14.04 – 3 mins, Cork 0-1 Kerry 0-1: As the game gets underway, our big concern for Kerry is the pace of the spine of defence from Scanlon and Brosnan back to Aidan O’Mahony. Legs may not have the pace or endurance against a machine like Cork. Meanwhile Kieran Donaghy is gone out the field, Nicolas Murphy is full-forward and Aidan Walsh is midfield. Amidst all the tactical jostling, Donnacha O’Connor opens the scoring as shoving matches break out across the field and Declan O’Sullivan equalises.

14.18 – 17 mins, Cork 0-3 Kerry 0-3: Goal chance for Kerry and Declan O’Sullivan – playing where he is best at centre-forward – shrugs off Graham Canty but Kieran Donaghy and Colm Cooper squander a goal chance. 45′ though and there’s a decent shoving match going on as Brendan Kealy thinks he is Stephen Cluxton but realises he’s not as he slices it wide.

14.30 – 28 minutes, Cork 0-6 Kerry 0-4: Many were betting on the draw, we can’t find a market for a mill later on as the pressure builds. It’s only warming up now and Nicholas Murphy buries Marc Ó Sé with a third-man tackle to the chest. It’s seen as a free is given, so how come now yellow is given? Licence to kill… Meanwhile back to playing matters, Colm O’Neill sends over a free. Cork have gotten back to what they did in the opening minutes, concentrating on winning on the scoreboard, and when they do that they look the better as most of the game is being played out in the Kerry half. And just as we say that, great save from Quirke as Donaghy shoots from close range.

14.35 – 34 mins, Cork 0-6 Kerry 0-4: Brendan Kealy again sends a 45′ right and wide after Tomas Ó Sé was denied his customary point by a block. Game back under way and Aidan Walsh and Noel O’Leary get spoken to. Still no cards though. It’s wild at times but people want refereeing consistency and they are getting it.

14.39 – Half-time: Cork 0-7 Kerry 0-4: A Colm O’Neill free wraps up the first half and more than just on the scoreboard, the home team will be the happier. Kerry still look the more dangerous when they attack at pace but such moves have been few and far between. Indeed, the game has been largely played out in the Kerry half with the Cork half-back line and midfield looking sturdy. They are most certainly in the driving seat.

14.56 – 36 mins, Cork 0-7 Kerry 0-6: Back underway and what a start. James O’Donoghue replaces Kieran O’Leary and scores straight away. Seconds later Declan O’Sullivan points. Much quicker movement from Kerry here.

15.07 – 48mins, Cork 0-10 Kerry 0-8: Kerry defending so deep here, it’s a sign of an ageing team that the midfield and half-forward line need to be back covering for a creaky defence. They can’t break with the pace or power of a Dublin either, but as we speak, Paul Galvin hammers over a point from way out. We’ve underestimated Kerry several times in recent seasons, have we again…