Kerry 0-13 Cork 0-11:KERRY TOOK a major step towards qualifying for the semi-finals with a narrow, but fully deserved win over the holders Cork before a crowd of 12,821 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

It was the proverbial game of two halves. Kerry oozed class in the first, dominating all aspects against the stiff wind while Cork struggled and looked a pale shadow of a side chasing their third consecutive title.

The defending champions, though, offered sterner opposition in the second half, when they twice managed to reduce Kerry’s lead to three points, but that much sought-after goal failed to materialise.

Kieran Donaghy was one of Kerry’s main influences. He played despite the death of his father Oliver on Friday and contributed handsomely in many facets, most notably in his ability to win possession in the half-forward line.

Midfielder Anthony Maher gave the visitors an encouraging start by kicking a superb third-minute point and while Donncha O’Connor levelled with a free moments later, it was one-way traffic for much of the period.

Maher and Bryan Sheehan dominated midfield, providing a steady supply of ball into a quick-moving forward division that had the Cork defence in lots of bother, while at the other Aidan O’Mahony kept a close rein on Aidan Walsh.

In a strangely subdued opening period Kerry silenced home supporters by compiling a respectable eight points to Cork’s two, the holders going 30 minutes before their second point, Walsh finding the range for their first score from play.

In between Kerry showed their class with an array of magnificent points, including splendid efforts from Declan O’Sullivan, both from frees and open play, with Darran O’Sullivan, Donaghy and Sheehan also contributing.

They were 0-6 to 0-2 in front after 19 minutes and in total control.

Cork needed a boost from somewhere and it almost came from an unlikely source, captain Graham Canty, who dashed forward from his centre-back role.

A slick move involving O’Connor and Fintan Goold left Canty in the clear and bearing down on Brendan Kealy’s goal only for his effort to slip just wide of the upright.

Kerry finished the half with Sheehan converting a superb free from distance and a six-point interval advantage was an accurate reflection of proceedings.

Cork salvaged some pride from their second-half performance. They were more committed and there was greater urgency in their play, notably from dual star Eoin Cadogan, who drove forward from the half-back line repeatedly.

Kerry’s lead was cut to 0-9 to 0-6 by the 44th minute as Cork enjoyed their most productive spell, a mini-revival initiated by a Mark Collins point and added to by Canty and another O’Connor free.

And it could have been more, too, because Collins missed from a promising position and Walsh’s shot rebounded from a post, though Kerry responded impressively by scoring three points of their own, including a Paul Galvin score for 0-12 to 0-6 lead after 51 minutes.

The introduction of Noel O’Leary, who immediately marked Galvin, raised the temperature considerably, sparking another productive Cork spell of three points without reply to set up a rousing finish.

After Walsh pointed in the 65th minute, Cork came again and created a second opening for Canty, who was denied by the alert Kealy dashing off his line to save smartly.

A goal then would have made for a fascinating climax, but Kerry made the game safe with an impressive attack, which resulted in Sheehan driving over their 13th point three minutes from the end of normal time, 0-13 to 0-9.

Cork never gave up the chase and injury-time points by O’Connor and Eoin Cotter reduced the margin before the clock caught on them.

CORK: K O’Halloran; R Carey, M Shields, E Cotter (0-1); E Cadogan, G Canty (0-1), P Kissane; A O’Connor, P O’Neill; F Goold (0-1), M Collins (0-1), P Kelly; C O’Neill, A Walsh (0-2), D O’Connor (0-5 frees). Subs: P Kerrigan for C O’Neill (48 mins), N O’Leary for P O’Neill (51), L Shorten for Collins (63 mins), B O’Driscoll for Kelly (66 mins).

KERRY: B Kealy; M Ó Sé, A O’Mahony, K Young; P Crowley, E Brosnan, M McGuire; K Donaghy (0-1), A Maher (0-1); P Galvin (0-1), BJ Keane (0-1), B Sheehan (0-4, three frees); Darran O’Sullivan (0-1), Declan O’Sullivan (0-4, two frees), P Curtin.

Subs: T Ó Sé for Crowley (44 mins), K O’Leary for Curtin (55), D O’Callaghan for Keane (64).

Referee: M Deegan (Laois)