, and Noel McGrath and Seamus Callanan have yet to really get into the game.
TM thinks that the difference between the teams is the style of play, 'Tipp are playing simple hurling and letting the ball do the work, whereas Waterford are doing too much solo running.'
In fairness Tomás, there is also a slight gulf in class evident between the two teams. Tipperary are hugely economical in their use of possession, passing up longe-range hit-and-hope shots in favour of feeding their lethal inside forwards. This requires a lot of discipline and team ethic.
As the second half is about to begin, we are told that Waterford have brought on three substitutes, all defenders. Maybe with 18 men on the field they can break even in the second half.
GC: 'In the Munster Final of 1959, Waterford hammered Tipperary, so this is revenge.'
(Tony Browne joke is too obvious)
38 mins Bonner Maher sets up yet another Tipp score. Could we be in a situation where the Man of the Match in a game like this is a forward with no score to his name?
It's certainly a possibility. Maher's attitude is to be commended and unselfishness of this kind is contagious.
Contrast him with a player like John Mullane, who while admittedly a scoring machine, will exhaust every other possibility before laying the ball off to a teammate.
Shane McGrath's use of possession today has been almost perfect. Another Tipp score.
Tipp 5-14
Wat 0-09
47 mins GC: 'Davey Fitzgerald can be happier with his team's second half display.'
I'd say he's over the moon Ger.
49 mins Seamus Callanan is replaced by Pa Burke. He had a quiet game by his standards.
I was right to be suspicious of the Turkish Delight. I assume this is what people ate before real sweets were invented. Awful stuff.
52 mins Tipp have stopped playing but Waterford still can't score. Michael Duignan is blunt in his assessment of a long-range wide by Stephen Molumphy: 'Stupid shot'.
54 mins Goal for Tipp! Eoin Kelly gets his second, collecting a long delivery from Gearoid Ryan.
Paraic Mahony, in fairness to him, has been excellent from placed balls for Waterford. He scores again and the deficit is down to six goals. Even the insanely cautious Canning is now hinting that it might be too late for Waterford.
57 mins Lovely piece of skill from Noel McGrath as he cuts a sideline straight over the bar.
64 mins Brendan Cummins is substituted to a standing ovation - today he has equalled Christy Ring's record for championship appearances with number 65. This is a dream statistic for Canning (it contains his two favourite elements of a juicy stat - a record being broken, and an opportunity to tell us how many championship games a player has played) and he milks it for all it's worth.
66 mins Another goal by Corbett! He has now scored 4-4 from play. Amazing performance.
72 mins GC: 'This hasn't been pleasant viewing for people who love hurling'.
MD: 'You would expect a bit of fouling at least from Waterford'.
Full time
Tipp 7-19
Wat 0-19
This was an awesome display by Tipperary. Their pysicality matched with teamwork, unselfishness and lethal finishing will make them very difficult to stop. The only slight worry they might have is over the number of scorable frees conceded, Padraig Maher being the notable culprit. They simply steamrolled Waterford, and this was a hiding on par with the one dished out to them by Kilkenny in the 2008 All-Ireland final.
Waterford will find it very tough to regroup against a resurgent Galway team in two weeks time.
We'll let Tomás have the last word on this one:
'Lar Corbett has more in the armour that just hitting the ball on the run...the crucial thing today for Tipp was to win the Munster Final'.
Sunday 10 July 2011
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Munster Football Final, Cork vs Kerry
(Note: I am sitting down to write this two days after the event, having re-watched the match on RTE's incredibly unreliable match replayer thingy. I was far too bitter and sunburnt to comment on Sunday)
A scorching summer's day in Killarney as the most anticipated match of the championship so far is about to begin.
Can Cork win their first championship match in Killarney since 1995?
Can Kerry paper over the cracks and somehow get enough ball into their full-forward line?
Does either team really care about winning this one? (I mean, they care, but do they
really care? One extra game and a week less rest for the loser isn't exactly the end of the world)
Our commentary team for this one is unrepentent Kerry supporter Marty Morrissey and Martin 'no malice in it whatsoever' Carney, both of whom like nothing better than a good Gooch arse licking (sounds disgusting to me).
Looks like it's nicely set up for another afternoon of shaking my fist at the computer screen.
So, here we go!
Kieran Donaghy moves to midfield for the throw-in, Cork to play with the breeze in the first half.
Marty has already started with the 'Star' and 'Gooch' nonsense. Is this really professional behaviour?
Would it happen in any other sport?
There are probably 3 or 4 players on every intercounty team with nicknames, why are these the only two we hear about?
I mean, you would hear the odd time 'Diarmuid O'Sullivan, the man they call The Rock' or something like that, but Marty never ever uses Cooper's and Donaghy's real names in commentary.
It reminds me of the pathetic over-familiarity of a boyband groupie referring to her idols.
Marty Morrissey is a Kerry groupie!
(Cue mental image of a scantily clad Marty hanging around eagerly outside the Kerry dressing room after the match. *shudder*)
2 mins Great save by Kealy to deny a certain goal for Paul Kerrigan. He really should have scored however.
4 mins Jamie O'Sullivan foolishly shoulders Declan O'Sullivan late after he had shot wide. Free in to Kerry.
Martin Carney (MC) calls for a yellow card. That would be incredibly harsh.
5 mins Kieran O'Leary rugby tackles Michael Shields to the ground as he advances with the ball.
7 mins Alan O'Connor has not started well, poor use of possession and has lost track of Bryan Sheahan a couple of times.
Kieran O'Leary's second rugby tackle of the game, this time on Canty, merits a scolding from referee David Coldrick.
It would be an interesting sport if there was a blanket enforcement of the 'three rugby tackles and you're booked' rule.
9 mins Graham Canty makes an inspirational dispossession of Kieran Donaghy and goes on a headlong charge up the field.
He probably gets a little carried away and is met with a hefty shoulder by Anthony Maher.
Kerry regain possession and Jamie O'Sullivan is forced to pick up Donaghy as Canty makes his way gingerly back.
Easy score for Donaghy.
Kerry 0-02
Cork 0-00
11 mins Points for Colm Cooper and Declan O'Sullivan as Bryan Sheahan seems to have the freedom of Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kerry 0-04
Cork 0-00
12 mins Good score by Daniel Goulding, taking a nice early pass from Ciaran Sheehan.
12 mins Outrageous point by Donncha O'Connor!
On the turn he kicks over from near the right hand touchline.
The crowd love it, my immediate reaction is 'good score, now don't ever try that again!'
Kerry 0-04
Cork 0-02
14 mins Goal for Kerry! Bryan Sheahan carries the ball fully 50 metres down the middle before any Cork player decides to come and meet him. Paudie Kissane is ball-watching as he gives a lovely handpass to the onrushing Darren O'Sullivan, who blazes a trail goalward and lashes an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. Great finish.
15 mins Almost a carbon copy of the goal as Alan Quirke denies O'Sullivan a second. Vital save as Kerry are threatening to run rampant. Graham Canty looks off the pace and is really struggling.
Kerry 1-04
Cork 0-02
20 mins Ciaran Sheehan shows his strength to push Aidan O'Mahony aside and fire over.
There is a hint of disappointment in Marty's voice as he reluctantly acknowledges the score.
21 mins David Coldrick awards a free out to Kerry after a high ball in around the goalmouth is punched away by Brendan Kealy. Lazy officiating, the kind you expect from a 20 stone Junior B referee who moves slowly between the 65s and awards a square ball whenever a high delivery lands near the goal, simply because he can't make out what's going on.
25 mins Paddy Kelly kicks a point and from the resultant kickout Kealy goes short to Aidan O'Mahony. It's an awkward ball to deal with and O'Mahony, under pressure from Ciaran Sheehan, fumbles and throws himself on the ground looking for a free.
Coldrick obligingly bails him out as Sheehan was clean through and heading for goal.
28 mins Two points in quick succession by Declan O'Sullivan who is giving Canty a torrid time at full back. Cork's strategy of short kickouts is backfiring thus far.
31 mins Paul Kerrigan is deemed to have overcarried as he ran goalward, with Enright, his marker, tugging at his sleeve.
Very harsh decision considering the overcarrying rule hasn't been strictly enforced to this point.
MC's comment: the referee was in a good position and is perfectly entitled to make that call.
Harldy a ringing endorsement.
The massively overweight umpire manning the green flag gets his first exercise of the day as he walks to the middle of the goal to cross flags and cancel the point. On the way back to his post he receives some helpful dietary advice from the large Cork contingent behind him..
32 mins A terrible pass by Paudie Kissane leads to a score for Kieran O'Leary. Cork have been very sloppy in possession.
35 mins MM does his once-per-game massive overreaction to a run-of-the-mill passage of play as Declan O'Sullivan taps the ball over the bar from 21 yards. 'Look at this again, CLASS!'.
Half Time
Kerry 1-10
Cork 0-05
This is the freewheeling and freeflowing Kerry football you get when you allow them time and space in the middle third. Twice Bryan Sheahan has soloed 50 metres forward unoppposed. Graham Canty and Jamie O'Sullivan are struggling, and Cork's kickout strategy has been an abject failure. Not a good start.
Eoin Cotter replaces Jamie O'Sullivan to start the second half.
36 mins Declan O'Sullivan will not be denied today. From the restart he takes a pass out by the touchline, takes on John Miskella and kick a fine score.
Very soft free for Pearse O'Neill as he runs straight into Eoin Brosnan and crumples in a heap. The refereeing today has been extremely inconsistent.
37 mins Two quick scores for Daniel Goulding make it Kerry 1-11 Cork 0-7.
39 mins The Donaghy Incident!
Noel O'Leary and Kieran Donaghy become entangled a few yards away from the ball. With referee Coldrick looking straight at the pair, Donaghy lashes out with his foot and catches O'Leary around the knee with his studs. A red card offence, plain and simple.
MM and MC both acknowledge the stamp and maintain it warrants no more than yellow, a bizarre interpretation of the rules.
Coldrick, for some reason, consults with his linesman who had a far worse view of the incident and awards a yellow card.
Another copout by the referee. He gets a pat on the back from Donaghy and the game continues.
Ciaran Sheehan is stretchered off and looks to be in some distress. On comes Fintan Goold.
45 mins Points by Donncha Walsh and Bryan Sheehan give Kerry a nine point lead.
Kerry 1-13
Cork 0-07
49 mins The Donaghy Incident seems to have sparked Cork into life. They are tackling hard and putting Kerry's ball carriers under immense pressure. The supply to the full forward line has been almost completely cut off.
50 mins Paul Kerrigan's direct running is causing havoc in the Kerry defence. He has scored Cork's last two points.
Kerrymen are dropping like flies around the pitch in an attempt to break the Cork momentum. Darren O'Sullivan needs what looks like a mini physical therapy session near the Kerry dugout after an innocuous challenge. The crowd wait with bated breath. Will he walk again? The answer is...YES! He does the customary limp for 3 or 4 strides then decides enough is enough and runs freely back into position.
55 mins Alan Quirke has started to kick the ball out long and Cork are winning most of the breaks.
Paul Kerrigan takes a handpass on the burst, rides the challenge of Micheal Quirke and fires goalward. The ball is handled on the ground in the small square by Marc Ó Sé and Coldrick rightly (and surprisingly) awards a penalty.
Donncha O'Connor makes no mistake from the spot, firing low to Kealy's left. Game on!
Kerry 1-13
Cork 1-10
57 mins Alan O'Connor charges through on goal and is content to take a point. If it was anyone else in possession I would be screaming at them to go for goal but in this instance I am more than happy with a point.
Pearse O'Neill and O'Connor have really taken the game by the scruff of the neck at midfield in the last 15 minutes.
60 mins Cork move to within a point as Kerrigan scores again. Kerry are visibly tiring now.
62 mins MC gets his first 'no malice at all intended' of the day under his belt as Micheal Quirke tries to twist off Alan O'Connor's head.
63 mins A bad wide by Aidan Walsh under severe pressure from the Kerry defence. Shooting was not the best option.
66 mins Alan O'Connor breaks through the defence again and offloads to John Miskella who shoots for goal buts hits the post and the ball goes wide. That was Cork's chance.
71 mins Forceful run forward by Eoin Brosnan and he fists over the bar. That could be the winning score.
Kerry 1-14
Cork 1-12
Another controversial incident near the sideline - Colm Cooper gets involved needlessly with Cork substitute Denis O'Sullivan. The pair fall to the ground before Cooper straddles him and pushes down on his throat with a forearm. Unpleasant and nasty looking business. Welcome to the Munster Championship!
The linesman (no more than ten yards away) and referee consult and decide the best course of events is to dish out yellow cards to both choker and chokee. Pretty much sums up David Coldrick's refereeing performance today.
The incident eats up a minute and a half of injury time which is not accounted for because of the unwritten GAA rule that there can be no stoppages in added time.
74 mins Daniel Goulding misses with a long range free and it's all over, Kerry win by three.
Kerry 1-15
Cork 1-12
A strange sort of game that neither team will be happy with.
Cork had their usual string of tactical blunders in the first half and dug a big hole for themselves, before haphazardly stumbling upon their best fifteen early in the second half. The slow start and general malaise of the first half will be a big worry but when they began to turn the screw Kerry went 27 minutes in the second half without a score.
Kerry started in whirlwind fashion and Jack O'Connor's gameplan caused huge confusion in Cork defence for half an hour.
Their midfield was suprisingly dominant in the first half and forced Cork to rethink their kickout strategy.
The second half will be a worry though, as Cork took a stranglehold on proceedings and could well have secured at least a draw.
Both teams move on and there is almost a sense of inevitability about the likelihood of a rematch in Croke Park later in the summer.
A scorching summer's day in Killarney as the most anticipated match of the championship so far is about to begin.
Can Cork win their first championship match in Killarney since 1995?
Can Kerry paper over the cracks and somehow get enough ball into their full-forward line?
Does either team really care about winning this one? (I mean, they care, but do they
really care? One extra game and a week less rest for the loser isn't exactly the end of the world)
Our commentary team for this one is unrepentent Kerry supporter Marty Morrissey and Martin 'no malice in it whatsoever' Carney, both of whom like nothing better than a good Gooch arse licking (sounds disgusting to me).
Looks like it's nicely set up for another afternoon of shaking my fist at the computer screen.
So, here we go!
Kieran Donaghy moves to midfield for the throw-in, Cork to play with the breeze in the first half.
Marty has already started with the 'Star' and 'Gooch' nonsense. Is this really professional behaviour?
Would it happen in any other sport?
There are probably 3 or 4 players on every intercounty team with nicknames, why are these the only two we hear about?
I mean, you would hear the odd time 'Diarmuid O'Sullivan, the man they call The Rock' or something like that, but Marty never ever uses Cooper's and Donaghy's real names in commentary.
It reminds me of the pathetic over-familiarity of a boyband groupie referring to her idols.
Marty Morrissey is a Kerry groupie!
(Cue mental image of a scantily clad Marty hanging around eagerly outside the Kerry dressing room after the match. *shudder*)
2 mins Great save by Kealy to deny a certain goal for Paul Kerrigan. He really should have scored however.
4 mins Jamie O'Sullivan foolishly shoulders Declan O'Sullivan late after he had shot wide. Free in to Kerry.
Martin Carney (MC) calls for a yellow card. That would be incredibly harsh.
5 mins Kieran O'Leary rugby tackles Michael Shields to the ground as he advances with the ball.
7 mins Alan O'Connor has not started well, poor use of possession and has lost track of Bryan Sheahan a couple of times.
Kieran O'Leary's second rugby tackle of the game, this time on Canty, merits a scolding from referee David Coldrick.
It would be an interesting sport if there was a blanket enforcement of the 'three rugby tackles and you're booked' rule.
9 mins Graham Canty makes an inspirational dispossession of Kieran Donaghy and goes on a headlong charge up the field.
He probably gets a little carried away and is met with a hefty shoulder by Anthony Maher.
Kerry regain possession and Jamie O'Sullivan is forced to pick up Donaghy as Canty makes his way gingerly back.
Easy score for Donaghy.
Kerry 0-02
Cork 0-00
11 mins Points for Colm Cooper and Declan O'Sullivan as Bryan Sheahan seems to have the freedom of Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kerry 0-04
Cork 0-00
12 mins Good score by Daniel Goulding, taking a nice early pass from Ciaran Sheehan.
12 mins Outrageous point by Donncha O'Connor!
On the turn he kicks over from near the right hand touchline.
The crowd love it, my immediate reaction is 'good score, now don't ever try that again!'
Kerry 0-04
Cork 0-02
14 mins Goal for Kerry! Bryan Sheahan carries the ball fully 50 metres down the middle before any Cork player decides to come and meet him. Paudie Kissane is ball-watching as he gives a lovely handpass to the onrushing Darren O'Sullivan, who blazes a trail goalward and lashes an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. Great finish.
15 mins Almost a carbon copy of the goal as Alan Quirke denies O'Sullivan a second. Vital save as Kerry are threatening to run rampant. Graham Canty looks off the pace and is really struggling.
Kerry 1-04
Cork 0-02
20 mins Ciaran Sheehan shows his strength to push Aidan O'Mahony aside and fire over.
There is a hint of disappointment in Marty's voice as he reluctantly acknowledges the score.
21 mins David Coldrick awards a free out to Kerry after a high ball in around the goalmouth is punched away by Brendan Kealy. Lazy officiating, the kind you expect from a 20 stone Junior B referee who moves slowly between the 65s and awards a square ball whenever a high delivery lands near the goal, simply because he can't make out what's going on.
25 mins Paddy Kelly kicks a point and from the resultant kickout Kealy goes short to Aidan O'Mahony. It's an awkward ball to deal with and O'Mahony, under pressure from Ciaran Sheehan, fumbles and throws himself on the ground looking for a free.
Coldrick obligingly bails him out as Sheehan was clean through and heading for goal.
28 mins Two points in quick succession by Declan O'Sullivan who is giving Canty a torrid time at full back. Cork's strategy of short kickouts is backfiring thus far.
31 mins Paul Kerrigan is deemed to have overcarried as he ran goalward, with Enright, his marker, tugging at his sleeve.
Very harsh decision considering the overcarrying rule hasn't been strictly enforced to this point.
MC's comment: the referee was in a good position and is perfectly entitled to make that call.
Harldy a ringing endorsement.
The massively overweight umpire manning the green flag gets his first exercise of the day as he walks to the middle of the goal to cross flags and cancel the point. On the way back to his post he receives some helpful dietary advice from the large Cork contingent behind him..
32 mins A terrible pass by Paudie Kissane leads to a score for Kieran O'Leary. Cork have been very sloppy in possession.
35 mins MM does his once-per-game massive overreaction to a run-of-the-mill passage of play as Declan O'Sullivan taps the ball over the bar from 21 yards. 'Look at this again, CLASS!'.
Half Time
Kerry 1-10
Cork 0-05
This is the freewheeling and freeflowing Kerry football you get when you allow them time and space in the middle third. Twice Bryan Sheahan has soloed 50 metres forward unoppposed. Graham Canty and Jamie O'Sullivan are struggling, and Cork's kickout strategy has been an abject failure. Not a good start.
Eoin Cotter replaces Jamie O'Sullivan to start the second half.
36 mins Declan O'Sullivan will not be denied today. From the restart he takes a pass out by the touchline, takes on John Miskella and kick a fine score.
Very soft free for Pearse O'Neill as he runs straight into Eoin Brosnan and crumples in a heap. The refereeing today has been extremely inconsistent.
37 mins Two quick scores for Daniel Goulding make it Kerry 1-11 Cork 0-7.
39 mins The Donaghy Incident!
Noel O'Leary and Kieran Donaghy become entangled a few yards away from the ball. With referee Coldrick looking straight at the pair, Donaghy lashes out with his foot and catches O'Leary around the knee with his studs. A red card offence, plain and simple.
MM and MC both acknowledge the stamp and maintain it warrants no more than yellow, a bizarre interpretation of the rules.
Coldrick, for some reason, consults with his linesman who had a far worse view of the incident and awards a yellow card.
Another copout by the referee. He gets a pat on the back from Donaghy and the game continues.
Ciaran Sheehan is stretchered off and looks to be in some distress. On comes Fintan Goold.
45 mins Points by Donncha Walsh and Bryan Sheehan give Kerry a nine point lead.
Kerry 1-13
Cork 0-07
49 mins The Donaghy Incident seems to have sparked Cork into life. They are tackling hard and putting Kerry's ball carriers under immense pressure. The supply to the full forward line has been almost completely cut off.
50 mins Paul Kerrigan's direct running is causing havoc in the Kerry defence. He has scored Cork's last two points.
Kerrymen are dropping like flies around the pitch in an attempt to break the Cork momentum. Darren O'Sullivan needs what looks like a mini physical therapy session near the Kerry dugout after an innocuous challenge. The crowd wait with bated breath. Will he walk again? The answer is...YES! He does the customary limp for 3 or 4 strides then decides enough is enough and runs freely back into position.
55 mins Alan Quirke has started to kick the ball out long and Cork are winning most of the breaks.
Paul Kerrigan takes a handpass on the burst, rides the challenge of Micheal Quirke and fires goalward. The ball is handled on the ground in the small square by Marc Ó Sé and Coldrick rightly (and surprisingly) awards a penalty.
Donncha O'Connor makes no mistake from the spot, firing low to Kealy's left. Game on!
Kerry 1-13
Cork 1-10
57 mins Alan O'Connor charges through on goal and is content to take a point. If it was anyone else in possession I would be screaming at them to go for goal but in this instance I am more than happy with a point.
Pearse O'Neill and O'Connor have really taken the game by the scruff of the neck at midfield in the last 15 minutes.
60 mins Cork move to within a point as Kerrigan scores again. Kerry are visibly tiring now.
62 mins MC gets his first 'no malice at all intended' of the day under his belt as Micheal Quirke tries to twist off Alan O'Connor's head.
63 mins A bad wide by Aidan Walsh under severe pressure from the Kerry defence. Shooting was not the best option.
66 mins Alan O'Connor breaks through the defence again and offloads to John Miskella who shoots for goal buts hits the post and the ball goes wide. That was Cork's chance.
71 mins Forceful run forward by Eoin Brosnan and he fists over the bar. That could be the winning score.
Kerry 1-14
Cork 1-12
Another controversial incident near the sideline - Colm Cooper gets involved needlessly with Cork substitute Denis O'Sullivan. The pair fall to the ground before Cooper straddles him and pushes down on his throat with a forearm. Unpleasant and nasty looking business. Welcome to the Munster Championship!
The linesman (no more than ten yards away) and referee consult and decide the best course of events is to dish out yellow cards to both choker and chokee. Pretty much sums up David Coldrick's refereeing performance today.
The incident eats up a minute and a half of injury time which is not accounted for because of the unwritten GAA rule that there can be no stoppages in added time.
74 mins Daniel Goulding misses with a long range free and it's all over, Kerry win by three.
Kerry 1-15
Cork 1-12
A strange sort of game that neither team will be happy with.
Cork had their usual string of tactical blunders in the first half and dug a big hole for themselves, before haphazardly stumbling upon their best fifteen early in the second half. The slow start and general malaise of the first half will be a big worry but when they began to turn the screw Kerry went 27 minutes in the second half without a score.
Kerry started in whirlwind fashion and Jack O'Connor's gameplan caused huge confusion in Cork defence for half an hour.
Their midfield was suprisingly dominant in the first half and forced Cork to rethink their kickout strategy.
The second half will be a worry though, as Cork took a stranglehold on proceedings and could well have secured at least a draw.
Both teams move on and there is almost a sense of inevitability about the likelihood of a rematch in Croke Park later in the summer.
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