Kerry are Munster minor football champions for the first time in three years after grinding out a five-point win against Cork in Tralee on Friday night.
It was nervy at times, with Kerry kept scoreless for the first 16 minutes of the second-half, and Cork drawing level early in the second period.
Wastefulness from Cork when in scoring positions, and the first-half goals from Paddy Lane and Dara Hogan for Kerry, were ultimately the difference in the Kingdom's 2-10 to 0-11 win on home soil.
After the game, Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan praised the resilience of his team - not only on Friday night, but throughout the Munster campaign.
Kerry beat Cork in Munster minor final
In the early stages of the second period, it would have been easy for Kerry's heads to drop.
Having gone in at half-time three points up, Kerry saw their lead clawed away by Cork in the opening ten minutes after half-time. It was halfway through the second period by the time Kerry got their first score after half-time, with Cork having drawn level.
But, credit to Kerry, they would ultimately push on after getting their first score of the second-half, keeping Cork to one score for the remainder of the game and pulling ahead to ultimately win by five points.
It was a huge win for Kerry, with Cork having triumphed in the last two minor finals, and with the Kingdom having lost comfortably against the same opposition in Pairc Uí Chaoímh in May.
Lán Ama
“We've worked really hard, we're a really tight group” 👊
Labhair an bainisteoir buacach, Wayne Quillinan linn i ndiaidh an cluiche.
@Kerry_Official
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/uBB9B4cRi6— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) June 2, 2023
Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan spoke to TG4 at full-time, and praised the strength of his young team in fighting back against so many obstacles - and had a word of praise for the opposition as well:
People say that Cork football isn't going well. You look out there - Cork will always have fight in them, especially when they see the green and gold jerseys.
Call a spade a spade, we got lucky there for the first ten minutes of the second half, Cork kicked four or five wides. We just tried to stay in the game as much we could.
We've said to our lads, down in Pairc Uí Chaoímh we were five down, we were able to respond, we were able to respond to a Cork goal, we were able to respond to a Limerick goal last week.
That's what prides me with the lads. We stick to the game plan, we keep cool heads, we trust what we're about, and we go again.
Both sides now move on to the All-Ireland quarter-finals next week, with Kerry facing Kildare, and Cork facing a daunting test against Leinster champions Dublin.
SEE ALSO: Marc Ó Sé Thinks Tyrone Can 'Catch Out' Flaw In Armagh's Tactical Approach
