GAELIC GAMES/Cork 3-17 Down 0-15:LEAGUE HOLDERS Cork overwhelmed their All-Ireland final opponents in the closing 20 minutes to inflict a first defeat of the campaign on Down in front of a crowd of 3,174 at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.
The result helped Cork leapfrog the visitors into second place in the table as they remain on course for a third successive league final appearance, having captured the Division Two title in 2009 as well.
Cork outscored the Ulster side 2-4 to 0-1 in that decisive period, Down’s night deteriorating badly with the concession of those two goals and the harsh dismissal of defender Aidan Rooney on a straight red card near the end.
It was a cracking contest played at a hectic pace and it remained in the balance until Cork pounced for their second goal 13 minutes from the finish.
Noel O’Leary’s long ball along the left found Colm O’Neill, who swept past Dan Gordon and Gerald McCartan before slipping the ball calmly past goalkeeper Cathal Murdock to the far corner of the net.
That helped Cork surge 2-14 to 0-14 clear as their greater physique and power began to tell on a fading Down side, who once again struggled to win their own kick-outs.
Alan O’Connor and Nicholas Murphy gave Cork a grip around midfield, supplemented by Fintan Goold and Pearse O’Neill’s ability to mop-up breaking ball, while the introduction of Young Footballer of the Year Aidan Walsh early in the second half only cemented Cork’s dominance.
Down did have a goal by Danny Hughes ruled out for an obvious square infringement shortly after Colm O’Neill’s effort before Cork finished with a flourish, Patrick Kelly completing a brilliant move involving Ciarán Sheehan, Daniel Goulding and substitute David Goold, younger brother of Fintan, in the closing act.
An emphatic 11-point victory appeared remote in the extreme following a magnificent first half, during which Pearse O’Neill’s seventh goal was the decisive score.
It came from O’Connor breaking the ball in midfield for wing-back Paudie Kissane to gather and head directly for the Down posts before setting-up O’Neill, who finished with a low, sliding shot for 1-3 to 0-2.
Down refused to be rattled, however, and the key men in attack, Mark Poland, Marty Clarke and Ronan Murtagh, always looked threatening in possession. Down levelled by the 28th minute, 1-5 and 0-8, and could consider themselves unlucky not to be ahead.
Somehow Cork’s goal survived after Conor Maginn and Conor Laverty went close only to be denied in quick succession by goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran and a defender’s leg for a 45, which Murdock converted.
Yet, Down had no answer to the brilliant Daniel Goulding as he ran riot with an array of points from play and frees before Kelly assumed the role on the resumption.
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 (0-3), P Kelly (1-2, 0-1 free), P O’Neill (1-0); D Goulding (0-7, 0-5 frees), C O’Neill (1-1), C Sheehan (0-2). Subs: A Walsh (0-1) for Murphy and S Kiely for O’Sullivan (43 mins), D Goold (0-1) for O’Neill (63 mins), J Fitzpatrick for O’Connor (67 mins).
DOWN: C Murdock (0-1, 45); G McCartan, D Gordon, L Howard; A Branigan (0-1), K McKernan (0-1), D Rooney (0-1); P Fitzpatrick (0-1), K King; D Hughes (0-1), M Poland (0-3, 0-2 frees), C Maginn; C Lavery (0-1), R Murtagh (0-2), M Clarke (0-2, 0-1 free). Subs: J Colgan for King and P McComiskey for Murtagh (43 mins), C Garvey (0-1) for Howard (46 mins), J Clarke for Laverty (56 mins), A Carr for Clarke (62 mins).
Referee: D Fahy (Longford).
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