Cork and Kerry through the looking glass: what did the result mean? But what did it really mean? To those of uncomplicated disposition Cork handed their closest and most ancient rivals an 11-point beating, 3-17 to 2-9, in the pleasant spring sunshine of Páirc Uí Rinn in Sunday’s Allianz Football League encounter.
So, joy unconfined? No. Only up to a point. A year ago Brian Cuthbert’s team marched on Tralee and helped themselves to a 10-point win in the league only for the championship to prove another day’s work entirely.
As a result Cuthbert was obliged to qualify his satisfaction at a third win from four and joint-top position in the table with three matches left.
“People enjoyed watching the game today, certainly from a Cork point of view. I thought it was a good performance; a lot of things went very well for us. At the same time we are in the second week in March, this time 12 months ago in Tralee the same thing.”
Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice was similarly required to explain that just because a big defeat by Cork in the league had been followed by an All-Ireland last year didn't necessarily make another drubbing a good thing.
“You can’t be relying on that the whole time. Last year after that defeat we worked hard, an awful lot of hard and good work went into getting us to a point where we were able to win a Munster final and an All-Ireland championship afterwards.”
He agreed gloomily that it had been the team’s worst display in a year. “It’s as bad as we’ve been since Cork hosed us the last time, definitely.”
The match erupted volcanically with early goals and Cork scoring apparently at will before Kerry managed to reel it back before half-time, courtesy of some fine fielding by David Moran and especially Anthony Maher.
Disturbed focus
Fitzmaurice was inclined to believe that a brawl just after his team’s second goal had disturbed their focus but Maher’s departure with suspected concussion at the break, by which stage Cork had extended their lead to four, 3-7 to 2-6, also damaged their chances.
Cork avoided centrefield and ran the ball energetically for 10 points while conceding only three.
The win leaves Cuthbert’s team top of Division One with Mayo, both on six points, after a weekend of some surprising results in all divisions. Behind the top two just one point separates the next five counties, with holders Dublin on three points, behind Kerry, Monaghan, Tyrone and Donegal.
Jim Gavin's team are lucky not to be farther behind after a late goal by Dean Rock was required to earn them a draw with Tyrone at Croke Park on Saturday night. Looking at times haunted by the memory of last August, Dublin struggled to get the better of the visitors' packed defence.
Away wins
Sunday saw two away wins in the top flight with Monaghan taking the points in Letterkenny with late scores from goalkeeper
Rory Beggan
and Fintan Kelly. Mayo survived a Derry fightback and Mikey Sweeney’s last-minute goal left them five ahead before Derry hit an even later goal to shave the deficit to two.
In hurling, the 2013 All-Ireland champions Clare slumped to a third defeat and sit bottom of the Division One A table with no points after losing at home to Tipperary. Second-half goals from Noel McGrath and James Woodlock proved decisive in a five-point victory for the All-Ireland finalists who are one of four counties on four points, along with Cork, Dublin and Galway.
On Saturday evening in Croke Park, Cork set a scoring record with 34 points in their win over previously 100 per cent Dublin. Patrick Horgan was top scorer with 0-14.
Joe Canning made a surprise appearance for Galway in Sunday's narrow win over league holders and All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in Pearse Stadium. Canning came on as a half-time replacement and hit four points, including the final score, which secured a two-point win.
Kilkenny lost Richie Hogan to a hamstring injury after he had already scored 0-10 and the holders are in one of the relegation playoff positions along with Clare.
In Division One B, Seán O’Brien’s late point gave Limerick victory in the crucial top-of-the table match against Wexford whereas at the other end of the division Laois had a good win away to Antrim.
