When Fermanagh managed to terminate Monaghan's interest in the destination of the Ulster title while the competition was still in its infancy, we all thought that it might just prove a slight deviation from the norm.

But when Wicklow tamed Kildare and then when Wexford proved the masters of Laois, what had initially been a trickle of upsets was transformed into a flow.

Nothing, though, quite compares to the sobering experience which proud All Ireland champions Kerry suffered at the hands of Cork last Sunday.

Leading by 1-8 to 0-3 at the interval, Kerry were home and hosed as far we were all concerned.

The second half, everyone justifiably thought, would prove a formality with Kerry already preparing for their ritual straightforward entry directly into the All Ireland quarter-finals.

But Cork had other ideas and quickly put them into practice, chiefly through the efforts of their revitalised midfield and the enormous contribution of Michael Cussen who was drafted in at full-forward to facilitate a route one policy very much at variance with Cork's feeble first-half tactics which had merely brought them to the verge of collapse.

My good friend Pat Spillane, colourful host of RTE's 'The Sunday Game', has been known to extol the virtues of a Plan B - always assuming there is one, of course,

Well, Cork certainly had a Plan B that was better than any Plan A they have served up for a long time!

Cussen, revelling in a diet of quality possession, eventually brought Kerry to their knees, his 50th minute goal the real killer blow.

The fact that Kerry had brothers Marc and Dara O Se sent off merely rubbed salt into their considerable wounds although there would appear to be sympathy for both in relation to the circumstances surrounding their dismissals.

Dara has been the anchor of the Kerry side for so long now and his input has been tremendous.

Cork's Nicholas Murphy had earlier been banished following a high challenge and his exit was viewed at the time as the final nail in Cork's coffin.

It was nothing of the sort, of course.The Leesiders merely stepped up their work-rate around the middle, repeatedly found Cussen with a succession of 'garryowens' and his lay-offs and flicks led to a string of scores.

What a pity, though that Graham Canty, such an inspirational figure in the red jersey for so many years, had to limp out of the action with an injured knee.

I sincerely hope that this will not impact on his future participation in the Championship.

Cork teams have had a habit of shooting themselves in the foot and doubtless all Cork followers woke up on Monday morning reflecting on the fact that had their side produced anything like this second-half display in last year's All Ireland final, an embarrassment would have been avoided.