All Ireland Football Qualifier Round 3B

Cork 2-9 Longford 1-6

By Declan Rooney at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park

Second-half goals from substitute Colm O’Neill and Ian McGuire settled Cork nerves and saw them past 13-man Longford to claim a spot in Round 4B of the football championship at Pearse Park.

Brian Kavanagh’s penalty 10 minutes from half-time saw Longford into a four-point lead at the break, but they only managed two points after the restart as Cork found their form.

Both teams had players shown straight red cards as James Loughrey and Darren Gallagher were sent off for an incident in the 53rd minute, while Diarmuid Masterson also saw red in the final minute when he earned a second yellow card.

Daniel Goulding, a late introduction for O’Neill, was off target from the resultant 45, and he also missed the target with another two placed ball attempts before the interval, in a disappointing half for the Rebels.

Last week’s goal hero against Monaghan, Robbie Smyth, got his side off the mark after five minutes with a good point on the turn, which came from a good driving run from Donal McElligott.

But Cork showed their prowess with three good points in as many minutes as captain Paul Kerrigan began to exert an influence on proceedings.

Kerrigan first set up James Loughrey for the leveller, he pushed Cork ahead with a good score less than a minute later, before Michael Hurley made it 0-3 to 0-1 in the tenth minute.

But that was Cork’s last score of the half as the home side built from the back, and consistently turned over Cork possession and carved out chances.

Some dissent from Cork allowed Smyth to score a free that was moved closer in the 11th minute, and the home side pulled level thanks to Masterson when Collum’s kickout cleared midfield and he found some space on the right.

But 10 minutes from the interval a super move down the left eventually freed Smyth in front of goal, who was fouled for a penalty. Kavanagh sent Ryan Price the wrong way and Longford into a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.

Longford were well on top at that stage and would have been happy two minutes from the break when James McGivney crossed paths with McElligott and kicked his side into a four-point interval lead.

Unfortunately for the home side, their next score did not arrive for 21 minutes of the second-half, at which stage Cork had kicked three points – two from Mark Collins – and bagged a goal in the 49th minute from Colm O’Neill.

Both sides had a man sent off in the 53rd minute when James Loughrey and Darren Gallagher were dismissed. Kavanagh then kicked a wonder point to cut Cork’s lead to two points with 14 minutes remaining.

But the killer score arrived nine minutes from time when Ian McGuire was picked out by Paddy Kelly’s excellent pass and the St Finbarr’s man goaled to clinch Cork’s Round 4 slot.

Scorers for Cork: C O’Neill 1-1 (1f), I McGuire 1-0, M Collins 0-2, P Kerrigan 0-2 (1f), J Loughrey 0-1, M Hurley 0-1, P Kelly 0-1, J O’Rourke 0-1.

Scorers for Longford: B Kavanagh 1-1 (1-0 pen), R Smyth 0-2 (1f), J McGivney 0-1, M Quinn 0-1 (1 sideline), D Masterson 0-1.

Cork: R Price; C O’Driscoll, E Cadagon, N Galvin; B O’Driscoll, J Loughrey, T Clancy; A O’Connor, I McGuire; M Collins, K O’Driscoll, P Kerrigan (c); D Goulding, P Kelleher, M Hurley.

Subs: S Powter for B O’Driscoll (35), P Kelly for Goulding (h-t), C O’Neill for K O’Driscoll (h-t), J O’Rourke for Kelleher (58), R Deane for O’Connor (71), S Cronin for O’Neill (72, BC).

Longford: P Collum; D McElligott, B Gilleran, B O’Farrell; C Farrelly, M Quinn (c), B McKeon; M Brady, D Gallagher; D Masterson, J McGivney, D Brady; R Smyth, B Kavanagh, L Connerton.

Subs: M Hughes for M Brady (45), P McGee for McKeon (54), D Reynolds for Connerton (63), B Farrell for Kavanagh (64), R Connor for Farrelly (67).

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).