NFL Division One A/ Mayo 1-12 Cork 2-8: Mayo recovered from a two-goal deficit at half-time to claim the points and maintain their drive for a play-off place at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.
Aidan Kilcoyne was their match-winner, popping up in the first minute of injury-time to score the all-important point and keep his side on course to remain in the top flight next season.
Cork are heading in the opposite direction. They face a fight to avoid the ignominy of the third division next year. At this stage, they would gladly settle for dropping just one tier.
Yet, at the interval, it looked so rosy for the home side. Michael Cussen, an imposing 6ft 7in full forward, had scored the opening goal after nine minutes, using his massive frame to flick home James Masters' free. Then, his delicate touch from an Owen Sexton free fell into the arms of the in-rushing Kevin O'Sullivan, who slammed in a cracking goal to leave Cork 2-3 to 0-4 in front after 22 minutes, and seemingly cruising.
But those goals masked an obvious imbalance at midfield, where Pat Harte and David Heaney dominated and ultimately paved the way for Mayo's fourth league win.
The visitors were a transformed side on the resumption, wiping out Cork's 2-5 to 0-5 interval advantage in just six minutes. Fittingly, the magnificent Heaney, one of five players yellow-carded for innocuous offences, began the revival with a glorious long-range point.
The equally impressive Conor Mortimer added a second a minute later before firing in a superb goal in the next move, following good approach work by Heaney and Peader Gardiner.
In the blink of an eye Mayo were level at 1-8 to 2-5. Yet Cork regained their composure, Masters rescuing his side's slide by scoring three fine points from play with a Mortimer free Mayo's only response.
With 20 minutes' regulation time remaining Cork sneaked back in front, 2-8 to 1-9, but, tellingly, they wouldn't score again as Mayo finished strongly. Kevin MacMahon wasted a glorious opportunity to send Cork three clear, but opted for glory instead, only to have his shot deflected for a fruitless 45.
A fisted Mortimer effort and a second Marty McNicholas point restored parity with three minutes left before Kilcoyne's winner settled matters.
CORK: P O'Shea; O Sexton, M Shields, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; S O'Brien, A O'Connor, K MacMahon; J Masters (0-6, two frees), M Cussen (1-1), K O'Sullivan (1-1). Subs: M Prout for Sexton (49 mins), A Cronin for O'Brien (64 mins), D Hurley for Murphy inj (65 mins), S Levis for O'Leary inj (69 mins).
MAYO: K O'Malley; L O'Malley, J Kilcullen, K Higgins; E Devenney, B Padden, P Gardiner; P Harte (0-1), D Heaney (0-1); A Campbell, A Kilcoyne (0-2), G Brady; C Mortimer (1-4, two frees), A Dillon, A Moran (0-1). Subs: K O'Neill (0-1)for Dillon (10 mins), M McNicholas (0-2)for Campbell (34 mins), A Higgins for L O'Malley (50 mins), M Ronaldson for O'Neill (69 mins),
Referee: R Hickey(Clare).
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