Cork 1-15
Meath 1-11
Paul Keane reports from Páirc Tailteann
RESURGENT CORK CAME from three points down with just eight minutes to go to secure their third National Football League win on the trot, securing their Division 2 status for another season.
John Cleary’s side looked to be in real bother following Mathew Costello’s 54th minute goal for Meath which put the hosts three points clear.
That goal gap remained with 62 minutes on the clock but Colm O’Rourke’s side didn’t score for the final 20 minutes or so of the game as Cork rallied, reeling off the last seven points of the match to win with four to spare.
Top scorer Conor Corbett, who struck 1-3 overall, Luke Fahy, Steven Sherlock, Matty Taylor and Mark Cronin were all on the mark late on as Cork perhaps showed the benefits of their recent warm weather training camp in Portugal.
They will play Armagh in Round 7 and while safety isn’t a concern at this stage, Cork will chase another win to guarantee their place in this year’s race for the Sam Maguire Cup.
Meath will be disappointed with tossing away that three-point lead and failing to score in the final 20 minutes or so, resulting in their second defeat of the campaign.
The Tailteann Cup holders will return to action against Donegal in the final round.
Meath manager Colm O’Rourke made a number of intriguing points beforehand in his match programme notes.
He described their Round 5 display against Cavan as their best of the campaign, despite drawing and scoring just 0-11, while he acknowledged that ‘we need to score more and especially goals’.
He pointed to the inexperience of his young team too, stating that ’10 of the 20 players who performed in Cavan are in their very first league campaign’, promising that ‘this Meath side will not now change significantly over the next few years’.
With all of that in mind, he will have had mixed feelings about their first-half display which left Meath tied at half-time on 0-7 to Cork’s 1-4.
Meath did strike half a dozen wides and their first three were all from scorable positions with Shane Walsh driving a shot at goal wide from an acute angle in the ninth minute.
Cork were more efficient at the other end, initially at least, and by the 26th minute opened up a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.
Their opening score was a Corbett goal in the fifth minute. Brian O’Driscoll was a busy performer in the Cork attack and set Corbett away for the goal though the Carrigaline man still had to shrug off Adam O’Neill before slotting left footed to the bottom right corner.
Brian Hurley, who later went off with an apparent injury, clipped a couple of points off his left foot despite being under pressure in a crowded area and Cork were good value for their lead.
Boss John Cleary was frustrated with the number of turnovers that went against them in the 10 minutes or so before half-time, allowing Meath to gain a foothold in the game.
The Royals reeled off four points in a row with Eoghan Frayne drilling over two excellent points, Walsh converting and goalkeeper Sean Brennan converting his second 45′ of the half.
The Corbett-O’Neill head-to-head was the game’s most entertaining battle and Corbett twice found space after the restart for two Cork points to put daylight between the teams.
Meath had previously responded well to adversity throughout the campaign and once again conjured their strongest form when the need was greatest.
Stand-in captain Costello, in the absence of Ronan Jones, and Brennan struck scores to level the game again at 0-9 to 1-6 and they were tied again at the three-quarter stage when Costello conjured Meath’s goal, just their second of the campaign.
He’d just scored a point following a Walsh delivery and the pair repeated the act for Meath’s goal, Costello fetching high and brushing off full-back Daniel O’Mahony before blasting beyond the goalkeeper from close range.
Meath led 1-11 to 1-8 following a Ruairi Kinsella point but surprisingly didn’t score again as Cork turned the screw in clinical fashion.
Cork scorers: Conor Corbett 1-3, Steven Sherlock 0-3 (0-1f), Brian Hurley 0-2, Luke Fahy 0-2, Chris Og Jones 0-1, Brian O’Driscoll 0-1, Sean Powter 0-1, Matty Taylor 0-1, Mark Cronin 0-1.
Meath scorers: Mathew Costello 1-2 (0-1f), Eoghan Frayne 0-3 (0-1f), Sean Brennan 0-3 (0-3 45), Ruairi Kinsella 0-2, Shane Walsh 0-1.
Cork
1. Christophy Kelly (Eire Og)
2. Kevin Flahive (Douglas), 3. Daniel O’Mahony (Cnoc na gCroi), 4. Tommy Walsh (Kanturk)
5. Luke Fahy (Baile an Chullaigh), 6. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), 7. Matty Taylor (Mala)
8. Ian Maguire (Cumann Naomh Fionnbarra), 9. Colm O’Callaghan (Eire Og)
22. Paul Walsh (Kanturk), 19. Sean Powter (Douglas), 12. Brian O Driscoll (Carrigaline)
13. Chris Og Jones (Uibh Laoire), 14. Conor Corbett (Fanuithe na Claide), 15. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
Subs
- 25. Ruairi Deane (Bantry) for Walsh (44)
- 26. Steven Sherlock (Cumann Naomh Fionnbarra) for Hurley (48)
- 11. Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for Jones (60)
- 23. Killian O’Hanlon (Cill Seannaigh) for O’Driscoll (60)
- 10. Eoghan McSweeney (Cnoc na gCroi) for Deane (65)
Meath
1. Sean Brennan (Dunderry)
2. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny), 3. Adam O’Neill (Wolfe Tones), 4. Brian O’Halloran (Ballivor)
5. Ciaran Caulfield (Trim), 6. Darragh Campion (Skryne), 7. Sean Coffey (Ballinabrackey)
8. Cian McBride (St Ultan’s), 10. Daithi McGowan (Ratoath)
14. Mathew Costello (Dunshaughlin), 9. Cathal Hickey (Seneschalstown), 12. Jack O’Connor (Curraha)
15. Ruairi Kinsella (Dunshaughlin), 13. Shane Walsh (Na Fianna), 11. Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill)
Subs
- 18. Michael Murphy (St Peter’s, Dunboyne) for Campion (27)
- 25. Danny Dixon (Boardsmill) for O’Connor (50)
- 19. Adam McDonnell (Summerhill) for Kinsella (56)
- 26. Diarmuid Moriarty (Curraha) for McBride (70)
- 23. Keith Curtis (Rathkenny) for McGowan (71 – f/t, blood)
- 20. Harry O’Higgins (Drumbaragh Emmets) for Caulfield (72)
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
Elsewhere in Division 2, Louth are in pole position to retain their status after hammering fellow relegation candidates Fermanagh 6-17 to 0-11 today in Ardee.
Louth now only need a point from next week’s clash with Kildare to confirm their second-tier status for next season after today’s 24-point success at home.
Louth laid the foundations for their second win of the campaign in the first half, they were in front 4-6 to 0-6 at the interval. A Sam Mulroy goal helped them lead 1-3 to 0-4 at the midway mark of the opening period, before the second quarter proved a decisive phase as Peter Lynch, Mulroy and Conor Grimes all netted.
Further second-half goals arrived courtesy of Ciaran Downey and Tom Jackson as Louth cruised to a comfortable success. Fermanagh face an uphill task now to survive, they need to get something out of next week’s clash with Cavan, and hope other results go their way.
Ger Brennan’s side have now been elevated to sixth place in the second division, as they climb above Fermanagh heading into the final round of the competition.
Division 2 Results:
Meath 1-11 Cork 1-15
Louth 6-17 Fermanagh 0-11
The 42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
