Wexford were not only left dazed by the Páirc Uí Rínn floodlights but the headlights of the Cork attack as Ballinhassig forward Brendan Lombard struck two goals either side of the break in the Leesiders' 2-13 to 0-09 Division 1B win on Saturday evening. The home side led 0-06 to 0-02 after 20 minutes with Jonathan O'Callaghan, last weekend's Man of the Match against Limerick, again in fine form, pointing twice in the early stages along with corner forward Seanie McGrath (0-01).
Lombard opened his account on 24 minutes before hammering past Wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry in first half injury time. The visitors were living off captain Paul Codd's free taking and the scoring contribution of half-forward Michael Jacob (0-02) in a first half which ended 1-07 to 0-05 in Cork's favour.
Lombard hit home his second goal nine minutes after the restart from 10 yards and further points from substitute Niall McCarthy and two more from O'Callaghan and midfielder Tom Kenny (0-02) put Cork into a 2-12 to 0-07 lead going into the final stages.
Wexford rallied through Codd and Jacob again, two of their three scorers, with full back Declan Ruth (0-01) sent-off for his second bookable offence. Lombard finished the game as top scorer with 2-01. Cork now head the table on four points, but Offaly could join them if they defeat Dinny Cahill's Antrim side tomorrow afternoon in Casement Park.
Cork: D Óg Cusack; A Fitzpatrick, D O'Sullivan, W Sherlock (C O'Connor 69min); G Callinan, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín (K Hartnett 69min); T Kenny (P Tierney 63min), A Coughlan; J O'Callaghan, M Byrne, T McCarthy; S McGrath, B Lombard, E Fitzgerald.
Wexford: D Fitzhenry; K Rossiter, D Ryan, M Travers; D Stamp, D Ruth, M O'Leary; T Mahon (P Carley 28min), P Codd; M Jacob, J O'Connor (D O'Connor 52min), M Jordan (Donal Berry ht); B Lambert (MJ Furlong 70min), R Codd (B Goff 50min), R Jacob
Filed by Shane Murray
