Cork 2-11 Louth 0-10
Cork pushed Louth closer to the drop from Division Two following a flattering seven-point win in arctic conditions at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday.
It all seemed to be going to plan for Cork, when they went into half-time 1-9 to 0-4 in front after playing with the wind.
Cork remained controlled and patient in their build-up despite Louth massing players behind the ball.
Michael Hurley showed up well at centre-forward while Colm O’Neill and Mark Collins kept the scoreboard ticking along.
Sean White’s well-taken 20th minute goal moved Cork eight points clear, though Louth had goal-chances of their own, too.
Home keeper Ryan Price stopped fierce drives from Ryan Burns, Bevan Duffy and Ciaran Downey during a hectic 10-minute spell approaching the break.
After an O’Neill free stretched Cork’s advantage with the opening score of the second-half after 43 minutes, it looked set-up for a routine victory.
Cork, though, finished with 13 players and could only add one more point as Louth dominated the closing quarter.
First, Kevin O’Driscoll saw red following a second yellow card for a high tackle in the 48th minute, and then substitute Peter Kelleher was shown a straight red three minutes from the end of regulation time.
Louth outscored their hosts by kicking four unanswered points as substitute William Woods, from frees, and another substitute Gerard McSorley, cut the deficit to 1-11 to 0-10 in the first of five additional minutes.
And it could have been even closer had McSorley’s effort for a point not rebounded from the crossbar with the Cork defence all over the place.
Cork eventually made sure of the points for their second consecutive win when newcomer Cian Kiely popped up from wing-back to tuck away the second goal, 30 seconds from the end.
Cork: R Price; S Ryan, J O'Sullivan, S Wilson; T Clancy, C Dorman, C Kiely (1-1); I Maguire, captain, R Deane (0-1); K O'Driscoll, M Hurley (0-1), S White (1-1); S Sherlock, C O'Neill (0-4, three frees), M Collins (0-3, two frees. Subs: M Taylor for Sherlock, half-time, D O'Callaghan for White 51 mins, P Kelleher for Hurley 58 mins, D Quinn for Dorman, 59 mins, C Dorgan for Maguire, 65 mins, P Clancy for Wilson, 69 mins
Louth: C Lynch; J Bingham, E Carolan, F Donohue; D Marks, J Stewart, A Williams; C Earley, B Duffy (0-1); C Downey, J McEneaney, A McDonnell (0-1), captain; D Maguire, C Grimes, R Burns (0-4, three frees, one '45). Subs: E Lafferty for Marks and T Durnin for McEnaney, half-time, J Craven for Bingham, W Woods (0-3 frees) for Burns and G McSorley (0-1) for Earley, all 52 mins, T McEneaney for Grimes 57 mins
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)
