Cork moved off the bottom of NFL Division 1A as they battled hard for a 1-11 to 1-10 victory over 14-man Dublin at Pairc Ui Rinn tonight.
The Rebels, beaten by Offaly and Kerry last month, plundered their first league points in a dogfight to the finish. Having gotten back level at 1-08 apiece, after a slow start, Dublin looked well placed to earn the county’s first away win against Cork since the 1990/91 season.
But the game turned back in Cork's favour when they struck three points through substitute Garry Murphy, David Niblock and James Masters (free) around the hour mark.
Although referee Pat McEnaney failed to award the hosts a certain penalty on 59 minutes when Donnacha O'Connor was fouled by David Henry in the square, Cork’s chances were boosted seconds later when Dublin midfielder Denis Bastick was sent off for his second bookable offence.
Still in the closing ten minutes, plus stoppage time, Dublin picked off points from Alan Brogan and Ciaran Whelan to almost grab a share of the spoils.
Cork were forced to reshuffle their side before the throw-in with Derek Kavanagh and Kevin McMahon both ruled out. Dublin's Jason Sherlock also failed a late fitness test, promoting Bryan Cullen to the visitors’ starting line-up.
David O'Callaghan swung over the opening point for Dublin after only 65 seconds, but it was Cork who took the early initiative. They led 1-03 to 0-02 by the 17th-minute.
League debutant O'Connor of the Ballydesmond club was in the right place at the right time to flick home a Sean O’Brien centre to the net on 7 minutes. Masters and Niblock added points for Billy Morgan’s side.
The lively O'Callaghan ended a 17-minute scoreless period for the Dubs and despite conceding further points to Conor McCarthy and Kevin O'Sullivan (0-02), the Dubs ended the half on a high. They got their goal breakthrough right on 35 minutes when Mossie Quinn had his shot blocked down and Declan Lally toe-poked the loose ball past Cork 'keeper Alan Burke.
Starting the second half with a three-point deficit – at 1-03 to 1-06 – and both Ciaran Whelan and Alan Brogan, two of the players who successfully appealed their bans from last month's 'Battle of Omagh' in mid-week, were sprung from the bench, Dublin looked in good stead.
They hit three of the opening four points of the second half to signal their intent.
Cullen, deployed at centre-forward and full-forward, was central to their revival. The DCU student raised white flags on 38 and 49 minutes to make it a one-point game. O’Sullivan and Quinn also traded frees.
Noel O'Leary then floated over a great point from the right but Dublin snapped back to level by the 55th-minute – Cullen scored after a great run from O’Callaghan, and Paul Casey offloaded in time for Quinn to point.
Cork rose against the tide of pressure to kick the next three points. Murphy, Niblock and Masters, picking off his second point from a 13-metre free, helped the Rebels gain a 1-11 to 1-08 buffer.
Brogan (66 minutes) and Whelan (69) ensured that Cork nerves jangled until the final whistle, but the hosts’ defence, with Graham Canty and Anthony Lynch in inspirational form, shut up shop.
Scorers:
Cork; Donnacha O’Connor 1-00, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-03 (2f), David
Niblock, James Masters (1f) 0-02 each, Sean O’Brien, Conor McCarthy, Noel O’Leary, Gary Murphy 0-01 each
Dublin; Declan Lally 1-00, Bryan Cullen 0-03, David O’Callaghan, Tomas Quinn (1f) 0-02 each, Conal Keaney (1f), Alan Brogan, Ciaran Whelan 0-01 each
