Cork and Kerry drew the Munster SFC final in Killarney 3-12 to 2-15 in a contest packed with controversy, a raft of talking points and no shortage of exceptional skill and craftsmanship.

Fionn Fitzgerald, an unlikely source, preserved the Kingdom’s well-documented 20-year unbeaten record against Cork at the venue with a late leveller to force a replay next Saturday week, July 18, also in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Cuthbert was visibly perplexed following the decision of referee Padraig Hughes to award Kerry a crucial second-half penalty.

The general consensus, and as Fitzmaurice later put it, was that “it was a soft penalty by all accounts”.

Mark Collins fouled James O’Donoghue in Hughes’ mind and Kerry were afforded a timely oxygen boost.

O’Donoghue, too, converted the spot-kick and it reinvigorated Kerry at a vital stage in the decider.

“It was no penalty. If anything it was a free out because Mark Collins went for the ball and he got there first,” Cuthbert said. “In Gaelic football when you get there first, and if there’s a collision, normally it’s the guy in control of the ball who gets the advantage. Whereas this time…, look, I better not say anymore because the rules are there but I’m very disappointed (with that decision).”

Nevertheless, Cuthbert, though understandably frustrated to not have closed out the game, was delighted with the performance of his side.

“Disappointed, I thought we had it,” Cuthbert outlined. “But I am absolutely delighted with the way the players played, with the efforts that they made.

“I’m delighted with the spirit and the heart that they showed. There is no such thing as being ‘deserving of winning matches’ but today I felt we did enough to win.

“At the same time, it’s half-time, a level game and we go again.”

The character of Cuthbert’s soldiers has been called into question, of course, by a host of TV pundits such as Tomás Ó Sé and Joe Brolly.

Given how brilliantly Cork played, did such a showing go a way towards quietening the naysayers, particularly in regards to the character questioning?

“I don’t know. Again, these are people’s own opinions. It seems to be that it goes with the territory to be honest.

“It’s happening elsewhere in other counties too that are under pressure, under the spotlight.

“Cork players are not interested in pride in performances though. We were here to win today and will be here to win the replay too.

“Performances alone are not enough for Cork. We want to win.

“I thought Alan O’Connor was outstanding though, Donncha (O’Connor) was outstanding and Paddy Kelly came on and played very, very well.

“Paul (Kerrigan) was also playing really well in his position until he got black-carded and Barry O’Driscoll got 1-1.

“There is a nice balance between youth and experience.

“Look, there is nobody getting carried away.

“We have done nothing. We have no result. We need to go again and win the next day,” he added.

Conversely, Fitzmaurice cut a relieved figure.

By his own admission, Kerry “got out of jail today”.

“We were saying during the week that there has been a lot of draws in this fixture,” Fitzmaurice explained. “So I suppose it’s not a huge surprise that there was another draw here today.

“Definitely, and as has happened other times too, we got out of jail and are happy to be still there.

“The game was so helter-skelter that it is actually difficult to remember all that went on but there is definitely a lot we can improve on (for the replay).

“People saw today what Cork are capable of too.

“The negativity that was around them in the last couple of weeks was astounding.

“We knew, and I was saying it, and maybe sometimes when you are saying these things people think you are trying to be cute or clever, but we knew how difficult it was going to be to beat them.

“We knew we had to be at our best and we weren’t at our best so we’re thankful that we have another cut at it.”

Fitzmaurice also agreed Kerry’s negative defensive statistics this term is becoming an issue.

For example, Cork, in the league and championship encounters against Kerry, have tallied 6-29 in advance of the forthcoming provincial final replay.

However, he stressed there were positives to glean from the outing as well.

“Brendan (Kealy) also made at least two good saves and the goals obviously went in as well so yeah, it is an issue now.

“I’m happy though that we showed character and executed our scores well,” he concluded.