ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Monaghan 3-12 Cork 3-13: LATE POINTS from Paul Kerrigan and substitute John Hayes saw Cork snatch the narrowest of victories over Monaghan in a high-scoring thriller in Scotstown yesterday.

With 10 minutes remaining, Monaghan had taken a two-point lead, but they were unable to contain a free-flowing Cork.

Monaghan fought back on a number of occasions and probably deserved to take something from the game, but they paid the price for too many missed chances – they registered 14 wides.

Cork got off to a great start with a goal by Kerrigan in the fifth minute after Conor McManus had opened the scoring for Monaghan with a point.

Cork went on to lead at half-time by 3-4 to 1-6, hitting Monaghan with a brace of goals inside a minute as Patrick Kelly and Kerrigan exploited slack defensive work.

Within three minutes of the resumption, Daniel Goulding extended Cork’s lead to six points but four minutes later the margin was reduced to three, Tomás Freeman finding the net after Dermot Malone’s effort had been parried by Cork goalkeeper Kevin Murphy. Conor McManus added a point but Aidan Walsh restored Cork’s three-point lead.

By the 45th minute Monaghan were level thanks to a fine Darren Hughes goal. The sides were level on four further occasions as the game built to a nerve-tingling finish.

Three points between the 55th and 60th minutes put Monaghan two in front, but Cork rallied strongly, with Nicholas Murphy and Paudie Kissane driving them forward and Kerrigan helping to stretch the Monaghan rearguard.

A point by Kissane in the 62nd minute reduced the margin to the minimum, with Kerrigan then bringing the sides level with two minutes of normal time remaining.

A draw would have been a fair result from an entertaining clash but, with just over a minute of normal time remaining, substitute Hayes lofted over an excellent point from distance to win the game for the visitors.

CORK: K Murphy; R Carey, M Shields, E Cadogan; G Spillane, P Kissane (0-1), A Walsh (0-1); P O'Neill (0-2), F Goold; P Kelly (1-1), D O'Connor (0-2), P O'Flynn; D Goulding (0-3), N Murphy, P Kerrigan (2-2). Subs: C O'Neill for P O'Flynn, C O'Driscoll for G Spillane, J Hayes (0-1)for F Goold.

MONAGHAN: S Gorman; D McArdle, D Hughes (1-2), D Morgan; D Freeman, G McQuaid, N McAdam; D Clerkin, F Caulfield; P Finlay 0-3 (two frees), D Malone, C McManus 0-4 (two frees); M McElroy, V Corey (1-1), T Freeman (1-2, 0-1 free). Subs: C Greenan for D Morgan, C Hanratty for M McElroy, K Hughes for D Freeman, H McElroy for T Freeman.

Referee: D Coldrick(Meath).