Cork 0-17

Donegal 1-13

MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS

FEW would have predicted this outcome, especially when Cork trailed All-Ireland favourites Donegal by five points at half time in this All-Ireland SFC Round 2A clash in Ballybofey.

But a superb second-half display, in which the Rebels outscored the Division 1 champions by 0-12 to 0-6, showcased the resilience and belief within John Cleary’s side as they booked their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Cork footballers flew up to Derry for this clash on Saturday, and were flying high afterwards, too.

‘Don’t underestimate this group. We came up here to win,’ Cork stalwart Ruairí Deane told The Southern Star.

‘We weren’t given much of a chance but, in fairness to the people on board and the people in the background, they made it easier for us. We owed them something.’

The Bantry Blues veteran played a crucial role in the winning score, earning the foul that led to Steven Sherlock’s decisive two-point free on 65 minutes.

Donegal threw everything at Cork in the closing stages but could not find the goal they needed. Turlough Carr’s late effort sailed over rather than under the crossbar and the final whistle sparked memorable Cork celebrations.

‘There was very little in it. We made some errors but Donegal had no lost turnovers in the first half and we forced them into a few in the second half. That gave us momentum,’ Deane said.

‘Sherlock’s two-point free and Tommy’s (Walsh) outrageous sliding two-pointer that he has been practising all year came off today.’

Cork’s four second-half two-pointers proved decisive. Luke Fahy’s effort reduced the deficit to a single point on 61 minutes before a magnificent long-range strike from Tommy Walsh edged the Rebels ahead for the first time, 0-15 to 1-11, a minute later.

Donegal responded through Jason McGee to level matters, but Cork kept their composure when it mattered most.

‘We might have been five points down, but we weren’t overly disappointed at half time. I thought we defended heroically,’ Cork manager John Cleary said.

‘We had one lapse and they got the goal.

‘In the modern game, five points is nothing. We were down eight against Meath too. We said we’d keep chipping away and we knew we had two-point scorers.

‘We didn’t expect them to come from Luke and Tommy, but we knew we had kickers who could get us back into the game.’

Cleary felt the new rules played a major role in Cork’s comeback.

‘You can be down five or six points, get a couple of two-pointers and you're back in the game. That's what happened today.

‘We had nothing to lose. We went for it and they were holding what they had.

‘With our lads, we said at half time that if we're in it with ten minutes to go, just go for it. It wasn't all on the line today. We knew if we didn't get over the line, we'd have another day next week.’

After Conor O’Donnell’s first-half goal followed a Cork kick-out error, the game appeared to be unfolding as expected for the home side. Donegal led 1-7 to 0-5 at the interval and looked in control.

Cork, however, never lost belief.

‘We were calm enough,’ goalkeeper Patrick Doyle said.

‘If you take out the goal, which came from an error, we were well in it. These things happen.

‘Aside from that, in every other metric we were very close to them. There was no sense of panic.

‘We got on top and won a couple of the breaks. We got on top of the kick-outs near the end, particularly their kick-out. We won two or three there late on, which was crucial.

‘They had a couple of chances. If that one at the end had splashed into the top corner, we'd be going home crying.

‘It’s a good win.’

Scorers

Cork: Steven Sherlock 0-9 (3 2ptf, 1 2pt, 1 45); Luke Fahy, Tommy Walsh 0-2 (1 2pt) each; Dara Sheedy, Seán McDonnell, Conor Corbett, Ian Maguire 0-1 each.

Donegal: Oisín Gallen 0-4; Conor O’Donnell 1-0; Michael Murphy (1f), Michael Langan 0-2 each; Ryan McHugh, Shane O’Donnell, Peadar Mogan, Jason McGee, Turlough Carr 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Doyle (Knocknagree); Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Seán Meehan (Kiskeam); Brian O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk), Luke Fahy (Ballincollig); Ian Maguire (captain, St Finbarr’s), Seán Walsh (Mitchelstown); Paul Walsh (Kanturk), Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues), Seán McDonnell (Mallow); Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire), Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues) for D Sheedy (temp, 46-ft); Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers) for M Cronin (50); Jacob O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers) for S Meehan (59, inj); Brian Hurley (Castlehaven) for C Óg Jones, Conor Cahalane (Castlehaven) for P Walsh (both 65); Rory Maguire (Castlehaven) for L Fahy (69).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Finnbarr Roarty; Jason McGee, Hugh McFadden; Shane O’Donnell (joint-captain), Michael Langan (joint-captain), Ciarán Moore; Conor O’Donnell, Michael Murphy, Oisín Gallen.

Subs: Daire Ó Baoill for S O’Donnell, Caolan McColgan for R McHugh (both 55); Turlough Carr for C O’Donnell (59); Shea Malone for O Gallen (65).

Referee: David Gough (Meath).