Kerry turned in a superb second-half performance to overwhelm Cork and make it five in a row Munster titles in this grade at wind-swept Austin Stack Park last evening.

Kerry played with the strong gale in the first half and when they led by just 1-3 to 0-5 at the break, the omens looked bad for them. However, led by the magnificent Tomas O Se from centre back and his Gaeltacht team-mate Aodain MacGearailt up front, they brushed the Cork challenge aside.

Cork led by 0-4 to 0-1 after 20 minutes but the game turned in the 24th minute when a slick move involving Paul Galvin and Tadhg Kennelly set up MacGearailt, who found the net with a superb shot. The second half saw Kerry dominate in all quarters as Cork faded against hungrier opponents.

Kerry: K Cremin; Stephen O'Sullivan, Tom O'Sullivan, E Galvin; S Hegarty, T O Se, P Galvin; T Griffin, J Sugrue (0-1); N Kennelly (0-2), A MacGearailt (1-4), T Kennelly (0-1); Sean O'Sullivan, L Murphy (0-1), I Twiss (0-1).

Cork: P Morris; G Canty, W Sherlock, K O'Connor; M Prendergast, A O'Connor, J Miskella; N Murphy, T O hAilpin; B O'Sullivan, B J O'Sullivan (0-2), T Deasy, P Clifford, J Canty (0-1), F Murray (0-4). Subs: B Healy for Brian O'Sullivan, Sean O'Brien for K O'Connor, R Honohan for P Clifford.

Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).