Ian Maguire addresses the Cork players following Saturday's Allianz Football League Division Three win over Offaly at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Allianz Football League Division Three
DERRY 2-11 LEITRIM 1-14
CORK 0-20 OFFALY 0-13
Allianz Football League Division Four
CARLOW 0-11 WICKLOW 0-9
LIMERICK 1-10 WATERFORD 0-10
Cork’s substitutes made the telling impact as they got their Allianz League Division 4 campaign off to a winning start with a 0-20 to 0-13 victory over Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The only other game in Division 3 saw newcomers Derry and Leitrim play out an exciting draw.
The Rebels will bring an added dimension to Division 3 this year and their bid for promotion began with a comeback win over John Maughan’s side.
Offaly were fully deserving of their 0-9 to 0-8 half-time lead, with Ruairi McNamee and Bernard Allen impressing up front.
Sean White and McNamee traded points early before the returning Ciaran Sheehan gave Cork a 0-3 to 0-1 lead in the 11th minute. But McNamee had Offaly back level two minutes later and they were in the ascendency from here.
Ten minutes on from that, Allen scored to give Offaly a 0-7 to 0-3 advantage but he was sent to the sin-bin just before half-time and Cathail O’Mahony dragged Cork within one point at half-time.
Michael Hurley was brought on at the break and he quickly drew the sides level. That set the tone and Sheehan’s 47th minute free gave Cork a 0-12 to 0-9 lead.
White was shown a black card in added-time but Cork had built up an unassailable lead, with substitute Colm O’Callaghan rounding things off.
Ciaran McFaul was the hero for Derry who fought back to secure a 2-11 to 1-14 draw at the death against Leitrim in the Division 3 opener at Celtic Park.
These sides were promoted last season, with the Ulster outfit winning both games, including the Division 4 decider at Croke Park.
Cork's Ruairi Deane on the attack at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Leitrim had also suffered a 30-point hammering at the hands of Roscommon recently, but when Keith Beirne landed a 66th minute free they were in position for a shock win. Ben McCarron and McFaul combined to score two late points and earn a share of the spoils.
Derry were 1-8 to 1-7 ahead at half-time after Emmett Bradley cancelled out Cillian McGloin’s goal. Shane McGuigan fired a second Derry effort in the 46th minute but Beirne pushed Leitrim back in front only to be thwarted.
Limerick’s bright start to the year continued with a hard-fought 1-10 to 0-10 Allianz League Division 4 success at Fraher Field in Waterford.
After beating Tipperary in Munster championship last year, Billy Lee’s side started 2020 with a stunning McGrath Cup success and they backed it up with a hard-earned win in Waterford.
Waterford were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead in the 1Oth minute but Adrian Enright scored the goal with the teams level, 1-3 to 0-6, at half-time.
Limerick fought valiantly in the second half and despite the sending-off of Paul Maher and Robert Childs they held on for an impressive win.
Carlow will also have eyes on promotion after dropping out of Division 3 last time around, and they began with an 0-11 to 0-9 success at home to Wicklow.
It was Davy Burke’s first competitive game in charge of Wicklow, and they were 0-3 to 0-2 in front before the break.
But Carlow took a 0-5 to 0-3 lead into half-time and held that advantage throughout the second-half to seal the win.
