GAELIC GAMES: Dublin 1-11 Cork 1-3DUBLIN'S LIGHTNING start eventually earned Dessie Farrell's charges a semi-final berth following yesterday's quarter-final at O'Moore Park yesterday as they held Cork scoreless in the opening half, before 2,740 spectators.
A Paul Mannion goal after just 21 seconds signalled Dublin’s intent, with Dublin clocking up 1-8 before the interval.
“We played Cork at Easter and they gave us a good beating,” Farrell said. “That was always in the back of our heads. We knew we had to get to a level that we weren’t at, at that particular stage. We have worked hard in the mean time. It was a good, workmanlike performance.”
Cork manager Brian Cuthbert said it was always going to be tough after conceding an early goal. “To be absolutely annihilated as we were today is tough to take. Dublin got the start they wanted with the early goal but not to score in the first half and being down 11 points at half-time, you’re fighting a losing battle.”
Dual players Ciarán Kilkenny and Emmet Ó Conghaile, along with Gavin Ivory and David Campbell, added first-half points to Mannion’s goal. Dublin could also afford four first-half wides, with Cork’s attacking chances severely curtailed in that opening half.
Although Cork staged a second-half rally, led by captain Dan MacEoin, it was a case of too little too late. MacEoin’s goal came in the 36th minute for the Munster side’s first score. A pointed free followed from MacEoin, but Dublin always looked likely winners.
Kilkenny claimed his fifth point, to open Dublin’s second-half account in the 42nd minute. Dublin kept Cork’s defence under strong pressure, with Kilkenny having three scoring chances in the 49th minute, only to be denied by Cork goalkeeper James McDonnell on each occasion.
Scores from Mannion and Kilkenny saw Dublin claim a 1-10 to 1-1 lead with seven minutes remaining, but a late MacEoin brace ensured an eight-point margin at the full-time whistle.
DUBLIN: R O'Hanlon; G Hannigan, R McDaid, R Real; E Lowndes, J Small, J McCaffrey; P O'Higgins, E Ó Conghaile (0-1); G Ivory (0-2), D Campbell (0-2), C Costello; S Fulham, C Kilkenny (0-5, one free), P Mannion (1-1, 0-1 free). Subs: E Archbold for Fulham (48 mins), N Scully for Campbell (55 mins), S Carthy for Costello (58 mins), C Meaney for Ivory (59 mins).
CORK: J McDonnell; J Davis, C Dorman, S Cronin; K OHanlon, B O'Driscoll, K McIntyre; K Kavanagh, M Sugrue; C Vaughan, A Cadogan, C OSullivan; D MacEoin (1-3, 0-3 frees), S O'Mahony, D Harrington. Subs: K Fulignati for O'Hanlon, D Murphy for O'Sullivan (both 25 mins), P Fitzgerald for Kavanagh (27 mins), J Corkery for Vaughan (36 mins), TJ Brosnan for Sugrue (57 mins).
Referee: C Branagan (Down).
