Cork won their third successive Allianz NFL Division 1 title with a 2-10 to 0-11 win over Mayo at Croke Park.

They crushed the brave western challenge with a power-packed second half display, conceding just two points while they fired home a 2-5 salvo.

Cillian O’Connor converted five frees as Mayo delivered a compelling attacking display to lead by 0-9 to 0-5 at the break. But Cork seized control after the restart, with Colm O’Neill and Aidan Walsh blasting in goals and the Rebels never looked back.

O’Connor swept over a couple of frees early on, but Fintan Goold finished off a neat move involving Patrick Kelly and Colm O’Neill to bring the sides level on 11 minutes.

Ger Cafferkey settled well at full back to inspire confidence in his defensive colleagues, and the confidence soon coursed through entire Mayo team.

They attacked at pace, and could have had a goal but for the alertness of Cork full back Michael Shields, who turned to beat Andy Moran to the ball.

O’Connor was able to find the target from all sorts of angles and ranges from placed balls, a 48-metre effort making it 0-4 to 0-2.

And in a devastating two minute spell, defenders Keith Higgins and Donal Vaughan charged forward on the counter-attack to shoot points, easing the westerners into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead.

Wing back Lee Keegan performed heroics to deny Paul Kerrigan with a brilliant block, but Cork narrowed the gap back to two points when Donncha O’Connor tapped over a free, and Graham Canty’s long punt from 55 metres was allowed to bounce over the bar.

Once again, Mayo’s tigerish defending served them well, with Kevin Keane averting a couple of dangerous situations, and they closed out the half with another flourish, Andy Moran firing over a memorable score, and O’Connor converting his fifth free for a 0-9 to 0-5 interval lead.

With the wind now in their backs, the Rebels made a flying start to the second half, with midfielders Pearse O’Neill and Alan O’Connor powering over points and Paddy Kelly also hitting the target,

Mayo struggled to get out of their own half, and it was just a matter of time before Cork went level, Donncha O’Connor steering over an exquisite long range score on 43 minutes.

Two minutes later, Colm O’Neill blasted home a thunderbolt goal, a fitting finish to a superb move involving Paudie Kissane and O’Connor.

Cork had found a new gear, a much higher level of intensity, and their physical power was finally being brought to bear on the contest

And they effectively killed the game off on 55 minutes when Aidan Walsh blasted in a second goal after a Goold effort had come back off a post.

On a rare Mayo attack, they pulled back a point through Kevin McLoughlin, and a superb Eoin Cadogan tackle stopped Lee Keegan in his tracks as he charged towards goal with the net in his sights.

Mayo mustered a late flourish, but found Ray Carey and Cadogan in defiant form at the back, Conor Mortimer’s free all they could manage, while Daniel Goulding’s spectacular point put the icing on Cork’s celebratory cake.

Cork scorers: C O’Neill, A Walsh 1-0 each, D O’Connor (1f), F Goold, P O’Neill 0-2 each, G Canty, A O’Connor, P Kelly, D Goulding 0-1 each.
Mayo scorers: C O’Connor 0-6 (5f), K McLoughlin, C Mortimer (f), D Vaughan, K Higgins, A Moran 0-1 each.

Cork: A Quirke, R Carey, M Shields, E Cadogan, N O’Leary, G Canty, P Kissane, P O’Neill, A O’Connor, F Goold, P Kelly, P Kerrigan, C O’Neill, A Walsh, D O’Connor.
Subs: N Walsh for A O’Connor, D Goulding for O’Neill, B O’Driscoll for P O’Neill

Mayo: D Clarke, K Keane, G Caferkey, K Higgins, L Keegan, D Vaughan, C Boyle, B Moran, J Gibbons, K McLoughlin, A Moran, A Dillon, C Mortimer, C O’Connor, M Conroy.
Subs: P Harte for Gibbons, E Varley for Conroy, D Geraghty for B Moran, J Doherty for O’Connor, R Feeney for Dillon

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).