GAELIC GAMES: LITTLE DID we know, those of us startled enough to see Cork recover an eight-point deficit in the downpour of July's Munster final, that not only would it not be the weirdest turnaround of the summer but it wouldn't even be the weirdest in a Cork-Kerry match.
Yesterday Cork dispensed with the need for an entire second half to retrieve the eight points and instead gave themselves all of five minutes. Yes, five minutes.
Deliverance at Croke Park came in the shape of an unanswered 2-2, the goals coming in the 70th and 72nd minutes from replacement James Masters and a penalty nervelessly tucked away by John Hayes.
Even then it wasn't over. The lively Kerry wing back Killian Young clipped a shot off the post in the last action of an extraordinary conclusion to what had looked like the latest match between the counties to feature a major Kerry backlash after Cork success in Munster.
The All-Ireland champions had dominated the match but their poor shooting kept Cork's hopes of survival alive for a lot longer than their challenge had merited.
Nor was that the only nasty shock for Kerry. Darragh Ó Sé, their totemic centrefielder, was sent off in the 39th minute for a straight red card.
He may have had feelings of ambivalence as Young's shot floated toward the Canal End goal. A Kerry win would almost certainly have meant his missing the All-Ireland final and a potential three-in-a-row.
The draw gives him a chance to serve the suspension next weekend and, should Kerry finish the job, line out in a month's time.
Kerry manager Pat O'Shea was understandably subdued in the aftermath and defensive about Ó Sé's dismissal.
"It would have been nice to finish the job today but it wasn't to be. That's sport. We felt in control but they were always likely to create some chances and obviously they did that.
"Darragh's a very passionate player. He always was and has given fantastic service as an amateur player to this game. He gets targeted and blamed and painted with different brushes all his career. It was disappointing for him today to get sent off. He didn't obviously bargain on that."
Conor Counihan has had an eventful first season as Cork manager and has brought a welcome rub of the green to his team's fortunes. Having survived the provincial semi-final against Limerick thanks to two late goals, the Munster champions repeated the dose yesterday despite having Donncha O'Connor sent off not too long after Ó Sé.
"I seem to be the only one smiling on this side," said Counihan at the media conference. "Maybe that's because all of ye guys wrote us off [uncomfortable laughter]. We'd be very pleased with it. We didn't play well on the day and we were six points down and I looked at the clock and there was two minutes left and I said to the selectors, 'we need two goals'.
"This group of players have been through an awful lot at the hands of Kerry over three or four years. I'd like to think that sport might level itself out at this stage because in terms of commitment and determination these guys have given it everything."
In the match programme GAA president Nickey Brennan had warned about the downside of young players travelling to Australia in search of AFL careers. Yesterday also saw the minor semi-final between Kerry and Mayo, two counties frequently targeted by Australian Rules agents.
"It may well work out for a player or two, but for the majority it will end in failure and at what cost? I know young people today have a great sense of adventure and travelling to Australia (even for non-players) is often part of that adventure.
"I have outlined my concerns regarding the welfare of any young lad who heads off to Australia and this will be just one of many issues we will raise with the AFL officers."
Nonetheless he again defended the International Rules series.
"I know some people have advocated the scrapping of the International Rules series as a result of recent events, but I challenge that view," he wrote.
"There is no basis for believing that the recruitment of some of our best young talent would stop if the series ended. What happens then? If we have no relationship with the AFL, why would their officers want to talk to us, whatever the subject?
"I realise many people are very concerned at developments this year, but I ask you to wait until (GAA director general) Páraic Duffy and I have engaged with the AFL officers in October, after which we will report back to Ard Comhairle and that body will decide on any future strategy."
