WHEN history knocked, Kerry greeted it with the warmest welcome, while Cork cowered in the corner as if hopelessly intimidated by the extent of the challenge involved in the first ever All-Ireland football final between Munster's greatest rivals.

It could have been the best day in the history of Cork football, but instead it turned into an embarrassing shambles as they gifted Kerry three goals which made life so easy for the defending champions that they had the 35th All-Ireland crown safely secured eight minutes into the second-half, by which time they led by 2-10 to 0-6.

Respectability was the sole prize on offer to Cork at that stage and even that was hoisted way beyond their pitiful orbit when Kieran Donaghy booted home Kerry's third goal in the 48th minute.

Cork substitute Daniel Goulding battled gamely in an effort to make some inroads on Kerry's dominance, scoring 1-1 in a final quarter that saw the stadium emptying rapidly as the public filed out in a state of total bewilderment. However, it was no more than a token punch in a fight that had long since been lost.

Cork had arrived in their first All-Ireland final since 1999 with a reputation for a tight defensive alignment, but left with nothing but bitter memories of how they handed Kerry the title without even making them fight for it.

We'll never know how much Kerry had in reserve because they weren't required to find out as Cork proceeded to make defensive errors that would make juveniles blush with embarrassment.

Goalkeeper Alan Quirke, corner-backs Michael Shields and Kieran O'Connor and centre-back Ger Spillane will all be helping with enquiries as to how Kerry came to score three of the easiest goals imaginable. Quirke is at least five inches taller than Colm Cooper yet the 'Gooch' managed to beat him and Shields under a high ball in the 17th minute. His deft flick left the ball nestling in the net in what was the first major break of the day.

Thirty seconds into the second-half, Spillane dithered as he drifted dangerously close to his own goal and Donaghy managed to dispossess him before hitting the empty net as Quirke dashed back. And there was worse to come for Cork in the 48th minute when Quirke and Shields got their calls wrong under another high ball and Donaghy pounced again, booting the ball to the net.

Kingdom come

Kerry had come prepared for anything in their attempt to become the first team since 1990 to retain the title, only to find Cork so defensively chaotic that even a far less potent strike force than 'Gooch' and Co. would also have had a field day. 'Gooch' turned in another of those magical performances that Kerry have come to expect of him, scoring 1-3 from play and adding two more points from frees.

There is no more delightful sight in football than the 'Gooch' in full flow. His touch and timing are so precise that he's virtually unmarkable when the game is going his way which, unfortunately for Cork, was most of yesterday. Cork hadn't conceded a goal in any of their last three games but then they hadn't met such a seriously productive attack as they encountered yesterday.

Cooper had O'Connor in serious trouble from the start, prompting Billy Morgan to despatch Graham Canty to emergency duty as a corner-back but that didn't work either as 'Gooch' continued on his marauding way. If anything, it weakened the Cork defence as Donaghy's influence increased once he escaped the Canty patrol.

While Kerry's three goals turned the game into a one-sided rout, it's highly likely that they would have won without them too for the simple reason that the Cork attack was a barren wasteland. The starting six, three of whom were replaced, scored just 0-2 from play between them which is a shocking indictment of the All-Ireland contenders.

Michael Cussen made a modest impression but the rest were anonymous against a tigerish Kerry defence where all six played well at various time. Cork subs Goulding and Fintan Gould made a decent impression from limited possession in the second-half, but with the result a formality by then, the Kerry defence could be forgiven for the occasional lapse in concentration.

Midfielders Darragh O Se and Seamus Scanlon became increasingly assertive as the game progressed, sentencing Nicholas Murphy and Derek Kavanagh to another frustrating afternoon in Croke Park. Cork needed Murphy and Kavanagh to establish a decent platform and while they did well enough in the first-half, they faded alarmingly from there on.

A free-ridden first-half (36 in all) saw the sides level on 0-3 each after 15 minutes during which both sides were guilty of an unusual number of mistakes. Possession was frequently given away amid edgy exchanges where referee David Coldrick punished even the most minor indiscretions although Donaghy was rightfully furious when his marker wasn't penalised after tugging his jersey as he pulled the trigger in the 24th minute. Donaghy's shot flew wide, which was a let-off for Cork who were four points adrift at that stage.

Cussen kicked Cork's first -- and only -- point from play in the first half after 27 minutes, but after losing the territorial battle they must have been reasonably pleased to be just three points adrift -- 1-6 to 0-6 -- at half-time. All the more so, since Kerry had missed some good chances, having kicked seven wides and dropped the ball short on at least three occasions.

Reaction

The opening 10 minutes of the second-half were always going to be crucial. No doubt Cork had planned a big surge but it never materialised after the disastrous start. They were hit for 1-4 in eight minutes, leaving them with an impossible challenge against an experienced Kerry team that were appearing in their fourth successive All-Ireland final.

Cork's reaction to the overwhelming odds took on a very resigned look and while Goulding sliced through to angle home a goal in the 53rd minute it was never going to the catalyst for a meaningful recovery as Kerry set about protecting their big advantage. They saw it through comfortably to the end, picking up their fourth title this decade and leaving Cork with the inescapable reality that, however spirited their challenge is in Munster, they simply can't match Kerry in Croke Park. And certainly not when they hand the easiest of chances to 'Gooch', Donaghy and Co.

Game at a glance

Man of the match:

Colm Cooper

He was favourite to win the award and he delivered in the style that Kerry have come to expect of him, scoring 1-3 from play and adding two points from frees. The Gooch's genius broke Cork hearts all through the game.

Turning Point:

Whatever strategy Cork devised at half-time became utterly irrelevant in the first minute of the second-half when Ger Spillane gifted Kerry's second goal to Kieran Donaghy. Suddenly Cork were six points adrift and effectively out of contention.

Talking Point:

How come a Cork defence which hadn't conceded a goal in their last three games collapsed so disastrously, handing Kerry three goals, all of which should have been avoided.

They said:

Pat O'Shea (Kerry manager): "This was a great team effort. Kerry have been in the last four All-Ireland finals and have won three of them. It is what Kerry are all about. We are proud of where we come from and we like to show that on the football field."

Derek Kavanagh (Cork captain): "You're only as good as your last game, but I don't think we're as bad a team as that."

John Corcoran (Cork selector): "We never got out of the blocks, the first goal was going to decide this game and Kerry got it and after that we were playing catch-up."

Attendance:

82,126

Match Statistics:

Wides: Cork 6 (2); Kerry 13 (6)

Frees: Cork 32 (17); Kerry 26 (19)

Yellow Cards: Cork 3 (D Kavanagh 55, M Shields 60, K O'Connor 71); Kerry 6 (P Reidy 45, P Galvin 55, D O Se 56, K Donaghy 62, S Scanlon 69, Darren O'Sullivan 71)

Red Cards: Cork 0; Kerry 0.

Scorers: Kerry: C Cooper 1-5 (0-2f), K Donaghy 2-0; B Sheehan 0-2 (2f), A O'Mahony, P Galvin, T O Se, S Scanlon, Declan O'Sullivan, S O'Sullivan 0-1 each.

Cork: D Goulding 1-1, D O'Connor 0-4 (3f), J Masters 0-3 (3f), M Cussen 0-1.

Kerry: D Murphy; M O Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; A O'Mahony, T O Se, K Young; D O Se, S Scanlon; P Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan, E Brosnan; C Cooper, K Donaghy, B Sheehan. Subs: S O'Sullivan for Galvin (57), Darren O'Sullivan for Brosnan (63), T Griffin for Young (65), MF Russell for Sheehan (66), M Lyons for Reidy (70).

Cork: A Quirke; M Shields, G Canty, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, J Miskella; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; C McCarthy, P O'Neill, K McMahon; J Masters, M Cussen, D O'Connor. Subs: D Goulding for Masters (ht), A Lynch for Miskella (41), F Gould for McMahon (41), K O'Sullivan for McCarthy (46).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath)

- Martin Breheny