Cork, as expected, captured the points and greatly improved their scoring averages with a facile victory over Down at Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday. Barely 200 spectators paid at the turnstiles for a match that was effectively over as a contest after nine minutes when Joe Deane grabbed the opening goal for a 1-5 to 0-0 lead.
Fergal McCormack and Sean O'Farrell both also hit the net while Kevin Murray, a second-half substitute for Deane, scored two goals.
Cork enjoyed the benefit of the wind from the outset and declared their intentions with an O'Farrell point inside 10 seconds. By the interval Cork had the points wrapped up, leading by 1-13 to 0-2 as all six forwards registered scores. The one-way traffic continued on the resumption, McCormack soloing through to claim the second goal after 34 minutes.
CORK: D Og Cusack; F Ryan, D O'Sullivan, J Browne; M Landers, B Corcroan, P Ryan (0-2); J Sheehan, D Murphy (0-1); T McCarthy (0-1), F McCormack (1-3), S McGrath (0-1); B O'Connor (0-3), S O'Farrell (1-2), J Deane (1-6). Subs: K Murray (2-0) for Deane and B Coleman for McGrath.
DOWN: N Sharvin; J Brown, S McAree, S Wilson; D Burns, G Savage, P McCabe; J McCrickard (0-3), J McCarthy; E Trainor (0-1), M Bramiff (0-1), M Coulter (0-1); B Savage, A Tinnelly, G Gordon (0-1). Subs: P Coulter for B Savage, S Murray for McCarthy,
Referee: P Moore (Waterford).
