Cork are back in Allianz Football League Division 1 for the first time in a decade, with victory over Tyrone at O'Neills Healy Park sealing the deal for John Cleary's resurgent Rebels.
They have more unfinished business to attend to ahead of Championship, a league title still to be played for at Croke Park next weekend.
Another defeat for a struggling Tyrone side saw them finish just above the drop zone, having done enough to avoid a second successive relegation, but they have serious issues to address ahead of their Ulster SFC opener against Armagh in three weeks time.
A strong press on the Tyrone kick-out gave Cork dominance around the middle, and the platform for a strong start against the wind.
They picked off the game’s first three points, with Mark Cronin, Colm O’Callaghan and Stephen Sherlock all on target.
The Munster men ran strongly at a nervous home defence, with O’Callaghan, Brian O’Driscoll and Tommy Walsh always ready to take on defenders, the former driving forward for his second score, moments after Ethan Jordan had opened Tyrone’s account.
The Rebels came close to grabbing a goal as they once again carved open the cover, Sean McDonnell getting on the end of a move involving Ian Maguire and Cronin to fire in a shot that was well saved by Oisin O’Kane.
A relieved Tyrone responded with a Jordan two-pointer, but soon Cork were back in control, reeling off the next three points to go five clear by the end of the opening quarter.
But Brian Kennedy’s emergence as a key figure in the Tyrone midfield helped Tyrone to close the gap through Mattie Donnelly, who was also involved in the move, along with Darragh Canavan, that ended with Darren McCurry crashing a fierce shot against the crossbar.
Feeding off turnovers, they maintained a strong finish to the half, Darragh Canavan and Donnelly narrowing the gap to a single point, with Cork taking a 0-9 to 0-8 lead into the interval.
In the opening moments of the second half, substitute Eoin McElholm got through to force Cork 'keeper Patrick Doyle into a save,
Tyrone briefly led through Donnelly, but Cork, breaking at pace, regained the lead as O’Callaghan stroked over his third of the afternoon.
The advantage changed rapidly as Canavan and Donnelly struck again, but Cork, with dynamic wing backs Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fahy making ground along the flanks, regained control.
When Steven Sherlock sent over a brilliant two-pointer, followed by a free, they led by three moving into the final quarter.
While Donnelly kept the Red Hands in touch, bringing his tally to six from play, it was Cork who had the finishing power, Hurley seeing a long range effort bounce over for a two-pointer, and a late fisted effort to seal victory.
Tyrone: O O’Kane; J Clarke; P Teague, C Quinn; B Cullen, N Devlin, S O’Donnell; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick (0-01); B McDonnell, R Cassidy, M Donnelly (0-06); D McCurry (0-02), D Canavan (0-04, 1f), E Jordan (0-05, 2f, 1tp).
Subs: E McElholm for Jordan (h-t), F Burns for McDonnell (38), C Daly (0-01)for Cassidy (54), M McKernan for Cullen (60), C Bogue for McCurry (67)
Cork: P Doyle; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, S Meehan, B O’Driscoll, T Walsh (0-01), L Fahy (0-01); C O’Callaghan (0-03), I Maguire (0-01); P Walsh, M Cronin (0-02, 1f), S McDonnell (0-02); C Og Jones (0-02), D Sheedy (0-01), S Sherlock (0-05, 2f, 1tp).
Subs: B Hurley (0-04, 1tp) for Sheedy (58), R Deane for Walsh (60), K O’Donovan for Fahy (61), S Walsh for McDonnell (67), D Buckley for Maguire (70).
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
