Cork 0-12 Monaghan 0-10

Monaghan lost their unbeaten record in NFL Division 2 as a super-charged Cork side triumphed at Pairc Ui Rinn.

The Rebels, in need of a victory, took control with seven successive points during the second half with Daniel Goulding hitting three of them.

Monaghan opened well and led 0-06 to 0-05 at half-time with Tommy Freeman hitting a hat-trick of points.

Freeman did kick the game's final four points but Cork, despite losing Nicholas Murphy to a nose injury, were too far in front.

Cork manager Conor Counihan and his selectors breathed a sigh of relief at the finish as their side pulled off a much-needed win, despite amassing 15 wides.

Monaghan were far more economical, hitting five shots wide of the posts, and had the game lasted another ten minutes, the Farney men would probably had overhauled the fading hosts.

The Rebels nipped ahead when Donnacha O'Connor shot over and they opted for their trusted high ball delivery into Michael Cussen during the opening stages.

However, when Monaghan pulled 0-04 to 0-01 ahead thanks to efforts from Freeman (0-02), Rory Woods and Paul Finlay, Cork changed tactics and opted to run a lot more ball.

Strongly-built wing back Paudie Kissane revelled as he burst forward at every opportunity and Cork were beginning to look the part, although their shooting let them down on a number of occasions.

Goulding and Goold did level briefly but with Monaghan only hitting two first half wides, danger men Freeman and Finlay managed to score the break, with the latter's excellent point from far out out the right touchline splitting the sides.

Cork, though, turned the game on its head during the opening 18 minutes of the second half.

They notched seven points without reply during that spell as the Monaghan attack was stymied and Cork began to paint the Boreenmanna Road red.

Goulding swung over a free and the pacy Goold ended a run with a neat point from an acute angle on the left.

James Masters, brought on for the injured Murphy, set up Seanie O'Brien for a fisted point which had the Rebels leading by 0-08 to 0-06.

Alan O'Connor was their next score, after linking up with O'Brien and Goulding flung over a free some moments later.

Goulding bisected the posts again in the 50th-minute and he then traded hand passes with Masters before fisting Cork's 12th point over the crossbar.

Freeman did resurrect Monaghan's chances with a quartet of points but it was really a one-man effort, despite some lively running from Woods, Finlay and Ciaran Hanratty.

The Cork defence, bolstered by Anthony Lynch's introduction, had enough gas to see out the win although they did have to swarm around Freeman to block his last-gasp goal attempt in injury-time.

CORK: A Quirke; D Duggan, G Canty, K O'Connor; P Kissane, G Spillane, J Miskella; N Murphy, A O'Connor (0-01); S O’Brien (0-01), F Goold (0-03), K McMahon; D Goulding (0-05), M Cussen, D O'Connor (0-02).

MONAGHAN: P McBennett; D Mone, JP Mone, D Morgan; D Freeman, D Hughes, P McGuigan; D Clerkin, E Lennon; C McManus, P Finlay (0-02) S Gollogly; R Woods (0-01), V Corey, T Freeman (0-07).

Referee: Syl Doyle (Wexford)