Cork pull away late on and leave Offaly in their wake

Cork 1-22 Offaly 1-11:CORK INCREASED the tempo significantly in the second half to run out convincing winners in front of a crowd of 3,638 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

The tie was still in the balance after Shane Dooley goaled for the visitors 12 minutes from the end of regulation time, cutting Cork’s lead to just a two-point gap, 0-15 to 1-10.

But, the home side pulled away again in the closing stages, boosted by Aisake Ó hAilpín’s opportunist goal four minutes later, when he poked the ball in one-handed after, initially, failing to hold John Gardiner’s long delivery.

Offaly collapsed thereafter as Cork piled on the scores with new captain Kieran Murphy, Patrick Horgan, Gardiner and substitute Michael Cussen finding the range to give their team an encouraging start to the campaign.

The sides were level six times in an uneventful opening half during which Conor Mahon wasted the only goalscoring opportunity, when shooting weakly at Donal Óg Cusack, who saved easily in the 16th minute.

Cork managed to open up a three-point advantage 10 minutes later as the free-taking of Gardiner and Horgan punished Offaly, but they responded impressively with Shane Dooley unerring in his free-taking to leave it tied at 0-9 apiece at the break.

However, Cork were a different proposition on the resumption as they injected new life into their performance, inspired by brilliant corner-backs Shane O’Neill and Shane Murphy, while Gardiner revelled in his new midfield role.

They hit Offaly for five unanswered points in the opening nine minutes, the sequence completed by a superb score from newcomer Mark O’Sullivan way out near the left touchline.

The visitors were in danger of being overwhelmed, but they steadied once again and the much-needed goal eventually came after Ger Healion missed a great opportunity before Cusack batted away Brian Carroll’s probing ball only for Dooley to dispatch it to the net with aplomb.

Any hopes of an Offaly revival disappeared almost immediately, though, with Aisake Ó hAilpín’s opportunist goal and Cork ran riot in the remaining time.

CORK:D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, D Cunningham, S Murphy; B Murphy, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; J Gardiner (0-5, four from frees), T Kenny; L McLoughlin, M O'Sullivan (0-1), N McCarthy (0-2); K Murphy (0-5), A Ó hAilpín (1-0), P Horgan (0-8, five from frees). Subs:E Cadogan for Cunningham injured half-time, C McCarthy for O'Sullivan 52 mins, M Cussen (0-1) for N McCarthy 61 mins, F O'Leary for McLoughlin 62 mins, R Ryan for S Óg Ó hAilpín (69 mins).

OFFALY:E Kelly; J Rigney, P Cleary, D Kenny; D Hayden, G Oakley, D Morkan; D Horan, R Hanniffy; B Carroll (0-1), C Mahon (0-1), C Parlon (0-1); J Bergin, G Healion, S Dooley (1-8, five from frees, one from '65). Subs:K Brady for Oakley (46 mins), D Molloy for Carroll (64 mins), D Currams for Parlon (65 mins).

Referee:M Wadding (Waterford).