Brian Hurley, Cork, and Daire Nally, Louth, in Allianz Football League action. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Two
Cork 1-23 (1-4-15) Louth 0-18 (0-6-6)
By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Cork found their shooting boots to boost their Division Two survival odds and take a step closer to securing Sam Maguire football at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Colm O’Callaghan bagged a second-half goal while Brian O’Driscoll and Mark Cronin each slotted a pair of two-pointers en route to an eight-point victory that sees them leapfrog above Louth.
Having trailed by 15 points, Sam Mulroy kicked five two-pointers (four from play) to lessen the damage to their score difference. The Wee County raised as many orange flags as white (six each) across the afternoon.
Captain Brian Hurley was among three late Cork changes as he returned from injury. Goalkeeper Micheál Aodh Martin and Eoghan McSweeney were also recalled for Patrick Doyle, Tommy Walsh, and Cathail O’Mahony. Conor Grimes missed out for Louth, with Seán Reynolds taking his place.
Backed by the wind, the Rebels showed their intent to target two-pointers from the start. Their key shooters Hurley, Cronin, and O’Driscoll circled around the arc in a combination which resulted in an early O’Driscoll double. Chris Óg Jones and Rory Maguire added white flags for a four-point head start. Louth countered to get off the mark through Mulroy’s two-point free.
O’Driscoll nailed his second two-pointer from play before Reynolds’ response. Cork would score nine of the final 10 points from there to the break.
Cronin punished a Louth breach of the 4v3 structure with a two-point free and the corner-forward would later add another when Tommy Durnin didn’t hand the ball back after a foul.
Cronin tagged on another point on the counter after Seán Brady blocked a Tom Jackson shot on goal. The Nemo Rangers dangerman was then denied a goal by Niall McDonnell’s save but play was called back for him to tap over the advanced mark.
Hurley’s free made it a six-point streak and 0-15 to 0-4 at half-time.
Mulroy’s positioning at centre-forward would become more impactful with the wind as he charged onto the ball to launch an outside-of-the-boot missile from the 45.
Cork quelled any comeback hopes with the next 1-3 for a 15-point lead. O’Callaghan slotted the first point and stitched the 43rd-minute goal after combining with midfield partner Ian Maguire.
But half-time substitute Ciarán Downey kicked a two-pointer in response and Mulroy notched three more sublime strikes from outside the arc.
Louth closed within eight points three times, but no closer as Cork earned a valuable win.
Scorers for Cork: Mark Cronin 0-8 (2 2ptf, 1m, 1f), Colm O’Callaghan 1-1, Brian O’Driscoll 0-4 (2 2pt), Chris Óg Jones 0-3, Rory Maguire, Cathail O’Mahony 0-2 each, Matty Taylor, Ian Maguire, Brian Hurley (f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 0-11 (4 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1f), Andy McDonnell, Ciarán Downey (2pt) 0-2 each, Dylan McKeown, Seán Reynolds, Conor Brannigan 0-1 each.
Cork: Micheál Aodh Martin; Neil Lordan, Daniel O’Mahony, Seán Brady; Matty Taylor, Rory Maguire, Brian O’Driscoll; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Eoghan McSweeney, Seán McDonnell; Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley, Chris Óg Jones.
Subs: Seán Walsh for O’Callaghan (1-5, temp), Ruairí Deane for McDonnell (43), Cathail O’Mahony for Hurley (53), Conor Cahalane for McSweeney (58), S Walsh for I Maguire (65, inj), Hugh O’Connor for Cronin (65).
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Donal McKenny, Dermot Campbell, Daire Nally; Leonard Gray, Peter Lynch, Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin, Paul Matthews; Dara McDonnell, Sam Mulroy, Andy McDonnell; Tom Jackson, Seán Reynolds, Ryan Burns.
Subs: Ciarán Downey for Reynolds (HT), Emmet Carolan for Gray (HT), Dylan McKeown for Jackson (42), Fearghal Malone for D McDonnell (46), Conor Brannigan for Burns (64).
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
