Cork overcome Savage defence

Division One B/Cork 1-19 Down 0-11: All-Ireland champions Cork travelled to the Ards as much on a goodwill visit as seeking league points. The goodwill part they easily fulfilled, the players conducting coaching sessions all over the county on Saturday.

The points were more problematic. An enthusiastic Down led 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time in Ballycran, thanks to the accurate shooting of Martin Coulter and Gareth Johnson and, most of all, to the inspired play of veteran defender Gary Savage.

Savage was the best hurler on the field in that first half, so his loss with a hamstring injury a minute into the second half was a cruel blow for Down, and Cork took full advantage.

Wing forward Neil Ronan was the chief beneficiary, posting 0-11 over the 70 minutes, including 0-3 from play. But even though Cork scored 13 of their points without reply, their goalkeeper Martin Coleman had to make three great saves in the second half from Jonathan McCusker, Martin Coulter and Stephen Clarke.

Cork's goal arrived in ironic circumstances in the last minute: with Graham Clarke off with a blood injury, Brian Corcoran dispossessed a naive Down defender and shot past substitute goalkeeper Richie Murray.

Brian Murphy, Peter Kelly, John Gardiner, Neil Ronan and Garvan McCarthy impressed for Cork, but the real heroes were to be found on the Down side, in particular Gary Savage, Andrew Bell, Andy Savage, Martin Coulter, Gareth Johnston and McCusker.

DOWN: Graham Clarke; A Bell, S Murray, P Hughes; Gabriel Clarke, G Savage, J Doherty; S Wilson (0-3), A Savage; J McCusker (0-1), G Johnson (0-2), E Trainor; S Clarke, M Coulter (0-5), E Clarke. Subs: B McGroarty for G Savage; C Coulter for Gabriel Clarke; D Flynn for E Trainor; R Murray for Graham Clarke.

CORK: M Coleman; J Browne, C O'Connor, B Murphy; P Kelly (0-2), J Gardiner, K Hartnett; G Callinan, R McGregor (0-1); G McCarthy (0-1), P Tierney, N Ronan (0-11); J Bowles (0-1), B Corcoran (1-0), K Murphy (0-2). Subs: J O'Callaghan (0-1) for P Tierney; J Barrett for P Kelly; S O'Neill for G Callinan.

Referee: G Devlin (Armagh).