Cork keep promotion hopes on track with dominant first half against meek Offaly

NFL Division Two: Offaly 0-19 (0-2-15) Cork 3-15 (3-0-15)

Cork footballers continue to quietly nudge themselves into the promotion conversation in advance of their backloaded league schedule. The Rebels brushed Offaly aside with relative ease in Tullamore on Sunday.

John Cleary’s side have now won three games out of three. That feat is somewhat tempered by the distinct possibility of a looming relegation battle between the three sides Cork have overcome.

The walls certainly appear to be closing in on Offaly, who left themselves with far too much to do at the midway point on Sunday.

The Faithful County had a decent breeze at their backs in the opening half, as evidenced by Cormac Egan and Keith O’Neill sending over elegant two-pointers. However, they only raised two more flags in the opening 35 minutes while Cork were effectively home and hosed with 2-9 on the board.

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At either end of the first half, Colm O’Callaghan picked up a pass from Chris Óg Jones and blasted the ball past Conor Melia. Seán McDonnell came close to adding to the goal tally when his powerful effort came back off the woodwork.

Cork's Paul Walsh shrugs off the challenge of Offaly's Aaron Leavy during Sunday's National Football League Division Two match at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, Co Offaly. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

The Rebels were patient and controlled in that opening half, winning plenty of possession and starving the Offaly attack of opportunities.

Offaly started the second half brightly when Harry Plunkett kicked one of his eight points. However, a Steven Sherlock point was then followed by a goal from Mark Cronin – giving the visitors a 3-10 to 0-7 lead with 39 minutes played.

Instead of powering on, a black card for Rory Maguire stalled Cork’s momentum and Offaly had the better of the final 20 minutes. The home team landed the last three points of the game as they tried to generate some positivity in advance of daunting trips to Omagh and Derry in the next fortnight.

OFFALY: C Melia; S O’Toole-Greene, D Dempsey, D McDaid (0-1); C Egan (0-3, 1tp), D Egan, R Egan; J McEvoy, A Leavy; M Dalton, J Hayes (0-1), K O’Neill (0-5, 1tp); H Plunkett (0-8, 4f), C Murphy, E Sawyer. Subs: N Furlong (0-1) for E Sawyer (h-t), D Flynn for C Murphy (46), E Dunne for M Dalton (52), D Molloy for A Leavy (64).

CORK: P Doyle; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, S Meehan; M Taylor, R Maguire, L Fahy; C O’Callaghan (2-1), I Maguire; P Walsh, D Sheedy (0-1), S McDonnell (0-1); S Sherlock (0-5, 2f), C Óg Jones (0-2), M Cronin (1-4, 1f). Subs: R Deane for P Walsh (46), S Walsh (0-1) for I Maguire (51), C O’Mahony for C Óg Jones (52), MA Martin for P Doyle (59), C Cahalane for S McDonnell (66).

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary).