BY GERARD BROWNE
Mickey Quinn compared Peter Keane’s facial expression to that of “Bishop Brennan being kicked up the arse” after Cork knocked Kerry out of the championship.
Substitute Mark Keane scored a goal with the last kick of the game to stun both Keane and Kerry. The win 1-12 to 0-13 victory sends the Rebels into a Munster final against Tipperary.
Like many people, the Longford footballer was in shock after the game.
“I was just sitting back and waiting for it to sink in that Kerry were out,” a surprised Quinn remarks.
“Kerry had their chances, easy enough chances for players of their calibre.
“Sometimes on a day like that, things don’t go your way.”
It was a scrappy game in difficult conditions and there was never more then a kick of the ball between the two sides.
The ex-AFL player felt Ronan McCarthy’s charges showed better composure on the ball then their opponents.
“It was that patience not to snap at chances. Cork took their time when in possession,” Quinn adds.
“Cork’s last two scores came from David Moran’s shots that dropped short and that goes back to my earlier point about patience.
“Luke Connolly kicked massive frees. He was a big turning point when he came on, with what he offered in general.”
Defeat for the Kingdom means it will be six years now without getting their hands on the Sam Maguire Cup.
With a young panel, Quinn is confident they will still be main contenders in the years to come.
“Dublin has been the team they are trying to chase but with this defeat, it might change how they look at things,” he comments.
“They might become more ruthless in certain games and certain players will step up.”
The conveyor belt of forward options continued yesterday with Ronan Buckley making his championship debut and Tony Brosnan starting for the first time.
Two-time All Star Paul Geaney didn’t feature yesterday and the Killoe man can’t overstate his value to Keane’s side.
“He can offer something that the other forwards can’t,” Quinn claims.
“He can provide assists, bring other players into the game and he has great aerial ability.
On a day like yesterday with the conditions, there was a lot to be said for having a big man around the square”.
