On Friday, I was about to write a comment in here about how predeictable the Gaa championships have gotten.

Kilkenny and Kerry…..shoo in number one and two.  Boring

And then the unbelieveable happened – Cork beat Kerry in the Munster final!

In what was a corker (sorry) of a match, Cork seemed to be just another playground for Kerry with the Kingdom leading by 8pts at half time. Not just that, but they were a man down after Nicholas Murphy was sent off and had loat their captain through injury – It seemed all done and dusted. But no one told the Rebels that.

In a genius if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them move, Cork manager Con Counihan, brought 6′ 6″ attacker, Michael Cussen on in the second half and left him floating around the goal looking for high balls (a tactic which won Kerry many a game with Keiran Donaghy as the tall man back).

Cussen disrupted the Kerry backs who seemed all over the place. Indeed Kerry corner-back Mark O’Sé was shown an unfair straight red and things were swinging in Cork’s favour.

Kerry’s misery was complete two minutes from the end when another of the O’Sé brothers, midfielder Darragh, received a second yellow card for an innocent-looking shoulder.

In the second half, Cork outscored Kerry 1-13 to 0-03. An unbelieveable tally against a team who were seen to be inbeatable.

In the end it was Cork 1-16 Kerry 1-11

After the match, the Rebels’ captain, Graham Canty was surprisingly subdued about the win, saying it was great but “it’s just the Munster title”. Personally I think this reaction is fantastic, as it means Cork are hungry for the Sam. It means their never-say-die attitude still kicks and it means the Kerry are so shoo-in.

Although, in 2006, Kerry were beaten by Cork in the Munster final and took the long walk thorough the qualifiers. And still came home with Sam.

We can but hope.

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