Kerry v Cork All Ireland Final 2009

[ziggysego]

Who was man of the match?

Patiences, it'll be announced soon enough.

[orangeman]

Tom O'Sullivan MOM Well done.

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Tom O'Sullivan MOM Well done.

Mmmh, a delay with me.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Well done Tom Sullivan. Always a very underrated player for the past decade. Would have given it to Tomás Ó Sé myself but nice to see Tom and a corner-back getting some recognition.

Must be a long time since a corner-back last won the MOTM for an All-Ireland Final.

[Rav67]

Well done Tom Sullivan. Always a very underrated player for the past decade. Would have given it to Tomás Ó Sé myself but nice to see Tom and a corner-back getting some recognition.

Must be a long time since a corner-back last won the MOTM for an All-Ireland Final.

1999 Mark Reilly the last one I remember.

[paddypastit]

Must be a long time since a corner-back last won the MOTM for an All-Ireland Final.

well there were two of them in the hopper this evening. For my money O'Sullivan was whizzed in his one to omne with Goulding but did get throiugh a power of work sweeping up and driving out. A much underrated player. 

Not sure that the pundits got it right tonight - T Se, Scanlon and Galvin were all more deserving of the glassware tonight than any of the three that they shortlisted (T O'Sullivan, M Se, T Walsh)

[Bogball XV]

what did he get?  PJ Ryan the kk keeper who was man of the match in the hurling got flights to anywhere Ethiaad fly to and I think 5K of spending money (it could have been flights to a value of 5k).

[Croí na hÉireann]

Well now - where do ye start.

Not a great spectacle to be polite. Kerry got it right tactically and got the stangelhold on the middle of the park after the first 10 minutes that meant they were really comnfortable as long as they didn't take the foot off the pedal, which they didn't. It was a game for those that appreciate and analyse game plans and not for thoise looking to admire a beautiful game

Thought that Griffin, Tom O'Sullivan, T Se, Scanlon, Declan O'Sullivan, Galvin, Kennelly, Walsh and Cooper played well.

Being more critical though, for all the sallying out with the ball that got great attention, O'Sullivan was as much if not more screwed one to one by his man than any other Kerry defender right throughout the game- including Griffin's inglorious start - so that spoiled his book for me. He conceded four points from play and also the best goal chance that Cork got apart from the actual goal. T Se on the other hand smothered Kerrigan, picked and carried oodles of ball and weighed in with two points - if it goes to a Kerry back, then it has to be him. I backed Kennelly for MoM and was feeling good until Jack intervened and I thought that he, Galvin and Declan O'Sullivan were neck and neck in terms of the value of their very different contributions.  Walsh is a frustrating player for me.  He got great points but he also runs up blind alleys and tries sily things, often ending up in giving the ball away.  As yet for me he lacks the composure on the ball that marks out the aforementioned half forwards and Cooper, and it is a weakness, to the poiunt where I would have taken him out 10 minutes earlier than he was withdrawn just to keep the ball in the forward line longer.  Cooper wasn't great but he madre important contributions, ably helped by Lynch who today finally got caught out at the tricks he's been up to for years.  I have to say that I cannot understand why this guy is so highly rated.  All in though the guy that to me deserves MoM today is Scanlon for fielkding, tackling, passing, link up play and generally forcing Kerry on top after about 10 minutes before which they were being royally screwed. For me it is between him and T Se, although I suspect Walsh's points will put him in the frame, undeservedly IMO

Looking at Cork - poor day.  Their fortwards aftert a good looking sytart just didn't deliver.  MF and the HF were particularly disappointing.  I thought that Gouldiung and O'Neill could hold their heads but the volume of ball they got made it impossible. The half backs were eclipsed but all in they would not have been helpoed by their being chopped all over the place - think O'Leary was the only one that played the whole game in the one position.

All in I thought that two things were the difference between the teams.  Kerry were always comfortable on the ball and backed themselves to play the right ball as they saw it all the time - think of Griffin, the three O'Sullivans, the three O'Se's, McCarthy, Scanlon, Galvin, Kennelly, Cooper, Donaghy all 'playing' with the ball.  Secondly Kerry took the step foirward into every balling winning or contact situation - theye were that bit harder through the ball - Cork seemed a bit more hesitant - woitness all that tip tapping hand passing over and back the field for long period in the second half with no penetration.

Bottom line is Kerry were by far the better team and should have been further ahead at HT and again at FT. THe goal put a gloss on it for Cork but apart from the first 10 minutes and 5 minutes between the 50th and 55th minutes, they were a poor second. On that goal btw, fabulous finish but really think the keeper shopuld have done better and gone for the ball coming in from the free in the first place. He left the spce for the man to get onto the ball.

Finally on the ref. I'm a Sligo man myself but don't know the guy and never saw him ref anywhere other than in intercountry games. He comes with a reputation for being fussy and on the whole he was, after a 'Kirwanesque' start. Thought the card should have been out in the first 20 sec - yellow, not red.  He gave a few soft ones, both ways (witness the Cork 'free' on the stroke of half time) but picked up a lot that was subtle, not obvious but still fouls. Copped Lynch and it was as much not falling for the hype that Lynch is a sweet blond heired hero as that Cooper is an angel. Don't know what Galvin and O'Sullivan were booked for as both came after the play.  The incident with T Se was nothing - he was was being held by somebody and tried to get away - nothing in it.

Finally, I know there is a thread elsewhere but... what an awful minor match. Horrible - Mayo toothless, Armagh way overrated

Great summation Paddy, I agree with all of that. When I saw O'Cinneide on the Sunday Game panel I thought that we would get a good synopsis for MOTM. However the leading contenders, in order IMO, Scanlon and Galvin, weren't even nominated. You'd wonder what games these lads were looking at...

[stephenite]

I really hope you're not a big gambler Zulu

[muppet]

Finally, I know there is a thread elsewhere but... what an awful minor match. Horrible - Mayo toothless, Armagh way overrated

[INDIANA]

If you pull somone's jersey in front of the ref like Lynch did - you get penalised. jersey pulling is still a foul.

[botman]

Terrible game yesterday. Error ridden and full of frees. Cork rolled over and didn't put up much of a fight at all.

This Kerry side have to be worst team to win an AI since Armagh in 2002. All the same they won't mind and hearties congratulations to them.

Bit disappointed at people picking up on Tadhg's hit esp the Cork boys who more than gave Tyrone their fill in the SF. If you give it lads, ye have to take it too.

[AZOffaly]

I didn't think it was that bad of a game at all. I thought the first half was great, breathless stuff. In the second I felt Kerry decided to conserve a bit of energy, invite Cork onto them an try and time their bursts when Cork hit a lull. I thought, and said, after the Tyrone game that I had noticed that Cork kicked bad wides (maybe 13) against Tyrone when they felt a bit of pressure, and it came back to haunt them yesterday. Kerry recovered very well from the blitz at the start, with Galvin, Scanlon, Kennelly, Tomás and Declan O'Sullivan getting on a lot of ball. O'Sullivan was like an orchestra conducter there for about 15-20 minutes. He never wasted a ball and was directly involved in 4 or 5 Kerry scores. Kennelly took Canty out of his comfort zone. Miskella switching back on Declan, coupled with Kerry's approach in the second half, quietened him a bit, but Miskella's contribution to this Cork team is surging forward, and the fact he couldn't really do that was a big blow. Likewise Noel O'Leary on Galvin and Canty on Kennelly. That was the winning of the game for me.

Cork's wides will haunt them, but that wasn't unexpected. They are still a formidable team, but they need to develop that unwavering focus when a game is in the melting pot. Kerry have panicked a couple of times against Tyrone in the past, but other than that they are ice. Cork need to learn from that and realise that you can hang in and tick over and the chances will come again. Then you must take them.

All in all, a great win for Kerry, and I'm delighted for them. They stuck around, rode their luck, and then made it pay. That's all you can hope for. Kennelly's interview afterwards was tough to watch, you really felt for the lad, but I'm delighted for him and his family.

The turf is saved, God is in his heaven, and Sam is in the Kingdom. Plus ca change.

[AZOffaly]

Terrible game yesterday. Error ridden and full of frees. Cork rolled over and didn't put up much of a fight at all.

This Kerry side have to be worst team to win an AI since Armagh in 2002. All the same they won't mind and hearties congratulations to them.

Bit disappointed at people picking up on Tadhg's hit esp the Cork boys who more than gave Tyrone their fill in the SF. If you give it lads, ye have to take it too.

That could be a contender for crazy post of the year. This Kerry team, or the bones of it, have been in 8 All Irelands in 10 years, and won 5 of them. Tyrone are a definite bogey team/have their number/are in their heads but apart from that, this team is probably one of the *best* teams that have won All Irelands.

[johnpower]

Sweet so sweet . Especially after last year and all the media bashing earlier in the season . It was a tight game where experience really mattered . I must acknowledge that Tadhgs challenge was reckless and he was lucky the ref did not see it properly . Cork will no doubt be dissappointed but we were in the same position 12 months ago and came back .

I am delighted for all the team and mgt involved . If you run through the team in every line there are real hero's . Tommy Griffen and Tom in the full back line and of course Marx especially the great block on O Connor at a crucial time in the match . In the Half back line Tomasc 2 top class points and of course Mike Mac . That Castleisland soccer must be at some high level .

In mid field Dara kept plugging away and  really was more of a team player yesterday and course Scanlon the engine of the team .

For the forwards the amount of work that the half forward line got through was immense they kept running and hassling the Cork half back line .

Jack pulled a master stroke in putting Declan at the edge of the square (helped by Corks choice of replacement for the unfortunate Carey ) . Gooch was not at the peak of his game but big Tommy was excellent especially the last 2 crucial scores .

Thanks lads enjoy the break