CORK SEALED THEIR third win in Division One of the Allianz Football League on Sunday, beating Mayo at a sun-drenched MacHale Park.
Conor Counihan’s team was reduced to 14 men just prior to half-time when Mark Collins was sent off, and things did not look good for the Rebels going into the second half.
At that point, Mayo led 0-7 to 0-3, with Michael Conroy, Conor Mortimer and Alan Dillon all impressing.
Cork, however, hung in there and managed to finish much the stronger. Paul Kerrigan levelled proceedings in the final minute of normal time before Donncha O’Connor completed the turnaround. The match ended Cork 0-14 Mayo 0-13.
Meanwhile, Kerry were given a stern test by Laois at Fitzgerald Stadium but managed to come away with a four point victory, despite the sending off of Tomás O’Sé.
It finished Kerry 0-20 Laois 1-13.
An apparent punch on Billy Sheehan meant an early bath for the An Gaeltacht man, but Kerry’s six forwards all contributed to a half-time lead.
Colm Begley scored the only goal of the game to briefly give the visitors the lead on 49 minutes, but the Kingdom – who brought Paul Galvin and Kieran Donaghy on in the closing stages – qualified for the semi-finals with Bryan Sheehan (0-6) and Patrick Curtin (0-4) particularly deadly.
