Cork came good right at the end to edge out Dublin and claim a place in the All-Ireland senior football final with a one-point win in the semi-final clash at Croke Park.
The Rebels staged second half revival to turn a five points deficit into a narrow one point win.
Bernard Brogan rocked Cork with a goal after just a minute, and it looked as if that early score was to be the platform for a day of glory for the boys in blue.
But Donncha O’Connor netted a 54th minute penalty, and hit the three late frees which sealed the Rebels’ place in the decider against either Kildare or Down.
Just a point separated the sides at the end of a riveting contest, and Pat Gilroy and his men will harbour grave regrets over a game that, with a little more composure in the closing stages, they would surely have won.
In front of a near-capacity crowd of 82,225, Giroy’s men stunned Cork with an early goal.
It was an explosive start that had Hill 16 rocking. Barely a minute had elapsed when Niall Corkery’s searching delivery found Bernard Brogan lurking behind Ray Carey, and he beat Alan Quirke with a low shot, planted in the corner of the net with power and precision.
Cork had points from Donncha O’Connor and Daniel Goulding, but had their supporters in despair with a series of bad wides.
Dublin corner back Philip McMahon offered a lesson in finishing with an accomplished effort at the other end, and the Brogan brothers made it 1-3 to 0-2 by the 13th minute.
The Brogans were at again, stretching the Dubs’ lead to five on 18 minutes, and Cork’s defending was at times haphazard and fraught with nerves and uncertainty.
Rebel confidence was further shaken by another volley of wides, although midfielder Aidan Walsh did execute an eye-catching score fro0m Paul Kerrigan’s crossfield pass.
Dublin simply responded with a Michael Dara Macauley point and another sublime finish from Bernard Brogan, who in stoppage time brought his mounting tally to 1-4.
Moments earlier Kerrigan had sent an angled shot crashing against the far post with goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton nowhere near it.
Dublin led by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break, and Cork’s difficulties intensified with skipper Graham Canty, a pre-match doubt with a knee injury, was unable to return for the second half.
The Dubs’ battling qualities were exemplified by Ross McConnell’s success in turning over possession, and the big midfielder powered over his side’s first score of the second half in the 42nd minute.
Kevin Nolan, Philip McMahon and substitute Barry Cahill defending quite superbly, closing out their opponents, who managed justone point, through Goulding, in the opening 15 minutes of the second half despite dominating possession.
Meanwhile, Bernard Brogan continued to punish the Munster men with his unerring finishing, stretching the advantage to five.
But the lead was cut back to a point in the 54th minute when Donncha O’Connor slotted a penalty in off a post, after McConnell had hauled down substitute Colm O’Neill.
Dublin quickly restored their three points advantage, but Paul Kerrigan’s industry helped the Rebels rally once again, and O’Neill and Patrick Kelly landed points.
Cork continued to chip away at the lead, with O’Connor punishing indiscipline with his acrruacy from palced balls, and he gave them the lead fro the first time in the 70th minute after McConnell had been sent off for a rash challenge on Noel O’Leary.
Derek Kavanagh nailed on a point, and while Bernard Brogan brought his total to 1-7, the Dubs fell just short.
Cork: A Quirke, R Carey, M Shields, J Miskella, N O'Leary, G Canty, P Kissane, A O'Connor, A Walsh (0-1), P Kerrigan (0-1), P O'Neill, P Kelly (0-2), D Goulding (0-4, 3f), C Sheehan, D O'Connor (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-4f).
Subs: E Cadogan for Canty, N Murphy for A O’Connor, C O’Neill (0-1) for Sheehan, D Kavanagh (0-1) for Miskella, F Goold for O’Leary
Dublin: S Cluxton, M Fitzsimons, R O’Carroll, P McMahon (0-1), K Nolan, G Brennan, C O’Sullivan, R McConnell (0-1), MD McAuley (0-1), N Corkery, A Brogan (0-2), B Cullen (0-1), D Henry, E O'Gara, B Brogan (1-7, 0-1f).
Subs: B Cahill for O’Sullivan, P Flynn for Henry, E Fennell for Corkery, C Keaney (0-1, f) for O’Gara, D Bastick for O’Carroll
Referee: M Deegan (Laois).
