Cork 3-10; Longford 1-10: Cork struck early to claim their second win of the league season at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night. All their scores came from play and they put in an impressive display of football in the second half to see off Longford.
They knocked the midland side with 2-3 in a seven-minute spell and a third goal nine minutes into the second half ended any hopes of a Longford revival.
Longford opened promisingly with full-forward Padraic Davis scoring after 20 seconds. Cork levelled with a point from captain Colin Crowley after five minutes before the home side gained a stranglehold in midfield.
Alan Cronin gave them the lead after 10 minutes which sparked a scoring spree. Cork won possession from the kick-out and immediately Conor McCarthy and Crowley combined to send Micheál Ó Croinín clear for a well-taken goal.
Once more goalkeeper Damien Sheridan's kick-out broke Cork's way. This time Gary Murphy opted for the direct approach, driving a high ball towards the Longford goal. Corner-back Dermot Brady misjudged the flight and the ball sailed over his head into the hands of Philip Clifford who scored the second goal with a powerful shot.
Two long-range points by Ó Croinín and McCarthy in quick succession propelled Cork into a 2-4 to 0-1 lead after 17 minutes which forced Longford into a couple of early substitutions in an attempt to reverse the trend.
Manager Denis Connerton introduced Liam Keenan to midfield and Donal Ledwith to the full-back line. The changes worked as Cork would only add one more point in the remainder of the half and Longford became more of an attacking force. Two Davis frees and a Paul Barden point just before the interval left the home side 2-5 to 0-4 clear.
A third goal after 44 minutes underlined Cork's superiority. McCarthy picked out Cronin and the Nemo Rangers player finished in style to make it 3-9 to 0-5.
Longford managed a consolation goal 10 minutes from the end, when David Barden scored from close range.
CORK: K O'Dwyer; S O'Brien, G Canty, N O'Leary; E Sexton, A Lynch, G Murphy; M O'Sullivan, D Hurley (0-1); K McMahon (0-2), C McCarthy (0-3), A Cronin (1-1); P Clifford (1-0), M Ó Croinín (1-2), C Crowley (0-1). Subs: N O'Donovan for O'Leary (15 mins), N Murphy for Sexton (51 mins), A O'Regan for Clifford (60 mins), B Collins for O'Sullivan (61 mins), J O'Connell for Crowley (62 mins).
LONGFORD: D Sheridan; S Carroll, J Kenny, D Brady; A O'Connor, E Ledwith, S Lynch; M Lennon, D Hannify; T Smullen, P Barden (0-2), M Kelly; D Blessington, P Davis (0-6, three frees), D Barden (1-1). Subs: L Keenan (0-1) for O'Connor (21 mins), D Ledwith for Carroll (22 mins), F Coyle for Lennon (half-time), C Conefrey for Kenny (39 mins), P Dowd for Lynch (62 mins).
Referee: T Quigley (Wexford).
