Cork 0-30

Meath 1-24

MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS

JOHN Cleary believes Cork’s Munster final defeat to Kerry helped lay the foundations for this stirring win over Meath.

Trailing 1-16 to 0-11 at half time in this All-Ireland SFC Round 1 tie at Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork produced an emphatic second-half display to power into Round 2A and move a step closer to an All-Ireland quarter-final.

We were frustrated after Killarney. We didn’t play horribly badly, but we didn’t play the way we wanted. The Wednesday after, we parked it,’ Cleary said.

‘I do think, in a peculiar sort of way, Killarney helped us because when the crunch came we were a bit more battle-hardened than Meath were. Meath hadn’t played for seven or eight weeks.

‘There’s nothing like championship football. Playing every two weeks is ideal compared to challenge games.’

‘We went up to Meath last year after five or six weeks without a game. Meath had the Leinster final behind them and that stood to them.

‘We knew we hadn't become a bad team overnight. ‘This was our first chance to respond. This is a new competition. The lads showed tremendous resolve coming down the home straight to make sure we were on top.’

Sisters Breda and Anna O'Donovan meet the trip from Dunmanway to cheer Cork on. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Cork had endured a poor second quarter on Saturday as Meath outscored the home side by 1-10 to 0-6. Yet Cleary remained calm at half time.

‘We felt if we used the wind well and got momentum, we were right back in it. Within ten minutes, we led. We got ahead and the sending off changed an awful lot. We got some very good scores to get us ahead and we were able to have that cushion coming down the home straight,’ he said.

Cork had fought their way back into contention at the start of the second half following two-pointers from Steven Sherlock, Mark Cronin and David Buckley. Cork led 0-25 to 1-20 on 51 minutes when Colm O’Callaghan was harshly sent off. For the second time against Meath this season, Cork had to dig in with 14 men.

‘We don’t make it easy,’ Newcestown footballer David Buckley said.

‘We’re delighted with the win. Onto the next day now. There is nothing won here yet but it was great to start off the All-Ireland series with a win.’

Meath only managed to level once after the sending-off, but Steven Sherlock immediately restored Cork’s advantage with a superb two-pointer on 64 minutes.

Conor Corbett’s late insurance point sparked celebrations in Páirc Uí Rinn as Cork moved to within one win of an All-Ireland quarter-final.

‘It was a good win. In the second half we came out and stuck to the same process,’ Cork corner-back Maurice Shanley said.

‘With the wind there, the two-pointers started to go over. We dug deep and came out on top in the end so we’re happy out.’

OUR STAR: David Buckley impressed on his first competitive start of the season, but Steven Sherlock’s 0-14 masterclass was impossible to overlook.

Scorers

Cork: Steven Sherlock 0-14 (5f, 3 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1 45); Mark Cronin 0-5 (1 2ptf, 1f); David Buckley 0-3 (1 2pt); Colm O’Callaghan 0-2; Maurice Shanley, Paul Walsh, Chris Óg Jones, Ian Maguire, Daniel O’Mahony, Conor Corbett 0-1 each.

Meath: James Conlon 0-7 (1 2pt); Ruairí Kinsella (1 2pt), Eoghan Frayne (2 2pt, 1f) 0-5 each; Seán Brennan 0-4 (2 2ptf); Ciarán Caulfield 1-0; Jordan Morris 0-2; Matthew Costello 0-1.

Cork: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Daniel O’Mahony, Seán Meehan; Brian O’Driscoll, Tommy Walsh, Luke Fahy; Colm O’Callaghan, Ian Maguire (captain); Paul Walsh, Sean McDonnell, David Buckley; Mark Cronin, Chris Óg Jones, Steven Sherlock.

Subs: Ruairí Deane for S McDonnell (53); Seán Walsh for D Buckley, Rory Maguire for L Fahy (both 57); Conor Corbett for P Walsh (62).

Meath: Seán Brennan; Donal Keogan, Seán Rafferty, Seamus Lavin; Ronan Ryan, Sean Coffey, Ciarán Caulfield; Cian McBride, Bryan Menton; Charlie O’Connor, Jordan Morris, Ruairi Kinsella; Mathew Costello, Eoghan Frayne (captain), James Conlon.

Subs: Jack Flynn for B Menton (44); Jack O’Connor for R Kinsella (temp, 51-53); Jack O’Connor for C O’Connor (54); Cathal Hickey for E Frayne (57); Aaron Lynch for J Conlon (65).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).