Kerry 1-14; Cork 0-15
Kerry fans always have a fear of the unknown when they visit Leeside and on Saturday they were 100 per cent right as Cork played out of their skins and but for a few botched frees could have got something out of this encounter with their neighbors at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Indeed it took a controversial penalty, rightly given under the new rules, and put away by talisman David Clifford which proved the difference between the sides at the end of an absorbing encounter in the sunshine.
Kerry’s class was evident and while often starved of possession, they were able to get scores a little easier than their Rebel opponents.
Clifford's 47th-minute penalty gave them breathing room as Cork redoubled their efforts but you can’t miss easy frees at this level and expect to travel on in the competition.
With Seán Powter in the sin bin, Clifford took advantage of the space to shoot 1-2 to a solitary Cork point.
Afterwards Cork manager John Cleary vented his displeasure at the decision to award the penalty and send Powter into a 10-minute cold storage, claiming it changed the course of the game.
"It was a very dubious penalty. I watched it inside afterwards and it didn't seem to me that there was a full goal-scoring chance.
"If that's the way, there would be penalties all over the place. There were players behind him and there was a coming together of the players. Look at the video, it was plain to see for everyone, Dan O'Mahony was between him and the goal. Powter went into him and it was a coming together rather than a pulling down.
“You'd take that, but a black card and a penalty was more than harsh. The referee gave it, and I felt we were on the wrong end of a few decisions."
After beating Louth previously, Cleary was philosophical: "We are bitterly disappointed. We had our chances to win it but didn’t take them. It’s not fatal, and hopefully we learn from it and try and go again next week."
That will be a tough game against Mayo, who are the masters of blowing hot and cold and are unpredictable at the best of times.
Kerry manager Jack O'Connor admitted his side had faced a stern test: "Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a tough place to come and I’ve been here many times over the years and got turned over with many Kerry teams, so any time you win here by two points is a good day."
KERRY: S Ryan; G O’Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan (0-1); P Murphy, T Morley, G White; D O’Connor, J Barry; D Moynihan, S O’Shea (0-5, 0-2f), A Spillane (0-1); P Clifford (0-2), D Clifford (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), P Geaney Subs: R Murphy for Spillane (h-t), S O’Brien for Moynihan (61), T Brosnan for Geaney (62), BD O’Sullivan for Barry (65), M Burns for P Clifford (70+2).
CORK: MA Martin; M Shanley, R Maguire, K O’Donovan; L Fahy, D O’Mahony, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; B O’Driscoll (0-1), R Deane, K O’Hanlon (0-1); S Powter (0-2), B Hurley (0-6, 0-5f, 0-1m), C Óg Jones (0-1) Subs: S Sherlock (0-02) for Jones (48), E McSweeney (0-02) for O’Hanlon (59), J O’Rourke for Deane (65), B Murphy for Hurley (70+2), T Clancy for R Maguire (70+2).
Ref: D Gough (Meath).
Derry 3-14; Donegal 1-15
Derry have had their ups and downs on and off the pitch this season but they are still showing up well and proved in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey, on Sunday that they have developed the know-how to win even in the most difficult of away venues.
Donegal season has been something of a mess yet in defeat against their neighbors, they showed their fans they are on the way back. Minus the retired Michael Murphy, they had looked rudderless in the league but now with Oisin Gallen contributing no less than nine points, three from play, three marks and three frees, they look like they have a talisman to build a forward line around. Add to that was the return of their skipper Patrick McBrearty, and that can only mean better days to come.
For Derry, it was important to maintain its equilibrium following the sudden departure of boss Rory Gallagher before the Ulster Final. In Ciaran Meenagh, they have had the perfect foil for someone to not just keep the northern champions ticking over but progressing in key departments of their play.
Chief of those is their ability to seek out and score goals thanks to the pace they are injecting at crucial moments to unlock even the most blanket of defenses.
Conor Doherty, Lachlan Murray and Pádraig McGrogan didn’t need to be asked twice to head for goal and raise green flags. Ultimately it was that ability to make and take goals which was the difference between the two sides.
The first half went along expected lines with both sides shadow boxing each other without trying to land a knockout blow. Derry led at the break by 0-9 to 0-6.
The tit-for-tat of point taking continued on the resumption and Derry missed two good goal chances before Doherty took the ball on the run to blast to the roof of the net on 46 mins.
Another 10 minutes passed before Gareth McKinley set up Murray to score with his first touch since coming on as a sub.
McBrearty also came on as a sub and scored with his first touch, but the game was killed stone dead when Padraig McGrogan fired home a third goal after a swift counter attack.
Rory O’Donnell got a deserved goal for the home side four minutes over time and it was a consolation which also proved that the team didn’t throw in the towel until the final whistle sounded.
Derry: O Lynch; CMcKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty (1-0), G McKinless, P Grogan (1-0); C Glass (0-1), B Rogers (0-2); N Toner (0-1f), P Cassidy (0-4), E Doherty; C McFaul (0-2), S McGuigan (0-3, 0-1f), B Heron (0-1) Subs: N Loughlin for Toner (30); P Cassidy for Heron (52); L Murray (1-0) for McFaul (55); D Cassidy for E McEvoy (65); S Downey for McKaigue (70).
Donegal: S Patton (0-1,’45’); M Curran, B McCole, C McColgan; C Ward, E Bán Gallagher, O Doherty; C McGonagle, J McGee; D Ó Baoill, J Brennan, C Thompson (0-2,0-1f); H McFadden, O Gallen (0-9, 0-3f, 0-3fm), C O’Donnell (0-2) Subs: L McGlynn for Brennan (52); P McBrearty (0-1) for Ó Baoill (55); R O’Donnell (1-0) for McGee (58); S McMenamin for O Doherty (61); J Mac Ceallabhuí for C Ward (68).
Ref: B Cawley (Kildare).
Tyrone 0-13; Armagh 0-11
Tyrone are not showing championship-winning potential but they still know how to win tight matches, even against the keenest of rivals such as Armagh.
At Healy Park on Saturday, they played their rivals who were down to 14 players with the first half sending off of their best player, Rian O’Neill, yet couldn’t kick on to win comfortably. Still, they were never in danger such is their ability to defend intelligently and take long distance points when the opportunity arises.
Five Darren McCurry points, some from distance, helped secure the win and they will feel confident of progressing when they face pointless Westmeath in their last group match at the weekend.
Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney will bemoan the fact that his team were unable to take any of the four clear-cut goal chances they created, though credit must be given to Red Hand keeper Niall Morgan for two top class saves.
How he kept Conor Turbitt’s palmed effort out was Gordon Banks-like, following a flick across the goal which should have translated into a green flag.
On the cusp of half-time he came to his side’s rescue again to deny Jason Duffy’s rising shot.
McKeeney pointed to these failures as reasons his side had lost. "They went at them in the first 15 minutes and created four goals - they still have to put them in the net. So I think we did go at them. But we're just missing too much. Our execution has been poor in that regard. We're creating chances, we're cutting through teams but we have to be able to finish. That's the big thing," he said.
On the sending off, he explained: "I haven't seen it. I just talked to Rian and he said your man pulled him by the jersey down on top of him and that's all I know about it.”
Tyrone's joint manager Brian Dooher said: "There's a little bit of relief. We probably made hard work of it in the second half and should have made it more comfortable.
"But you have to give credit to Armagh. They really dug deep and came at us in the second half and pegged us well back. As you saw in the last minute, we could have conceded a last-minute goal again but thankfully we didn't this time."
Tyrone: N Morgan; M McKernan (0-1), R McNamee, P Hampsey (0-1); C Quinn, M O’Neill, P Harte; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick (0-1 m); C Meyler (0-1), J Oguz, N Sludden; D McCurry (0-5, 0- 2f), M Donnelly (0-1), D Canavan (0-3) Subs: K McGeary for Sludden (41), R Canavan for Oguz (53), N Devlin for Harte (63), R Donnelly for McCurry (68)
Armagh: E Rafferty; C O’Neill, A McKay, A Forker; G McCabe, C Cumiskey, J Og Burns (0-1); B Crealey, C Mackin; J Duffy, R Grugan (0-4, 0-2f), S Campbell; C Turbitt (0-2, 0-1f), R O’Neill (0-1f), A Murnin (0-1) Subs: R McQuillan for Cumiskey (h-t), S McPartlan for Crealey (43), O Conaty (0-02) for Campbell (55), C McConville for Turbitt (63), A Nugent for McKay (70)
Ref: M McNally (Monaghan)
GAA Results
All Ireland SF Championship
Kerry 1-14; Cork 0-15
Dublin 0-22; Kildare 0-13
Galway 0-20; Westmeath 0-12
Tyrone 0-13; Armagh 0-11
Monaghan 1-23; Clare 1-18
Mayo 0-14; Louth 1-10
Roscommon 1-21; Sligo 1-11
Derry 3-14; Donegal 1-15
All Ireland Minor Hurling Final
Clare 2-22; Galway 4-11
All Ireland U20 Hurling Final
Cork 2-22; Offaly 3-13
Lory Meagher Cup Final
Monaghan 3-22; Lancashire 3-20
Nickey Rackard Cup Final
Wicklow 1-20; Donegal; 3-12
Christy Ring Cup Final
Meath 1-23; Derry 1-21
Tailteann Cup
Wicklow 2-14; Limerick 1-10
Carlow 2-13; Longford 1-14
Antrim 3-13; Fermanagh 1-12
Wexford 1-16; Leitrim 1-12
Meath 1-11; Down 1-9
Tipperary 0-17; Waterford 1-13
Cavan 2-25; Offaly 2-9
Laois 1-17; London 2-14
