Cork 0-17
Tyrone 2-10
Orla Bannon reports from Healy Park, Omagh
CORK CAME FROM five points down to snatch a precious Allianz Football League victory in Omagh which has put them comfortably top of Division One.
The Rebels hit seven points in a row in the final quarter – although the last score from Colm O’Neill looked well wide – to condemn Tyrone to a defeat which leaves them deep in relegation trouble.
Cork’s ability to kick long-range points with the aid of a strong breeze was evident in the closing stages with O’Neill, Fintan Goold, Conor Dorman and Donnacha O’Connor all stroking over huge points.
Cork finished the game with 14 players having used all six substitutes by the time Goold was black carded after 67 minutes.
Referee Marty Duffy signalled two minutes of injury-time but blew the final whistle with 10 seconds still remaining with Tyrone on the attack, much to the annoyance of Mickey Harte and the Tyrone players.
The visitors opted to play against the breeze in the first half and it looked like a poor decision when Tyrone scored the opening goal and a point after seven minutes.
Conor McAliskey, keen to impress after being given a rare starting spot, gathered Peter Harte’s long ball in to score a fourth minute goal to get Tyrone off to a dream start.
McAliskey and McCurry were in prolific form scoring 1-6 between them in the first half.
Colm O’Neill got Cork up and running with an eighth minute point, the first of his four scores in the opening period.
The Rebels settled into the game and scored three points in a row to close to within 1-2 to 0-4 after 13 minutes, Colm O’Driscoll, Mark Collins and O’Neill with the points into the wind.
Tyrone responded with a penalty, converted by Peter Harte, after 18 minutes after Padraig McNulty was fouled in the square. Tyrone’s long kick-passing into McAliskey was a notable feature of the first half and the Clonoe forward hit 1-3 by half-time.
Although Colm O’Neill’s accuracy from frees kept the scoreboard ticking over for Cork, Tyrone’s inside forwards continued to do damage with McCurry’s left-footed point with the outside of his boot after 27 minutes the pick of the scores as Tyrone led by 2-6 to 0-7 at the interval.
Despite facing into a strong breeze, Tyrone dropped more bodies back but remained comfortable and led by five points on several occasions in the third quarter.
Cork made a triple substitution bringing on three forwards with 15 minutes to go, with Donnacha O’Connor also coming on after 49 minutes, and the changes paid off.
Donal Óg Hodnett fisted over a point and O’Connor was twice on target as Cork began to reel Tyrone in. Mattie Donnelly fluffed a good goal chance in the 58th minute with his side ahead by 2-9 to 11.
He spilled the ball with the goal at his mercy and Cork punished the mistake through Conor Dorman’s long-range point. It was the start of a mighty Cork comeback and seven unanswered points.
The brilliant Colm O’Neill, who finished with 0-8, landed a ’45′ and scored Cork’s dubious last point in the 69th minute.
Darren McCurry ended a 17-minute scoring drought for Tyrone with a last minute free to close the deficit to a point, and time ran out before they could search for an equaliser.
They now travel to Donegal for a big relegation battle in two weeks time while table-toppers Cork are at home to Mayo.
Scorers for Cork: Colm O’Neill 0-8 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Brian Hurley, Donncha O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f) each, Conor Dorman, Fintan Goold, Colm O’Driscoll, Mark Collins, Donal Óg Hodnett 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry 0-7 (0-5f), Conor McAliskey 1-3, Peter Harte 1-0 (1-0 pen).
CORK
1. Micheál Martin (Nemo Rangers)
2. James Loughrey (Mallow)
3. Michael Shields (St. Finbarr’s)
17. Conor Dorman (Bishopstown)
5. Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)
6. Stephen O’Donoghue (Ballincollig)
7. Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown)
8. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
9. Fintan Goold (Macroom)
10. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
11. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
12. Colm O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
13. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough)
14. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
15. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
Subs
20. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers) for O’Donoghue (26)
19. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond) for C O’Driscoll (49)
23. John Hayes (Carbery Rangers) for K O’Driscoll (55)
21. Daniel Goulding (Éire Óg) for Collins (55)
22. Donal Óg Hodnett (O’Donovan Rossa) for O’Rourke (55)
24. Barry O’Driscoll (Nemo Rangers) for Clancy (69)
TYRONE
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
2. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciarán)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Dwayne Quinn (Clonoe)
5. Ronan McNabb (Dromore)
6. Justin McMahon (Omagh)
7. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciarán)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Padraig McNulty (Dungannon)
10. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
11. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick St Macartan’s)
12. Ryan McKenna (Aglish)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Sean Cavanagh (Moy)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)
Subs
21. Conall McCann (Killyclogher) for McMahon (36)
19. PJ Lavery (Clonoe) for Quinn (43)
20. Danny McBride (Strabane) for McKenna (57)
25. Patrick McNeice (Coalisland) for McNamee (69)
Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)
– First published 17.20, 15 March