Cork 1-14 Kerry 1-15(after extra-time): It's back to the drawing board for Cork and Conor Counihan after Kerry prevailed in the latest meeting of these Munster rivals. It may have taken extra-time to separate the sides, and only then by a point, but this will be a bitter pill for the Leesiders to swallow.
While Kerry can now look forward to a big day out in the Munster final, Cork must prepare for the highways and byways of the qualifiers. And, as was the case in Killarney last weekend, the fact they allowed a winning position to slip away will be particularly galling.
First to the breaking ball in the opening 30 minutes, with Kerry still stuck in neutral, Cork set about their task impressively. Daniel Goulding grabbed the opening goal of the game, guiding home a loose ball after Brendan Kealy spilled possession, as Cork raced into a 1-5 to 0-3 lead.
Kerry, for once, lacked direction. The introduction of Paul Galvin minutes changed all that, with the talisman grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck.
Kieran Donaghy found the net within two minutes of the restart as Kerry, with Galvin directing proceedings, began to find the space they craved. Nevertheless, Cork were prepared to stand and trade blows and still led by three entering the final quarter.
But the scores were drying up and Kerry, not prepared to accept defeat, were soon level.
Ciaran Sheehan, with a clever point over his shoulder, then looked to have sealed the win for Cork only for Marc O’Se, racing forward from corner back, forced extra time with a stunning point.
Their resolve broken, Cork looked a beaten side thereafter. Colm Cooper grabbed a couple of scores, and might have had a couple more, while substitute Barry John Keane was also on target as Kerry advance to a July 4th decider with Limerick.
Elsewhere, Meath and Laois will have to do it all again next Saturday after extra-time failed to separate them at Croke Park, the match finishing 2-13 to 1-16.