Substitute John Hayes hit a last-minute winner for Cork against Monaghan in Scotstown - 3-13 to 3-12.

Monaghan were guilty of eleven first-half wides and ultimately paid the price for a lack of economy in front of the posts.

Cork led by four points, 3-4 to 1-6, at the interval, despite Monaghan's dominance.

Paul Finlay knocked over some nice points for the profligate hosts in that opening period, while Paul Kerrigan (2) and Pat Kelly got the vital Rebel majors against the run of play.

With five Monaghan players making their league debuts, the Oriel County started a little nervously at the back and allowed Kerrigan to bag a fifth-minute goal after unsteady defending.

Conor McManus had opened the scoring with a point for Monaghan on three minutes.

Further points from Tommy Freeman (2) and Finlay saw dominant Monaghan move ahead but the hosts had already hit six wides in the first quarter and saw a soccer-style Freeman goal chance saved by Rebel 'keeper Kevin Murphy.

Kelly and Kerrigan then blasted two more Cork goals and the Munster county suddenly led by 3-1 to 0-6 after 28 minutes.

Monaghan finally got in on the goalscoring act themselves when Finlay's long free somehow slipped through the hands of Murphy into the Cork net: 3-3 to 1-6.

Conor Counihan's team added one more point to lead by four at half time.

Daniel Goulding (2) stretched the Cork lead but Freeman blasted a Monaghan goal - the fifth of the match - to keep the hosts in touch.

A Darren Hughes goal made it 3-7 each and the same player added the point that had Banty's men back in front in a topsy-turvy goalfest.

But Cork got back on top with three successive points from Paudie Kissane, Kerrigan and sub John Hayes (69) after Conor McManus and Vincent Corry seemed to have edged Monaghan across the winning line.

Hughes (1-3) had a late wide - Monaghan's 13th - as the Rebels held on to win a thriller by one point, 3-13 to 3-12.

Cork - K Murphy; R Carey, M Shields, E Cadogan; G Spillane, P Kissane (0-1), A Walsh (0-1); P O'Neill (0-2) , F Goold; P Kelly (1-1), D O'Connor (0-2) , P O'Flynn; D Goulding (0-3) , N Murphy, P Kerrigan (2-2). Subs: C O'Neill for P O'Flynn, C O'Driscoll for G Spillane, J Hayes (0-1) for F Goold.

Monaghan - S Gorman; D McArdle, D Hughes (1-2), D Morgan; D Freeman, G McQuaid, N McAdam; D Clerkin, F Caulfield; P Finlay (0-3, 2f) , D Malone, C McManus (0-4, 2f) ; M McElroy, V Corey (1-1), T Freeman (1-2, 1f). Subs: C Greenan for D Morgan, C Hanratty for M McElroy, K Hughes for D Freeman, H McElroy for T Freeman.

Ref: D Coldrick (Meath). Tweet

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