FL semi-final: Cork too strong for Down
April 15, 2012
Cork's Eoin Cotter stops Conor Laverty of Down during the Allianz FL Division 1 semi-final at Croke Park ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
The holders led by 0-9 to 0-7 at half time, thanks largely to good work from Colm O'Neill and Paul Kerrigan. Conor Laverty had impressed for the northerners but had to leave the action due to injury just before the break.
The Rebels struck first but Down battled back with three points in two minutes from Arthur McConville (free), Laverty and Benny Coulter.
The sides were level, 0-3 each, after eight minutes, with Colm O'Neill and midfielder Pearse O'Neill on target for the southerners.
Full forward Laverty showed the Cork defence a clean pair of heels as he effortlessly glided through to fist over his second point of the day but Man of the Match Paul Kerrigan replied instantly off his trusty left peg.
The Mourne men were unfortunate when McConville struck a post at the old Canal End and Ambrose Rogers followed up with a wide. Colm O'Neill was also off target at the other end.
Aidan Walsh put Cork back in front but Mark Poland replied with a splendid point for the Ulster county.
Colm O'Neill clipped over the next two points and Down struck the woodwork for a second time before Laverty closed the gap to the minimum. Donncha O'Connor was on hand to make it 0-8 to 0-6 after 27 minutes.
Down full back Brendan McArdle raided up the pitch to reduce the arrears again but Kerrigan clipped over a lovely score off his right foot to leave two between the teams at the short whistle.
Colm O'Neill's fourth point stretched the gap in the second minute of the second half but Down responded impressively with two scores inside 60 seconds from Peter Turley and Coulter, whose rasper flew a few feet over the bar at the Hill 16 end.
Kerrigan hit a fine score and Aidan Carr replied before Rebel substitute Barry O'Driscoll was happy to take his point. On 42 minutes, O'Neill gathered a pass from Kerrigan and rolled a precise left-footed shot to the bottom right corner of the net: 1-12 to 0-10.
Ray Carey made a fine diving block to thwart the marauding Coulter and Pearse O'Neill's third point put six between them. Coulter struck a fantastic point and Down were right back in it when Carr expertly arrowed a 54th-minute penalty to the corner of the net
The penalty was awarded when Jamie O'Sullivan touched the ball on the ground, preventing Kalum King's effort from trickling over the line with a diving save.
Noel O'Leary thumped over a stunning point and Carr (free) and Colm O'Neill traded scores, leaving three between the teams with twelve minutes left to play, 1-15 to 1-12.
It was Game Over on the stroke of the hour when an error from Down goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh left midfielder Alan O'Connor with the simple task of blasting the ball to an empty net from two yards: 2-15 to 1-12.
Cork introduced Daniel Goulding for the last seven minutes but the game had taken on the appearance of a training session at this stage and it petered out as the Leesiders booked a final place against Mayo.
Colm O'Neill and Goulding completed the scoring as the Rebel County progressed to a third successive NFL decider.
Cork - A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, E Cotter; N O'Leary (0-1), E Cadogan, P Kissane; A O'Connor (1-1), P O'Neill (0-2); F Goold, P Kelly, P Kerrigan (0-3); C O'Neill (1-6), A Walsh (0-1), D O'Connor (0-1). Subs: B O'Driscoll (0-1) for Walsh, J O'Sullivan for Cotter, D O'Sullivan for Cadogan, M Collins for Goold, D Goulding (0-1) for D O'Connor.
Down - B McVeigh; D McCartan, B McArdle (0-1), D Turley; K McKernan, N McParland, C Garvey; A Rogers, K King; P Turley (0-1), M Poland (0-1), A Carr (1-2); A McConville (0-1), C Laverty (0-3), B Coulter (0-3). Subs: C Maginn for Laverty, N Branagan for McCartan, A Branagan for D Turley, K Quinn for P Turley.
Ref - M Duffy (Sligo). Tweet
