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Cork breeze into final

NFL DIVISION TWO: Cork 0-19 Armagh 1-7

Mon Apr 13 2009 - 01:00

NFL DIVISION TWO:Cork 0-19 Armagh 1-7

CORK DEMOLISHED a weak Armagh challenge at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday to claim a place in the National Football League Division Two final. The Rebels needed to win and hope other results went their way to be assured of a place in the decider.

Kildare’s draw with Meath meant the Rebels finished a point clear, though they enjoyed a superior points difference, too, to set-up a rematch with Monaghan.

Apart from a brief spell in the opening quarter, when Armagh tacked on three points to draw level, Cork were always in control.

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They dominated midfield, watched by a crowd of just over 2,000, many from the Ulster county, though it was the pace of Paul Kerrigan which caused most of Armagh’s problems.

He was the outstanding figure, finishing with a game-high five points, but also contributing to other scores as the visitors couldn’t cope with his speed.

CORK:A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, A Lynch; N O'Leary, G Canty (capt), G Spillane; A O'Connor (0-1), N Murphy (0-1); P O'Flynn (0-1), P Kerrigan (0-5), P Kelly (0-1); J Masters (0-1), D O'Connor (0-2, one free), D Goulding (0-3). Subs: B O'Regan for O'Leary (yellow, 16 mins), J Hayes (0-4, one free) for D O'Connor (yellow, 37 mins), F Goold for A O'Connor (63 mins), A Ó hAilpín for Masters (68 mins).

ARMAGH:P Hearty; A Mellon, B Donaghy, B Shannon; A Kernan, C McKeever (capt), T McClelland; K Toner, J Lavery; T Kernan (0-3, free, 45), A O'Rourke, B Mallon (0-2); S McDonnell (1-2, two frees), J Feeney, R Clarke. Subs: JP Donnelly for McClelland (26 mins), K O'Rourke for O'Rourke (yellow, 37 mins), V Martin for Lavery (52 mins), S Kernan for Feeney (53 mins), F Moriarty for Shannon (62 mins), R Henderson for Clarke (65 mins) Referee: M Deegan (Laois).

Meanwhile, Morris came to Wexford’s rescue with a levelling point one minute into additional time to salvage a draw. Fermanagh played all the football through the opening 35 minutes, but Wexford showed more battling qualities in the second half. Two fine Adrian Morrissey points inspired a string of home scores, but Fermanagh rallied back and it ended 0-16 to 2-10.

WEXFORD:G Morris; N Murphy (0-1), P Wallace, B Malone; G Molloy (0-1), D Murphy, C Morris (0-1); D Bradley, D Fogarty; A Morrissey (0-3, one free), S Roche (0-3), K Kennedy; C Lyng (0-4, frees), D Kinsella, PJ Banville (0-3). Subs: C Byrne for Kennedy, A Flynn for Kinsella (both 51 mins), A Doyle for Molloy (56 mins), D Carter for Murphy, C Deely for Bradley (68 mins). FERMANAGH: C Breen; N Bogue, S Lyons, M Jones (0-1); P Johnston, H Brady, T McElroy; R Carson (1-3, two frees), J Sherry; M Little (0-1), S McDermott, P Cadden; R Keenan (0-2), P Sherry, D Keenan (1-3, 1-0 pen, three frees). Subs: E Ferris for Cadden (47 mins); L McBarron for P Sherry (54 mins), S Goan for Bogue (56 mins), D McQuaid for McDermott (66 mins).

Referee:S Carroll (Westmeath).