KERRY'S DRAWN semi-final with Cork at the weekend broke new ground for this year's All-Ireland football series.

According to match statistics provided by one of the championship sponsors, Vodafone, Kerry set a possession record for a team which did not win a match.

During Sunday's match, which featured an extraordinary closing sequence from Cork of 2-2 in the last five minutes, defending All-Ireland champions Kerry won 56 per cent of possession but ended up with no more than a replay.

Whereas it's not unusual for teams winning a minority of possession to win matches, the disparity between Cork and Kerry at the weekend was the most pronounced of the All-Ireland senior football championship to date in the case of a match without a winner, and just slightly less decisive than Kerry's previous match against Galway when the champions won 56.94 per cent of possession and won comfortably by five points.

This economy of effort isn't a new phenomenon for Cork who beat Kildare in the quarter-finals despite breaking less than even in terms of possession.

At least Kerry managed to survive the afternoon, avoiding the experience of Fermanagh, who lost last month's Ulster final despite winning the possession count 55.78/44.22 against Armagh.

Apparently, it's not all about possession . . .

(percentage possession in brackets)

2008 All-Ireland Quarter-finals

Wexford (52.64%)1-14 Armagh (47.36%)0-12

Kerry (56.94%)1-21 Galway (43.06%)1-16

Cork (48.63%)2-11 Kildare (51.37%)1-11

Tyrone (52%)3-14 Dublin (48%) 1-8

2008 All-Ireland Semi-final

Kerry (56%)1-13 Cork (44%)3-7