Champions surmount the first obstacle

The headline act finally walked on stage in Killarney yesterday to set the 1998 Football Championship party into full swing. They were 15 weeks without a competitive game, but Kerry answered the sceptics' questions in characteristic fashion and ended Cork's title run as quick as it had begun.

It may not have totally gone to Paidi O Se's script. Cork took and then regained the lead on five occasions. Michael Francis Russell and John Crowley rose to the challenge as each claimed vital points at vital moments.

"You can't get a much tougher test than that," was O Se's first reaction. "All the main things we did right and one thing I'm especially happy about was the way we responded very well to their goal." Maurice Fitzgerald hadn't kicked a ball for the county since last October and it showed. Still, with one stroke of his genius he solved Kerry's temporary problems after Alan O'Regan shot Cork two points clear with a goal in the second half. Fitzgerald answered the call and duly produced his 10th championship goal for Kerry.

It was a well-kept secret within the camp that Fitzgerald had injured a shoulder during the week and caused great concern in the Kerry camp. It took intensive treatment to get him on the field and in the end it may have determined the result.

Kerry are now 4-3 in championship meetings with Cork this decade, but the depth and youth of this Kerry side could well signal the beginning of another sustained stretch of superiority. Liam Brosnan and Noel Kenneally had no trouble making their impact on the game and with the squad of successful under-21 players lining up behind them, the future looks dependable if not steadfast.

Larry Tompkins's strategy was brave but ultimately restrictive. Conor Counihan, the selector-turned-manager after Tompkins had reverted to a playing role, had no regrets. "If people expected to see the star he was 10 tears ago," he said, "then that was never realistic."

What is a problem for Cork is finding new stars to fill the gaps left by Tompkins and company.

It's another four weeks before the champions are next in action with a very interesting clash against Tipperary in the Munster final at Thurles.

Kilkenny came to Croke Park in search of yet another Leinster hurling title, but after Offaly sent Wexford home for an early summer holiday it was always going to be a hard game.

In the end the 3-10 to 1-11 victory looked impressive, but it was only the return Of DJ Carey's magic that sealed the title for Kilkenny. He fired two frees into the Offaly net almost in succession.

"Not one player was playing to their potential," said an always forthright Michael `Babs' Keating. "A lot of them played their own game and not the game of their colleagues," added the Offaly manager.

Offaly will get a second chance in the quarter-finals.

Sligo were guilty of more goal give-aways as Roscommon edged through in the Connacht Championship replay at Markievicz Park. Roscommon play Galway in the final after their 1-13 to 0-15 victory.

Derry were making their first appearance in an Ulster hurling final since 1931 but were unable to overcome the strength of Antrim. The favourites were in no mood for an upset and took the title 1-19 to 2-13.