Cork hold off Kildare fightback to take All-Ireland junior football title

Cork 0-13 Kildare 1-7: Cork had a big scare on their way to winning the All Ireland junior football championship for the 17th time at Limerick on Saturday.

They totally dominated the first half against Kildare but then had to battle hard to win back the title they last held two years ago when it took extra time to see off Kildare.

Six of that winning side started again this time for Cork who made a brisk start with points by Colm O'Driscoll (2) and Andrew O'Brien before Seamus Hanafin had Kildare's first score after 13 minutes.

By half time Cork were six points clear, 0-9 to 0-3, and while Kildare wasted two goal chances they were outclassed in that 30 minutes.

But it was a different matter subsequently and when Keith Cribben smashed home a Kildare goal after 37 minutes it was very much game on. It was all Kildare in the third quarter with Cork being able to manage only a single point from a free by Cathal Vaughan.

When Kildare levelled with ten minutes remaining they looked on course for their first win in this grade. But 11 second half wides did not help their cause and in the last ten minutes Cork regained the iniative thanks to points by Vaughan, midfielder Ruairi Deane and Kevin O'Driscoll to seal the win.

CORK: D Hanrahan; AJ O'Connor, E O'Mahony, K Harrington; Richard O'Sullivan, Rory O'Sullivan , S Kiely; R Deane (0-1), M O'Leary (0-1); C Vaughan (0-5, 0-3 frees), A O'Brien (0-1), C O'Driscoll (0-2); K O'Driscoll (0-2), F Lynch (0-1), D Harrington. Subs: P Daly for Rory O'Sullivan (42 mins), M Vaughan for (44 mins), E Buckley for O'Brien (59 mins),
KILDARE: C Heneghan; J O'Connor, W Burke, P Warren; D Barker, C Fitzpatrick, C O'Shea; K Cribben (1-0), S Darcy; H Mahon (0-2), S Hanafin (0-2, 0-1 free), C Fagan; P Mahon (0-1) , C Bolton (0-2, 0-1 free), C McNally. Subs: G Walters for Warren (36 mins), G Farrell for Darcy (40 mins), D Grehan for P Mahon (54 mins), D Duke for H Mahon (59 mins), M French for Hanafin (60 mins).
Referee: G McCormack (Dublin).