Kerry 2-15
Cork 3-12
A late point from Fionn Fitzgerald means that both sides will have to do it all again in a fortnight's time after an enthralling encounter in the Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kerry enjoyed home comforts in Killarney but had to endure a tricky afternoon against a plucky Cork side.
Colm Cooper only made the bench, with Éamonn Fitzmaurice confident that his players could do the job without their iconic forward.
But even the best laid plans oft go awry.
Within 10 minutes, Cork were leading by four points, an early score and a Colm O'Niell goal sent shock waves through the Kerry team, who responded with gusto.
Scores from Bryan Sheehan and a defensive error that afforded Kieran Donaghy a oppourtunistic goal, brought Kerry to life and they commanded the remainder of the first half, leading by 1-09 to 1-05 at the interval.
The break did benefit Cork, who regrouped and returned to the field a team transformed.
Donncha O'Connor flicked the ball over Brendan Kealy in the opening five minutes of the half and with Cork putting in 1-05 in the opening 10 minutes, Kerry could only muster a solitary point.
Referee Padraic Hughes then threw Kerry a lifeline when a he awarded a controversial penalty and James Donoghue made no mistake from the spot.
With time ticking down and Kerry clinging to the most narrow of leads, it was Barry O'Driscoll who scored the fifth and final goal of the afternoon, giving Cork a one-point advantage.
But Fitzgerald popped up with the final kick of the game to ensure that the two sides would meet again in two weeks time, in Fitzgerald Stadium again.
Scorers for Kerry: James O’Donoghue 1-2 (1-0 pen), Bryan Sheehan 0-4 (0-3f), Barry John Keane 0-3 (0-1f), Kieran Donaghy 1-0, Fionn Fitzgerald, Johnny Buckley, Donnchadh Walsh, Colm Cooper, Anthony Maher, Michael Geaney 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Colm O’Neill 1-6 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Donncha O’Connor 1-3 (0-1f), Barry O’Driscoll 1-1, Kevin O’Driscoll 0-2.
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