Cork 3-17 Down 0-15
Fintan O'Toole, Páirc ui Rinn
CORK maintained their hopes of retaining their Division 1 crown after they cruised to a comfortable success over Down in tonight’s Allianz Football League tie in Páirc Ui Rinn. In a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland decider, Conor Counihan’s charges produced a dominant second-half display to run out eleven-point winners and consign Down to their first league defeat of this campaign. Down were very much in the hunt for honours at the interval when they trailed 1-9 to 0-10 but Cork pulled clear in the closing stages with goals by Colm O’Neill and Patrick Kelly enabling them to create an unassailable advantage.
In an engaging first-half, it was Down who began brightly with Ronan Murtagh and Mark Poland posting points inside the opening two minutes. But Cork’s response was impressive and lead by corner-forward Daniel Goulding, who was in outstanding form in the first-half as he kicked 0-7, they surged back into contention. Goulding converted a brace of frees before Pearse O’Neill raised the first green flag of the night in the 6th minute. With wing-forward Fintan Goold also to the fore, Cork extended their position to lead 1-4 to 0-3 by the 13th minute.
Down soon settled and they strung together a series of stylish scores. Poland and Murtagh were on target again from play, goalkeeper Cathal Murdock came forward to kick a ’45 over the bar and then a beautiful strike by Marty Clarke tied the match at 1-5 to 0-8 in the 27th minute. Yet it was Goulding who made the greatest impact in the closing moments of the first-half as he continued to find the range from placed balls and also fired over a stunning shot from play. Conor Laverty contributed the final score of the half with a fine injury-time point but Cork remained in the ascendancy at 1-9 to 0-10 at half-time.
Down emerged for the second-half in a determined fashion and quickly set about wiping out Cork’s advantage. Danny Hughes, who sparkled for the Mourne men on the night, half-back Declan Rooney and Clarke were all on target with a good long-range kick by Fintan Goold constituting Cork’s solitary reply. The game was delicately poised at 1-10 to 0-13 in the 45th minute but Cork gradually began to assume control.
Patrick Kelly knocked over a point from a free and then clipped over a shot from play before Goold stormed forward to punch over a score that sent Cork three points to the good. The introduction of U21 star Aidan Walsh gave Cork a firm foothold around midfield, and after Aidan Brannigan had chipped in with a vital point for Down, Walsh lofted over a fantastic score from the left wing in the 54th minute.
Cork were moving well at this juncture and then the match swung critically in their direction in the 58th minute. Noel O’Leary bombed a long ball forward from his defensive berth where Colm O’Neill secured possession before advancing towards goal. He shrugged off the challenge of Dan Gordon and expertly slotted the ball past Cathal Murdock and into the bottom corner of the net.
That strike dashed Down’s hopes of gaining some reward for their trip south and Cork continued to pour forward in the closing stages. Ciaran Sheehan and Conor Garvey exchanged points before substitute David Goold and Sheehan stretched Cork’s lead to 2-17 to 0-15 by the 66th minute. Down were then reduced to 14 men when Aidan Brannigan was sent-off before Cork rounded off a productive night’s work when Patrick Kelly capped a flowing team move with their third goal in the 71st minute.
Scorers for Cork: D Goulding 0-7 (0-5f); P Kelly 1-2 (0-1f); C O’Neill 1-1; F Goold 0-3; P O’Neill 1-0; C Sheehan 0-2; D Goold, A Walsh 0-1 each.
Down: M Poland 0-3 (0-2f); R Murtagh, M Clarke (0-1f) 0-2 each; K McKernan, C Murdock (0-1 45), P Fitzpatrick, C Laverty, D Hughes, D Rooney, A Branagan, C Garvey 0-1 each.
CORK: K O’Halloran; R Carey, M Shields, E Cadogan; N O’Leary, D O’Sullivan, P Kissane; A O’Connor, N Murphy; F Goold, P Kelly, P O’Neill; D Goulding, C O’Neill, C Sheehan. Subs: A Walsh for Murphy (44), S Kiely for O’Sullivan (44), F Lynch for O’Leary (62), D Goold for C O’Neill (63), J Fitzpatrick for A O’Connor (68).
DOWN: C Murdock; G McCartan, D Gordon, L Howard; A Branagan, K McKernan, D Rooney; P Fitzpatrick, K King; D Hughes, M Poland, C Maginn; C Laverty, R Murtagh, M Clarke. Subs: J Colgan for King (44), P McComiskey for Murtagh (44), C Garvey for Howard (48), J Clarke for Laverty (56), A Carr for M Clarke (62).
Referee: D Fahy (Longford).
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/CVfMvmQPYxQ/post.aspx
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