Cork 0-16 Down 0-15:IN THE end it was the experience of a more recent tradition that proved decisive. Cork, extensively tutored in the various methods of losing All-Ireland matches, applied the lessons and in yesterday's All-Ireland football final they finished one golden point ahead of Down's total, so winning a seventh title, their first since 1990, and inflicting on their opponents an unprecedented September defeat.

Although Cork recovered from a five-point deficit on 30 minutes to reel back the match slowly and incrementally they never cut loose as looked likely going into the last 10 minutes and Danny Hughes’s point that reduced the winning margin to one in injury-time could have gone anywhere, as his fisted connection from Martin Clarke’s line ball flew at the goal.

Instead Cork played out the final minute on the attack and when David Coldrick whistled the end of proceedings that one point felt too small to define as vast a gulf as existed between the elation of the winners and what they would have been feeling had they lost a third final in four years.

Teams that have accumulated as much crushing disappointment as Cork have done over the years don’t always cruise to success when their moment arrives and so it proved yesterday in a gripping match that kept Croke Park in a state of high tension until the end.

But the winners deserved their success, just about. They smashed Down’s ball-winning capacity at centrefield and placed the previously magnificent pairing of Martin Clarke and Benny Coulter under arrest, conceding only a point from play from both of them combined.

Michael Shields was excellent all afternoon on Coulter and greatly restricted the Down captain, whereas Noel O’Leary gave a committed and, crucially, disciplined display just shadowing Clarke and preventing him from enjoying the amount of space he had exploited in the quarter-final and semi-final.

Cork’s forwards showed enough gumption to get the scoreboard moving in the second half after a disastrous first half hour during which they managed just two points, neither from play.

Eventually manager Conor Counihan got his best team on to the field. As usual, Nicholas Murphy came into the match, this time immediately after the break, and not much later, captain Graham Canty, who had been withdrawn before the start, made his belated entrance.

In both cases injury was the reason for the delay but both players had a significant impact.

Cork’s strength-in-depth at centrefield was reflected in the manner in which five different players were used. After half an hour on the field, Murphy was injured and replaced by Derek Kavanagh and within minutes he required a blood replacement, Fintan Goold.

Yet, in amongst all of that experience, it was 20-year old Aidan Walsh who shone most brightly. His fielding ability, relentless work rate and much improved use of the ball made him a key operative throughout the afternoon, preventing Down from creating a platform for attack and helping to generate a generous supply for his own forwards.

Down were forced to live on scraps but they were up for the task, by the 27th minute building up a five-point lead, 0-7 to 0-2, which could have been greater but for an uncharacteristic wide from a 45 by Clarke and a number of other inaccuracies, which ultimately proved very expensive for the Ulster team.

For most of the first half however, Down looked on course for a surprise win. They survived a torrid opening minute when Cork might have had two goals, Alan O’Connor galloping through within 10 seconds and steering wide his point attempt and 50 seconds later Ciarán Sheehan forcing a great save from Brendan McVeigh and just as he looked certain to palm home the looping rebound, Dan McCartan scrambled back to block the ball on the line.

Gradually Down recovered from the shock and Cork appeared to deflate at the point of these early jabs of misfortune.

A wet and slippery pitch disadvantaged both sides with players losing their footing but mercifully no disasters ensuing as a result. Down’s defence were well in control for most of the first half.

Both Kevin McKernan and Conor Garvey turned over possession with clever and precise tackling and Dan Gordon made Donncha O’Connor’s life miserable until, in the great personal comeback of the day, the Ballydesmond full forward found redemption with a display of point-scoring that ultimately galvanised his team.

With Martin Clarke and Coulter not as prolific, although Clarke was still effective in possession and missed only one of his dead ball kicks, Down’s less celebrated forwards took up the slack.

John Clarke kicked a massive point in the 15th minute but Eoin Cadogan soon got to grips with him. Paul McComiskey knocked off his biggest total of the season with three points and Hughes managed the same return after another hard-running display that should have nailed down his All Star.

Cork were disjointed, moving aimlessly and not getting their shooters on the ball sufficiently often. Paudie Kissane was unrecognisable from the raiding wing back who had taken three points from play against Kerry in June, as he struggled with his kicking game.

The trend of the match left Cork happy enough to be just three behind at the break although that could have been even less had Daniel Goulding, who finished with nine points, including three nerveless 45s in the closing stages, not dropped short a similar kick in first-half injury-time.

Murphy’s appearance ramped up Cork’s centrefield stranglehold. His fielding under pressure was stable and secure and despite a point from McComiskey, just after he had hit the post, the favourites began to motor. For the next 10 minutes they outscored Down by 0-5 to 0-1 to tie up the match.

A couple of Goulding frees and a statement of intent from the same player, as he battled through to score from play, a flowing move that had its origins in Shields beating Coulter, playing in Sheehan whose ball to O’Connor was flashed over and Sheehan made up the sequence and the sentiment hardened that it was now Down who were under pressure.

Kevin McKernan, suffering in the second half from Paul Kerrigan’s emergence as a running threat, did briefly restore the lead at the beginning of the final quarter but a barrage of four points, a free by O’Connor, a gutsy effort by Kerrigan and two 45s from Goulding put Cork firmly in the driving seat.

Canty’s introduction had given the defence a composure it had lacked in the early stages.

To Down’s eternal credit they refused to follow the obvious script and allow the opposition to pull away – as even manager James McCartan had feared – even though Sheehan and Kerrigan were exerting major pressure and O’Connor and Goulding were shooting the chances.

Colm O’Neill’s arrival added to the menace and he could have had a goal but slipped and in the ensuing scramble Cork might have had a penalty.

Coulter made a point and scored a point, substitute Ronan Murtagh chipped in a customary score and Down kept the contest alive for a grandstand finale.

There may be more ecstatic or triumphant All-Ireland champions than Cork in the immediate aftermath but it’s hard to imagine any more relieved.