Dublin 0-15 Cork 3-20

A brace of goals from team captain Kieran Murphy guided Cork to a comprehensive SHC Group B qualifier win over Dublin at a packed Parnell Park.

Erin's Own clubman Murphy rippled the net in each half as the Rebels, whose third goal arrived in injury-time from Pa Cronin, proved too strong.

Dublin were well in touch at the break, trailing by 1-09 to 0-07, with points from Padraig O'Driscoll, Joey Boland and David Curtin sandwiching Murphy's 28th minute goal.

But with Joe Deane and Ben O'Connor impressing, Cork pulled clear and goals from Murphy (49 minutes) and Cronin sealed the victory.

Cork dashed the Dubs' dreams of an upset as they overcame the early loss of two defenders through injury to put in a controlled display of hurling which has them well on course to make the Championship's knock-out stages.

Playing for the first time ever in the round-robin group series, Cork welcomed back the 'Semplegate' trio of Donal Óg Cusack, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín.

Dublin had to make a change before the throw-in as their captain Philip Brennan fell foul of a hamstring injury and Kevin Ryan was parachuted into the side at left corner-back.

History was made at Parnell Park when referee Seamus Roche threw the sliotar in for the qualifier clash as today marked the first time that the Donnycarney venue has hosted senior hurling and camogie championship matches on the same bill.

Cork made a solid enough opening with Pa Cronin pointing in the first minute and Neil Ronan and Jerry O'Connor following up with scores. However, wides blighted both sides' play as they took their time to adapt to the sunny conditions.

David Curtin and Kevin Flynn registered points for Dublin inside the first 14 minutes and Tommy Naughton's side went through the half's midway point on level terms - 0-04 apiece - thanks to points from O'Driscoll and Boland.

Cork suffered two considerable blows when corner-backs Brian Murphy and Shane O'Neill were both forced off with injuries, with Cian O'Connor and Shane Murphy called in from the sideline.

Dublin stopper Gary Maguire made a marvellous save from point-blank range from goalscorer Kieran Murphy before he swatted a drilled Deane shot over the bar.

Cork upped the tempo however as Ronan, Deane, Kevin Hartnett and Jerry O'Connor sent shots over the black spot and Murphy's first goal followed when the man nicknamed 'Hero' waltzed into space near the left edge of the square and fired a powerful shot past Maguire to the bottom corner of the net.

Curtin and O'Driscoll helped reduce the arrears to 1-09 to 0-07 at the break but Murphy's goal was just a preview of what was to come from Gerald McCarthy's men in the second half as Cork's consistent scoring and watertight defence saw them well on top.

Dublin still had plenty of fight and had stars in centre-back Ronan Fallon, reliable free-taker Curtin and ever-ready forwards O'Driscoll and O'Kelly.

The hosts got off to a poor start in the second period as Deane and Ben O'Connor rattled over frees and a pass from Sarsfields clubman Kieran Murphy resulted in Ronan crashing a shot off the post.

Scores from O'Carroll and Declan Qualter left Dublin with still much to play for at 1-13 to 0-09 down but a scoring burst of 1-02 from The Rebels soon floored Naughton's charges.

Ben O'Connor laid off for Hartnett to point and then a lovely, lobbed pass from Deane, who showed excellent vision throughout, allowed Murphy the time and space to turn and beat Maguire again from close range.

Murphy tagged on a point for a 2-15 to 0-09 scoreline and Cork were effectively out of sight. The sides went point-for-point thereafter with Keith Dunne, O'Carroll and Alan McCrabbe striking well for the Dubs who were left counting the cost of 14 wides.

Then came a somewhat flattering third goal for Cork, but nonetheless a deserved one for the hard-working Cronin who powered the ball past the stranded Maguire right at the death.

Dublin will still fancy their chances of making the quarter-finals as what is likely to be a tired Tipperary side visit Parnell Park next Saturday and they wrap up the series against Offaly in Tullamore.

For Cork, today's exercise would have shown up what a difference Cusack, who made a stunning save late on when O'Driscoll pressed for a goal, O'Sullivan and Ó hAilpín make to their side.

Ó hAilpín put in an excellent display, clearing numerous balls and disrupting as many Dublin attacks as possible, while Deane and Ben O'Connor were a class apart up front. They should end Offaly's quarter-final hopes at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in seven days' time.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; K Ryan, S Hiney (capt), T Brady; M Carton, R Fallon, G O'Meara; J Boland (0-01), D Qualter (0-01); R O'Carroll (0-02), L Ryan, D Curtin (0-04); J Kelly, P O'Driscoll (0-01), K Flynn (0-01).

Scoring subs: K Dunne (0-02), P Carton (0-01), A McCrabbe (0-02).

CORK: D Óg Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, S O'Neill; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; K Hartnett (0-02), J O'Connor (0-04); B O'Connor (0-02), Kieran Murphy (Erin's Own) (capt) (2-02), P Cronin (1-02); N Ronan (0-02), Kieran Murphy (Sarsfields), J Deane (0-06).

Referee: Seamus Roche (Tipperary).