Late rally sees Cork footballers force a draw

Cork 1-14 Derry 1-14

Cork came from being well behind in this Allianz NFL game with Derry on Sunday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, to salvage a draw in the concluding round.

Cork played with the aid of a stiff breeze in the first half. Derry opened the scoring with an early Niall Toner point, with Colm O'Callaghan then levelling. Padraig Cassidy edged the Ulster side in front after 6 minutes. Cork had two wides before Niall Toner added another point. In the 11th minute Brendan Rogers made it 0-4 to 0-1. Further pressure saw Shane McGuigan add a point. At the end of the first quarter Cork had a point by Kevin O'Donovan.

Ethan Doherty with a free had Derry double scores clear, 0-6 to 0-3. Stephen Sherlock with a pointed free made it 0-6 to 0-3 and Derry continued to do well. A foul on Niall Toner led to a pointed free by Shane McGuigan. Niall Toner with a point had Derry ahead 0-8 to 0-3 and in the 25th minute, Ruairi Deane worked well for Chris Og Jones who pointed.

Good work by Brendan Rogers led to a Shay Downey point. Stephen Sherlock kept Cork in touch with a free after a foul on Colm O'Callaghan. Derry had a black card for Garret McKinless. Cork had a good movement out of defence that involved Rory Maguire and Killian O'Hanlon, with Stephen Sherlock passing to Ian Maguire who was fouled - Sherlock pointed the free as Cork trailed at the break 0-9 to 0-6.

CORK FIGHT BACK

On the resumption Luke Fahy forced Ryan Scullion to save well. Lachlann Murray fisted a Derry point and Padraig McGrogan followed with a fisted point as Derry moved 5 clear. Good play by McKinless led to a Shane McGuigan point. Then, in the 48th minute Ethan Doherty kicked over and Derry were 0-13 to 0-6 clear.

Cork rallied well. Stephen Sherlock placed Killian O'Hanlon who pointed. Good play by Mattie Taylor, Colm O'Callaghan and Sean Powter led to a foul, with Sherlock pointing the free. Ethan Doherty placed Shay Downey for a goal and Derry were double scores ahead, 1-13 to 0-8.

Cork did very well in the final quarter. Colm O'Callaghan pointed and Ruairi Deane set up Conor Corbett who kicked over. Corbett followed with another point. Conor Corbett, now doing very well, placed Killian O'Hanlon who found Kevin O'Donovan who cut the lead to 4 points. Tommy Walsh and Kevin O'Donovan worked well for Killian O'Hanlon who left just a goal between the sides in the 63rd minute. Conor Corbett (free) and Paul Cassidy exchanged points.

Seven minutes of additional time were played and in the dying moments, Ian Maguire goaled after a five-man attack. The final whistle followed and the game finished in a draw.

Derry were already through to the final, while Cork finished 4th in the group and will be in Division 2 again next year.

Cork: Micheal A Martin (Nemo Rangers), Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), Kevin O'Donovan (Nemo Rangers – 0-1), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk), Luke Fahy (Ballincollig), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Sean Powter (Douglas - 0-1), Colm O'Callaghan (Eire Og – 0-2), Ian Maguire (St Finbarr's – 1-0), Mattie Taylor (Mallow), Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues), Brian O'Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaighs), Killian O'Hanlon (Kilshannig – 0-2), Chris Og Jones (Iveleary – 0-1), Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarr's – 0-4f). Subs: Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers - 0-3, 0-1f) for Stephen Sherlock, John O'Rourke (Carbery Rangers) for Chris Og Jones, Martin Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for Brian O'Driscoll, Cian Kiely (Ballincollig) for Mattie Taylor, Paul Walsh (Kanturk) for Killian O'Hanlon.

Referee was Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).