Allianz FL D2: Cork promoted following victory

Allianz Football League Division Two

Cork 0-22 Tyrone 0-19

By Francis Mooney at O'Neill's Healy Park

Cork’s ten-year absence from Division One was brought to an end in glorious fashion at O’Neills Healy Park, where they clinched promotion with victory over Tyrone.

John Cleary's outfit still have a league title to play for when they take on Meath at Croke Park next weekend.

The first half graft which saw them take a slender lead into the interval after playing into the lead stood to the Munster men as they faced a resurgent Red Hand after the restart, with the sides level on five occasions before Brian Hurley came off the bench to drive it home.

Cork faced into a gusting breeze, but established a platform around midfield with an aggressive press on the Tyrone kcik-out, easing ahead through Mark Cronin, Colm O’Callaghan, and Stephen Sherlock.

Tyrone got off the mark in the ninth minute through Ethan Jordan, but they were reeling in the face of their opponent’s direct running, with O’Callaghan, Brian O’Driscoll and Tommy Walsh always ready to take on defenders.

O’Callaghan powered through for his second score, and they came close to grabbing a goal, Sean McDonnell getting on the end of a move involving Ian Maguire and Cronin to fire in a shot that was well saved by Oisin O’Kane.

Tyrone responded with a Jordan two-pointer, but the Munster men went five clear by the end of the opening quarter as they reeled off three scores in a row.

The Red Hands managed to turn the midfield battle around as Brian Kennedy made a couple of bit fetches, closing the gap through Mattie Donnelly, who was also involved in the move, along with Darragh Canavan, that ended with Darren McCurry crashing a fierce shot against the crossbar.

Feeding off turnovers, they maintained a strong finish to the half, Darragh Canavan and Donnelly narrowing the gap to a single point, with Cork taking a 0-9 to 0-8 lead into the interval.

In the opening moments of the second half, substitute Eoin McElholm got through to force Cork ‘keeper Patrick Doyle into a save,

Tyrone briefly led through Donnelly, but Cork, breaking at pace, regained the lead as O’Callaghan stroked over his third of the afternoon.

The advantage changed rapidly as Canavan and Donnelly struck again, but Cork, with dynamic wing backs Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fahy making ground along the flanks, regained control.

When Steven Sherlock sent over a brilliant two-pointer, followed by a free, they led by three moving into the final quarter.

While Donnelly kept the Red Hands in touch, bringing his tally to six from play, it was Cork who had the finishing power, Hurley seeing a long range effort bounce over for a two-pointer, and a late fisted effort to seal victory.

Scorers for Cork: S Sherlock 0-5 (2f, 1tp), B Hurley 0-4 (1tp) C O’Callaghan 0-3, C Og Jones 0-2, M Cronin (1f), S McDonnell 0-2 each, T Walsh, I Maguire, D Sheedy, L Fahy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tyrone: M Donnelly 0-6, E Jordan 0-5 (2f, 1tp), D Canavan 0-4 (f), D McCurry 0-2, C Daly, C Kilpatrick 0-1 each

Cork: P Doyle; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, S Meehan, B O’Driscoll, T Walsh, L Fahy; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; P Walsh, M Cronin, S McDonnell; C Og Jones, D Sheedy, S Sherlock.

Subs: B Hurley for Sheedy (58), R Deane for Walsh (60), K O’Donovan for Fahy (61), S Walsh for McDonnell (67), D Buckley for Maguire (70).

Tyrone: O O’Kane; J Clarke; P Teague, C Quinn; B Cullen, N Devlin, S O’Donnell; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; B McDonnell, R Cassidy, M Donnelly; D McCurry, D Canavan, E Jordan.

Subs: E McElholm for Jordan (h-t), F Burns for McDonnell (38), C Daly for Cassidy (54), M McKernan for Cullen (60), C Bogue for McCurry (67).

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).