Cork 4-12
Mayo 1-13
CORK’S WAIT FOR an All-Ireland minor football crown stretches back to 2000 but they’ll get a shot at ending it this year after an emphatic semi-final victory over Mayo this afternoon.
Their campaign began with a heavy loss at the hands of Kerry in Munster but Cork have recovered and after taking down Ulster champions Monaghan in the quarter-final, they defeated Connacht winners Mayo today.
The game looked finely balanced in the third quarter as Mayo cut Cork’s advantage to two points at a couple of junctures before the initiative swung in the direction of the winners.
Cork defender Daniel Linehan kickstarted their drive for the finish line, crowning a powerful run in the 45th minute with a rocket of a shot to the net. Their third goal arrived five minutes later, Conor Corbett gathering a flick by Jack Lawton from a throw ball and drilling home his shot.
That propelled Cork in front 3-10 to 0-10 and they were able to close out the game successfully from there. Mayo got some late joy when substitute Niall Feeney’s shot looped into the net in front of Hill 16 but Cork countered with a fourth goal in injury-time as Corbett finished at the second attempt after being initially denied by a brave block from goalkeeper Luke Jennings.
Cork got plenty joy in attacking Mayo’s kickout in the first half. That pressure paid off early on when one went astray and was seized on by Jack Cahalane. He availed of the overlap to feed Patrick Campbell and the Nemo Rangers player neatly side-stepped Jennings before finishing calmly to the net.
That transpired to be Cork’s only goal of the half but there was no shortage of openings for them. Mayo scrambled well in defence on a few occasions to clear the danger.
Still Cork picked off their points with four on the spin sending them 1-7 to 0-4 clear by the 24th minute. Mayo worked their way back into contention though with Paddy Heneghan and Ethan Henry, who grabbed 0-3 apiece in the opening period, helping cut the deficit to three, 1-7 to 0-7, at the interval.
Mayo began to grow in confidence in the early stages of the second half with Owen McHale and Shaun Dempsey notching some stylish points. But Cork always looked dangerous up front with Corbett, Campbell, Hugh Murphy and substitute Ryan O’Donovan impacting in the scoring stakes. They had eight points to spare at the final whistle and will monitor tomorrow’s semi-final between Kerry and Galway with interest.
Scorers for Cork: Conor Corbett 2-3, Patrick Campbell 1-2, Daniel Linehan 1-0, Ryan O’Donovan, Hugh Murphy, Michael O’Neill (0-1f) 0-2 each, Jack Cahalane 0-1.
Scorers for Mayo: Paddy Heneghan 0-4, Ethan Henry 0-3 (0-3f), Niall Feeney 1-0, Frank Irwin 0-2, Shaun Dempsey, Ciarán Mylett (0-1f), John Grady (0-1f), Owen McHale 0-1 each.
Cork
1. Cian O’ Leary (Douglas)
6. Neil Lordan (Ballinora)
4. Daniel Peet (Clonakilty)
7. Joseph O’Shea (Urhan)
9. Keelan Scannell (Carbery Rangers)
3. Daniel Linehan (Castlemagner)
5. Darragh Cashman (Millstreet)
8. Jack Lawton (Argideen Rangers)
12. Eoghan Nash (Douglas)
10. Hugh Murphy (Éire Óg)
14. Patrick Campbell (Nemo Rangers)
2. Adam Walsh Murphy (Valley Rovers)
13. Michael O’Neill (Buttevant)
15. Jack Cahalane (Castlehaven)
11. Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers – captain)
Subs
17. Seán Andrews (Shamrocks) for O’Shea (40)
22. Ryan O’Donovan (Barryroe) for O’Neill (40)
23. Keith O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers) for Campbell (inj) (49)
20. Luke Murphy (Cullen) for Walsh-Murphy (55)
21. Shane Aherne (Douglas) for Murphy (58)
24. Alan O’Hare (Douglas) for Cahalane (61)
Mayo
1. Luke Jennings (Ballinrobe)
3. Oisín Tunney (Breaffy)
11. Owen McHale (Belmullet)
2. Alfie Morrison (Louisburgh)
5. Shaun Dempsey (Balla)
6. Ruairí Keane (Mayo Gaels)
7. Eoin Gilraine (Ballinrobe)
9. Ethan Henry (Mayo Gaels)
14. Mark Tighe (Cill Chomain)
4. Aidan Cosgrove (Kiltimagh)
8. Paddy Heneghan (Castlebar Mitchels)
12. Dylan Thornton (Ballina Stephenites)
10. Ciarán Mylett (Castlebar Mitchels)
15. Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites)
13. Paul Walsh (Castlebar Mitchels)
Subs
18. Rory Morrin (Ballina Stephenites) for Mylett (35)
20. John Grady (Westport) for Dempsey (45)
22. Ray Walsh (Westport) for Cosgrove (51)
21. Ronan Hughes (The Neale) for Tunney (56)
23. Ciarán Boland (Ballina Stephenites) for Gilraine (61)
19. Niall Feeney (Ballina Stephenites) for Walsh (61)
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)