Cork ... 1-11 Galway ... 1-8: Cork put two unflattering defeats behind them to secure their first win in this year's National Football League. In doing so they perpetuated the sorrowful mystery that this fixture has become for Galway. The All-Ireland champions' manager, John O'Mahony, said afterwards that Cork have had a bit of hoodoo over his team in the league. He left hanging the unspoken context of last year's championship meeting.
O'Mahony's Cork counterpart, the relieved Larry Tompkins, even managed to find a positive correlation for last July's match and pointed out that Cork had nearly overturned a 10-point deficit that day.
Yesterday in Tuam, Cork trailed by five at the end of the third quarter. Then the whole contest changed. It will greatly cheer Bertie Óg Murphy and the hurling selectors that the turnaround came courtesy of the county's latest dual wannabe, star hurler Diarmuid O'Sullivan.
Up until the 50th minute O'Sullivan had failed to make much of an impression at full forward. Admittedly he wouldn't have been leaving tips for the service he received but in the basic positional drills of the position, Galway full back Gary Fahey seemed to have matters comfortably under control.
Then Cork launched a wonderful attack, running the ball via a sequence of intricate passes right into their opponents' danger area. Owen Sexton, revelling in the space afforded him at wing back, did most of the running and it was he and Ronan McCarthy who set up O'Sullivan with the goal chance. The full forward has a thunderous left foot and he planted the ball past Alan Keane.
Suitably encouraged, he struck again for two points in the two minutes that followed and Cork, having looked a lost cause, were back in business. Galway seemed to treat the development with the resignation of cricketers who have declared too early and were accordingly powerless to contest the match once Cork started scoring.
O'Sullivan's namesake Brendan Jer was the most consistent forward, taking over the mantle from Philip Clifford whose radar was a bit off yesterday (two points and six wides), delivering a high-energy performance and kicking four points from play.
It was a deserved win for Cork. They showed incomparably more urgency than last week against Westmeath. Their playing hand was strengthened by the return of O'Sullivan from hurling duty and Anthony Lynch from Sigerson commitments. But overall there were only three changes from the side that had performed so abjectly in Mullingar.
The greater resolve was, however, evident by the manner in which they hung on when the All-Ireland champions were well on top. For all the pretty moves Galway made in the first half with Matthew Clancy and Derek Savage particularly prominent, the team missed the cutting edge of Padraig Joyce.
Both sides kicked wides by the bagful but little by little Cork got to grips with the task. Lynch was particularly impressive in his tussle with Savage, gradually reining in the Galwayman's influence. Ciaran O'Sullivan played well at full back and Michael O'Donovan completed an effective last line.
Despite their manifest superiority Galway had only a one-point lead to show for it at the interval, 0-4 to 0-3. While the match was loose and accurate finishing optional, the home side looked in control. Their pace in the half backs helped to initiate a number of attacks. Kevin Walsh exercised a paternal influence around centrefield, directing traffic and pulling down a decent supply of ball.
Two points to the good, 0-6 to 0-4, Galway appeared to have tipped the pedal decisively in the 46th minute. Micheal Ó Callarain embarked on an ambitious solo run right through the middle of the Cork defence. His lay-off allowed Savage time to step inside and crack a shot off the crossbar and Matthew Clancy punched the rebound into the goal.
Michael Donnellan was introduced for his first match since the All-Ireland and Galway looked to be cruising.
CORK: K O'Dwyer, M O'Donovan, C O'Sullivan, A Lynch, O Sexton, R McCarthy, P Kissane; N Murphy, M O'Sullivan, C Murphy (0-2, 1 free), BJ O'Sullivan (0-4), N O'Leary, P Clifford (0-2, one free), D O'Sullivan (1-2), C Crowley (0-1). Subs: S Levis for Kissane (53 mins).
GALWAY: A Keane, M Comer, G Fahey, T Meehan, R Fahey, K Fitzgerald, M O Callarain, K Walsh, J Bergin (0-2), P Clancy (0-1), J Fallon (0-2), L O Callarain, D Savage (0-2), K Comer, M Clancy (1-0). Subs: M Donnellan (0-1, free) for Comer (46); S O Domhnaill for L O Callarain (60).
Referee: B Crowe (Cavan)
