Cork 0-14 Mayo 0-13:THE LEAGUE champions showed plenty of cheek in the way they took this one. The reaction around McHale Park afterwards was of wedding guests who had just witnessed the last orders of the night being guzzled by gatecrashers.
Visiting Corkonians happily admitted they were haunted to get the win while Mayo’s February hopes of a strong league have been reduced to a do-or-die occasion against All-Ireland champions Dublin next Saturday night.
Cork shrugged off the loss of centre-half forward Mark Collins to a red card after 29 minutes and an 0-11 to 0-6 deficit with 18 minutes remaining to chip away at Mayo’s lead and confidence before winning it in injury-time thanks to a Donnacha O’Connor point .
The winning score spoke volumes about the way in which the tone of the game had turned around: O’Connor reacted sharpest of all when Paudie Kissane’s attempted point came down off the post and he was already celebrating when the smartly-rapped shot from close range went over the bar.
By then, Cork men were oozing forward through the Mayo rearguard, eager to be on the ball and battling the clock as much as the home team as they hit the last four points of the match without reply.
“We were very lucky to get out of it,” said Conor Counihan.
“Mayo were the better team for a lot of that. But maybe our fellas leave a bit in the tank for that sort of thing. Still all our performances haven’t been up to standard in the last few weeks and we are going to have to improve if we are going to make an impact. We showed a bit of composure all right in the finish but I think the game was there for Mayo to take and they will be very disappointed in that.”
This third consecutive defeat was particularly grim for Mayo because unlike their dismal showing against Donegal, they made a good stab at this game for a full hour.
Andy Moran proved a thorn for the Cork defence, Keith Higgins managed to combine sticky defensive work with several searing runs downfield, Donal Vaughan impressed at centre-back while Michael Conroy, back in the green and red starting team for the first time since 2007, clipped two good points to gild a whole-hearted effort. The introduction of Conor Mortimer also yielded two fine points. They were in a commanding position and they allowed it to dissolve.
“They are disappointing defeats,” James Horan admitted.
“We will train hard on Tuesday night and get at it. It might be hard to pick up the Mayo people. It is surprising how quick we go from a high to a low and players aren’t living in a cocoon. What we need to do is to make sure we improve playing football. I’m not quite sure where all the doom and gloom is coming from.”
He has a point: results can distort the greater truth. Had Mayo squeezed a win, there would be greater emphasis on Cork’s torpor.
For the Cork travelling support, it seemed as if the highlight of the day would be the fine weather in the west of Ireland. It was mystifying to see a team that built a reputation for explosiveness and potency in its All-Ireland crowning year of 2010 struggle so badly for 50 minutes. They registered just three points in the first half, the pick of those a snappy shot from Patrick Kelly. But that decisiveness was rare, the shoots of Cork’s A game were seldom in evidence.
Their cause was not helped by the loss of Collins for throwing a stray elbow in the direction of Donal Vaughan. The issue of a straight card in the 35th minute further diminished the options.
“All I can say is that it would be completely out of character for Mark. He has never been sent off in his life,” Counihan said.
The Cork man seemed almost embarrassed by this win and was sparing in his praise of his squad.
But the introduction of Paul Kerrigan, whose two splendid points from play included the score that drew the game level in the 70th minute, had a big bearing. The Nemo man added speed and wit to their attack. Aidan Walsh looked a bit of a lost soul playing deep in the first half and his presence around the square worried Mayo.
In the last quarter, big Pearse O’Neill and Alan O’Connor owned the middle and Cork looked wolfish as the relieved Mayo of possession with too much ease. As Horan lamented, the home team made a few bad passes at critical times and were made pay the price as Cork showed shades of the old poise in timing their late burst to perfection. The win keeps their league interests alive while Mayo’s proud run in Division One which stretches back to the late 1990’s is now in jeopardy. Dublin return to McHale Park but it remains to be seen if the fog has cleared.
CORK:A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, E Cotte; S Kiely (0-1), N O'Leary, A Walsh (0-1), P Kissane; P O'Neill, A O'Connor; F Goold, M Collins, P Kelly (0-2); C O'Neill (0-1, free), D O'Connor (0-6, two frees, one 45). Subs: P Kerrigan (0-2) for C O'Neill (half-time), B O'Driscoll (0-1) for F Goold (58 mins).
MAYO:D Clarke; S McHale, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; L Keegan, D Vaughan (0-1), C Boyle; S O'Shea, B Moran; K McLoughlin (0-1), C O'Connor, A Dillon (0-2); A Freeman (0-1), A Moran (0-2), M Conroy (0-2). Subs: P Gardiner for K Keegan (28 mins), C Mortimer (0-3, one free) for C O'Connor (30 mins), D Geraghty for S O'Shea (43 mins), J Doherty (0-1) for M Conroy (50 mins), A Campbell for C Boyle (65 mins).
Referee:J McQuillan (Cavan).
