Gaelic Games

Cork retain McGrath Cup after penalty shoot-out victory over Kerry

Mark Cronin scores the winning spot-kick after sides finishes level after regular time

Jason Foley of Kerry challenges Conor Corbett of Cork during the McGrath Cup Final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho
Jason Foley of Kerry challenges Conor Corbett of Cork during the McGrath Cup Final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho
Sat Jan 20 2024 - 16:34
McGrath Cup Final: Cork 1-14 Kerry 1-14 (Cork win 4-3 on penalties)

Cork ended their preseason campaign with success in the McGrath Cup after John Cleary’s side defeated Kerry on penalties after the two teams drew 1-14 apiece during regular time at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Mark Cronin made it 4-3 in the shoot-out with a cool finish into the top left corner, and that keeps the trophy on Leeside for the first time since 2007.

For a while, it looked like it was going to be Kerry’s day in the pouring rain as they played a simple game that gave them a four-point cushion in the final minutes of the first half.

Their cushion would have been bigger if not for Patrick Doyle stopping Brian Ó Beaglaoich from raising a green flag when it was 0-3 apiece.

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Kerry did goal when an unmarked Joe O’Connor palmed the ball down to Dylan Geaney to make it 1-6 to 0-6 in the 30th minute.

Cork – without Steven Sherlock and Brian Hurley – kept up with their near rivals through frees from David Buckley. No matter what he did, Kerry had a response and the Kingdom went into the break leading 1-7 to 0-7.

An exchange of points at the start of the second half ended with a through ball from Ian Maguire to Chris Óg Jones and the left corner forward hit the back of the net. This was followed by a white flag raised by Eoghan McSweeney and it was a drawn game at 1-9 apiece in the 45th minute.

Regulation time finished with substitute Darragh Cashman cancelling out a Micheál Burns point from open play. Cronin held his nerve after two Kerry misses, and Cork move on to their game against Donegal in Division Two of the Allianz National Football League with a trophy in the cabinet.

CORK: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Tommy Walsh, Kevin Flahive; Luke Fahy (0-1), Seán Meehan, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Eoghan McSweeney (0-2), David Buckley (0-5, four frees), Brian O’Driscoll (0-1); Ruairí Deane (0-1, free), Conor Corbett, Chris Óg Jones (1-1).

Subs: Mark Cronin (0-1) for Deane, Rory Maguire for Tommy Walsh (both h-t); Cathal Maguire for McSweeney (53 mins); Fionn Herlihy for Buckley (57); Blake Murphy (0-1) for Corbett (60); Darragh Cashman (0-1) for Fahy (62),

KERRY: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Paul Murphy, Armin Heinrich; Joe O’Connor, Seán O’Brien; Ronan Buckley (0-1), Dylan Geaney (1-1), Cillian Burke (0-1); Killian Spillane (0-3), Seán O’Shea (0-3, three frees), Dara Moynihan.

Subs: Barry Dan O’Sullivan for O’Brien, Gavin White (0-1) for Heinrich, Micheál Burns (0-1) for Geaney, Stephen O’Brien for Buckley, Keith Evans for Burke, Tom O’Sullivan for Murphy (all h-t); Conor Geaney (0-1) for Spillane (53 mins); Damien Bourke for Moynihan (55); Darragh Roche (0-2, two frees) for O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Connor for Casey (both 56); Adrian Spillane for Moynihan (58).

Referee: Donnacha O’Callagan (Limerick).

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