Kerry won their 81st Munster Senior Football Championship title this evening, making it seven on the trot.
It's Peter Keane's first piece of silverware as manager. He said before the game that a win was a win and he didn't care about the score-line as long as his side came out on the right side of it.
Kerry were hot favorites going into this. The talk was not who'd win but rather the margin of victory the Kingdom would enjoy.
It looked like it was going to be a standard day at the office for Kerry in the first half. After 13 minutes they led 1-2 to no score as Dingle's Tom O'Sullivan found the back of the net for his first ever championship goal. It felt as if we were in for a repeat of last year's 17 point hammering at the break as Kerry held a 1-10 to 1-4 advantage.
Cork had other ideas, it seemed.
To say this was a game of two halves is an understatement as a Cork side with a rocket under them emerged from the dressing room.
In the 38th minute Killian O'Hanlon was taken down in the square and Luke Connolly netted the rewarded penalty; game changer.
Brian Hurley added another for Cork and the Rebels sent over impressive points and suddenly with 47 minutes on the clock the game was level. Kerry were then reduced to 14 men after Paul Geaney was sent off and a shock looked to be on.
Ultimately though Kerry's class up front shone and they held on and prevailed 1-19 to 3-10 winners.
Peter Keane said the score wouldn't concern him, but surely conceding 3 goals will. Cork ripped through the Kingdom defence on numerous other occasions and you can't help but wonder against tougher opposition in the Super 8's will these Kerry backs be caught out even more?
For now, Kerry book their spot in the quarter-final system and will find out tomorrow which Ulster side will join them in that grouping.
As for Cork, they'll head into the qualifier draw with a renewed sense of optimism.
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