Cork made it two successive wins in the Allianz Football League Division 1 as they put in a vastly-improved second-half display against Kildare at Páirc Uí Rinn, winning 0-16 to 1-12.
Trailing 0-08 to 0-07 at half-time, Cork forged in front early in the second half and never relinquished the lead, with John O'Rourke, Brian Hurley and Mark Collins impressing.
Kildare, for whom Darroch Mulhall excelled in the first half, had fallen four points behind before Cathal McNally’s late consolation goal.
With the McGrath Cup having already been claimed by the Rebels, this victory means that they go into the break ahead of their meeting with All-Ireland champions Dublin having taken two wins from two.
Though just a point separated the sides on the scoreboard at the end, Kildare's goal came from McNally in injury-time and there was not even time for the Lilywhites to attempt to sneak an equaliser as referee Eddie Kinsella called for time immediately after.
Prior to McNally's late score, Cork had looked very comfortable as the second half wore on, building the lead after taking control soon after the resumption.
Though Kildare had a one-point advantage at the break, points from Donal Óg Hodnett and Brian Hurley put Cork in front by the 39th minute and they never trailed after that.
Hodnett and Hurley were just two of eight Cork scorers, with seven of those scoring more than once, including wing forward O'Rourke who scored three to cap a wonderful all-round performance.
Despite Kildare staying in touch - primarily through Paddy Brophy and Mulhall after Hurley put Cork 0-11 to 0-10 in front in the 42nd minute - Cork scored five of the next seven to more or less assure themselves of the two points as Kildare's attack failed to function with the fluency of the first half.
Cork got off to a great start in the opening period as O'Rourke and Mark Collins got the game's first two points, but by and large the wastage of goal chances was the theme of the first 35 minutes for the hosts.
O'Rourke, captain James Loughrey and Donncha O'Connor all left great opportunities go abegging, the first two failing to even hit the target though O'Connor did at least get a point for his troubles.
At the other end, Tom Clancy – before having to retire injured with a hamstring injury – and Conor Dorman were doing well in the Cork full-back line but Kildare were impressing at midfield and McNally, Seán Hurley and top points scorer Mulhall, who finished with four, all kicked good points from long range.
By the 29th minute, the Lilywhites had opened up an 0-08 to 0-05 lead but O'Connor scored two Cork points – one of them that goal chance – before the interval to ensure that just a point separated the sides on the changeover.
As the attendance of 2,648 were left trying to find shelter from the hailstones at the outset of the second half, Cork made light of the conditions to assert their dominance, doing enough to claim the points.
CORK: K O'Halloran; J McLoughlin, C Dorman, T Clancy; B O'Driscoll, F Goold, J Loughrey (0-01); A O'Sullivan, R Deane; M Collins (0-02), D O'Connor (0-02), J O'Rourke (0-03); D Goulding (0-02, 0-01f), B Hurley (0-02), D Óg Hodnett (0-02).
Subs used: A Cronin for McLoughlin (21 mins), N Galvin for Clancy (35, inj), C O'Driscoll for O'Sullivan (54), J Hayes for Goulding (59), C Vaughan (0-02, 0-01f) for O'Connor (65), K O'Driscoll for B O'Driscoll (70).
KILDARE: M Donnellan; M O'Grady, K Murnaghan (0-01), M Foley; E Bolton, F Conway, P Cribbin; T Moolick, G White; S Hurley (0-01), E O'Flaherty (0-02, 0-01f), C McNally (1-02); P Brophy (0-01), T O'Connor (0-01), D Mulhall (0-04, 0-01f).
Subs used: D Hyland for Bolton (half-time, inj), H McGrillen for F Conway (44 mins), S Gately for Hurley (56), F Dowling for Mulhall (59, inj), P O'Neill for White (64), M Conway for O'Flaherty (68).
