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'It's fairytale stuff' | Cork's Ronan McCarthy on cloud nine after stunning win over Kerry

One kick ended Kerry's 2020 All-Ireland hopes this evening as Cork knocked their neighbours out o...



'It's fairytale stuff' | Cork'...
Football

'It's fairytale stuff' | Cork's Ronan McCarthy on cloud nine after stunning win over Kerry

One kick ended Kerry's 2020 All-Ireland hopes this evening as Cork knocked their neighbours out of the Munster Senior Football Championship.

The Rebels beat the Kingdom on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-13 after extra-time at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the provincial semi-final.

Mark Keane found the back of the net for Cork on his championship debut with the last kick of the game in the most dramatic of fashion to dump Sam Maguire hopefuls Kerry out.

Manager Ronan McCarthy heaped praise on his side speaking to OTB Sports at full time,

"We're delighted for the group of players. They're a group that have been through a lot over the last two and a half years and have come a long journey.

"They got their just rewards today, you don't always in these type of games but they got it today and I think it was merited.

"I think the way they hung in when we were behind a number of times in the match, it's a brilliant way to win a match because it shows the heart in the group and they kept fighting until the end, that's all you ever ask of a team."

The win came eight years after Cork's last success over Kerry in a senior championship game and they had been completely written off before throw-in.

McCarthy though felt his side were in a good place going into the game, even with a number of his players making their senior championship debuts.

"You look at a fella like Sean Powter, who hasn't played for Cork for three years and he was just sensational today and he's just a brilliant player.

"We were in a healthy state from the point of view of team selection, real depth in the panel and we felt we were in a good place.

"But look, we could have lost the game as well and these are the very fine margins that you have in games, big teams in matches like that - Kerry are an exceptional side and it's a big statement from us to beat them."

McCarthy also hailed the hero of the night Mark Keane, who came on in the second half of normal time and fired home the winning goal in the 91st minute.

The 20-year-old Mitchelstown clubman made his AFL debut for Collingwood in August but came into the Cork panel when he returned to Ireland in the autumn.

"Mark wanted to play first of all and was very eager to play.

"We sought permission from Collingwood for him to play and we got it and we're very grateful to them for it.

"He's home about six weeks but obviously couldn't do anything for the first two because he had to self-isolate so he's been in for about four weeks but that's really all we've had the players for anyways because of the club championship.

"He's been a great addition to us, he's added strength and depth to the panel and it's kind of fairytale stuff the way it ended - who could have predicted it?"

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Cork GAA Mark Keane Munster Senior Football Championship Pairc Ui Chaoimh