Allianz National Football League Division 2

CORK 2-16 MEATH 1-15

By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann, Navan

A strong performance from Cork in Navan yielded a third win of the Allianz football league campaign, keeping them in the race for promotion back to Division 1.

Experienced forward Colm O'Neill was terrific for the Rebels with 1-6 while Mark Collins kicked seven points and John O'Rourke, the third member of their full-forward trio, notched 1-1.

Ronan McCarthy's side opened up an early lead and remained ahead from the fifth minute, when they moved 0-2 to 0-1 ahead, until full-time to claim an important result after losing to Cavan.

With six points now on the board, Cork still have an interest in promotion ahead of their penultimate round tie against Clare at Pairc Ui Rinn next Saturday evening.

And they were boosted by the return of veteran forward Donncha O'Connor who came on as a late substitute and enjoyed his first taste of action this year.

But it's three straight losses now for Meath who are locked in a relegation battle ahead of next Sunday's trip to Drogheda to play neighbours and old rivals Louth.

Meath manager Andy McEntee made six changes to his team from the side lost to Tipperary in Round 4 but they never looked like pulling off a win to keep their own outside promotion hopes alive.

A great start stood to Cork who opened up a five-point lead after 12 minutes and rarely looked troubled from there on despite a couple of Meath bright spells.

The visitors led 0-4 to 0-2 when they hit Meath on the break for a well worked goal that put significant early daylight between the teams.

Sean White and O'Neill combined on the right and when O'Neill's shot was only parried by Meath 'keeper David Gallagher, O'Rourke bundled the ball in from close range.

The silence was deafening at the Navan venue and though the hosts responded with four unanswered points, they operated in Cork's slipstream for the remainder of the game.

Donal Lenihan scored two of those four points for Meath but, just like their last home game against Clare, they suffered from poor first-half shooting with a number of point attempts falling short into the 'keeper's arms.

Lenihan's third point of the game in the 21st minute left Meath just one behind, 1-4 to 0-6 and got the home crowd going but Cork finished the half strong to reassert their authority.

This time it was the Leesiders who hit four points in a row, comprising a brace of scores each from Mark Collins and O'Neill.

Collins closed out the first-half scoring after a great catch at midfield from the excellent Ian Maguire and Cork looked well in control at 1-9 to 0-7.

Cillian O'Sullivan took the fight to Cork in the second-half and pulled back four points for Meath but the Munster men were always in pole position on the scoreboard, maintaining a healthy lead throughout.

Colllins and O'Neill continue to pick off timely points and Collins played in defender Matthew Taylor for a neat point in the 54th minute.

O'Neill wrapped up the win in the 69th minute with a well worked goal after O'Rourke pounced on a poor Meath kick-out to play in the Ballyclough poacher.

There was a melee in injury-time and Meath centre-back Brian Power was dismissed after receiving his second yellow card while Collins walked for a black card offence.

Scorers for Cork: Colm O'Neill 1-6 (2fs), Mark Collins 0-7 (4fs), John O'Rourke 1-1, Sean White 0-1, Matthew Taylor 0-1.

Scorers for Meath: Cillian O'Sullivan 0-4 (0-2f), Donal Lenhihan 0-4 (4fs), Seamus Lavin 1-0, Graham Reilly 0-3, Thomas O'Reilly 0-2, Ben Brennan 0-1 (0-1f), James McEntee 0-1.

CORK: Mark White; Kevin Flahive, Jamie O'Sullivan, Kevin Crowley; Tomas Clancy, Brian O'Driscoll, Matthew Taylor; Ian Maguire, Cillian O'Hanlon; Kevin O'Driscoll, Sean White, Ruairi Deane; Mark Collins, Colm O'Neill, John O'Rourke.

Subs: Michael McSweeney for Deane (39), Conor Dorman for B O'Driscoll (39), Michael Hurley for Sean White (62), Cian Kiely for Crowley (66, black card), Donncha O'Connor for O'Neill (70), Peter Kelleher for Kevin O'Driscoll (70). Collins black card 76, not replaced.

MEATH: David Gallagher; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Donal Keogan; Mickey Burke, Brian Power, Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton, Brian Conlon; Graham Reilly, Ben Brennan, James McEntee; Cillian O'Sullivan, Thomas O'Reilly, Donal Lenihan.

Subs: Harry Rooney for Burke (31), Eamon Wallace for Brennan (54), Sean Tobin for O'Reilly (62), Padraig McKeever for Lenhihan (65), Bryan McMahon for Shane McEntee (69).

REFEREE: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).