Cork recorded a landmark victory over Mayo by blitzing them for 1-06 without reply to achieve the three-point victory they needed to secure a home All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Kerry's early demolition of Louth simplified the permutations as the top three teams ended on four points apiece. Cork and Mayo’s plus-three score difference was identical but the Rebels got the nod on points scored (2-48 to 2-44).
Steven Sherlock changed the game when introduced in the 40th minute for the injured Ruairí Deane. He kicked 1-05 from six shots in the final half-hour as Cork charged back from a 1-11 to 0-08 deficit.
Sherlock accounted for the first 1-04 of that comeback – the goal coming from the penalty spot – to edge Cork ahead before fellow impact subs John O’Rourke and Chris Óg Jones gave them the necessary three-point margin by the fourth minute of additional time.
Mayo had a last-gasp scoreable free. Had they pointed, it would have earned them a home tie as Group 1 runners-up. Had they worked a goal, they’d take the bye to the quarter-final off Kerry as Group 1 winners.
Aidan O’Shea lobbed it in but Míchéal Aodh Martin claimed the high ball as Cork celebrated a first victory over Mayo in 21 years.
There were two late changes on either side.
Cork decided to draft Tommy Walsh and Eoghan McSweeney in for Kevin O'Donovan and Jones. Instead of Jones, it was Deane who partnered Brian Hurley up top at the first whistle, while Colm O’Callaghan drifted in as another high-ball option at every opportunity.
Mayo introduced Donnacha McHugh and Diarmuid O’Connor for Sam Callinan and Fionn McDonagh. As a unit, however, they were lost for ideas to penetrate the Rebels’ blanket defence.
O’Shea did force a save from Martin but it took them 22 minutes for their first score from play, via the excellent Jordan Flynn.
Cork were never more than two points ahead but it was the underdogs’ ravenous appetite for turnovers and speed of counter-attack which impressed most. Rory Maguire, wearing No 3, displayed his kicking abilities by getting forward to finish off two fine moves, while his tackle to strip a Mayo attacker resulted in another for McSweeney.
Deane drifted around to assist two more points for O’Callaghan and Walsh as well as a goal chance for Ian Maguire, well turned away by Colm Reape.
Cork led 0-06 to 0-05 at the break but they couldn’t sustain such a breakneck pace for a full 70 minutes as Mayo were able to congest their attacks and get their runners into space in the third quarter.
Flynn was happy to take on the shooting responsibility. He found plenty of success drifting from the right wing across to the left to kick three further points, while winning a mark which resulted in a Ryan O’Donoghue converted free.
O’Donoghue was plenty involved in open play too, setting up a point and the breakthrough goal for half-time substitute Tommy Conroy after Killian O’Hanlon spilled the ball in the 57th minute, making it 1-11 to 0-08.
But Cork hit right back from the kick-out. O’Callaghan drove at the heart of the Mayo defence and was fouled for a penalty. Sherlock sent Reape the wrong way.
That goal and those subs re-energised the Rebel challenge as Mayo completely wilted.
Sherlock had 1-05 within 25 minutes of his arrival, with his last point giving Cork their first lead in half an hour.
When O’Rourke added another, they led by two entering stoppage time.
The signal was given in to the players. Just one more point would be enough.
Sherlock was the man to win the final Cork kick-out as they worked it through the hands of Conor Corbett and Ian Maguire to send Jones in on goal. He had the presence of mind to take the point.
Cork: MA Martin; M Shanley, R Maguire (0-02), T Walsh (0-01); L Fahy, D O’Mahony, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan (0-01), I Maguire; B O’Driscoll, R Deane, K O’Hanlon; S Powter, B Hurley (0-02, 1f), E McSweeney (0-01).
Subs: S Sherlock (1-05, 1-00 pen, 1f, 1 '45) for Deane (40), J O’Rourke (0-01) for McSweeney (51), C Corbett for Hurley (55), K O’Donovan for Fahy (58), C Óg Jones (0-01) for Powter (64), M Cronin for O’Hanlon (67).
Mayo: C Reape (0-01 '45); J Coyne, D McBrien, P O’Hora; D McHugh, C Loftus, P Durcan; S Coen, M Ruane; D O’Connor, J Carney, J Flynn (0-04); A O’Shea, J Carr, R O’Donoghue (0-05, 4f).
Subs: T Conroy (1-01) for Carr (ht), E Hession for Coyne (52), E McLaughlin for Ruane (52), K McLoughlin for McHugh (67).
Referee: P Faloon (Down).
