Gaelic Games

Donegal defeat edges Cork closer to relegation

The Rebels ended encounter in Páirc Uí Rinn with only 12 players on the field

Donegal manager Declan Bonner watched his team beat Cork on Saturday. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Donegal manager Declan Bonner watched his team beat Cork on Saturday. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Sat Mar 16 2019 - 17:16

Cork 1-12 Donegal 1-19

Donegal’s promotion received a timely boost after a strong second-half showing kept Cork rooted to the bottom of Division 2 at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

Backed by the wind, the Ulster side outscored 12-man Cork by 1-13 to 0-4 on the resumption, hitting 1-4 without reply in the closing stages as the hosts lost captain Ian Maguire and Luke Connolly to injury and Mark Collins to a second yellow, having used all five substitutes.

Donegal held the initiative at 0-6 apiece approaching half-time, but Cork finished strongly, scoring a quick-fire 1-2.

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The goal came in the 35th minute, when Ruairi Deane soloed through the defence only to be denied by keeper Shaun Patton. Wing-back Mattie Taylor followed in, though, to give Cork a five-point advantage.

Collins increased it to six on the resumption, but it was all Donegal after that as Hugh McFadden bossed midfield and Michael Murphy and Niall O'Donnell kicked a succession of points.

Cork were struggling to get the ball beyond half-way as the defence came under sustained pressure.

They still managed to be on level terms following a Connolly free after 62 minutes to tie matters at 1-12 to 0-15. The home side wouldn’t score again though as Donegal seized control once again.

O’Donnell fired over two and substitute Daire O Baoill another entering six minutes’ injury-time. Donegal made the game safe with their goal in the 75th minute.

O’Donnell disrupted an attempted short Cork kick-out to set-up Jamie Brennan for the clinching score.

Cork: MA Martin; S Ryan, T Clancy, C Dennehy; K Crowley, K Flahive, M Taylor (1-0); I Maguire, K O'Hanlon; E McSweeney (0-3), L Connolly (0-4, three frees), R Deane (0-1); M Hurley (0-2), M Collins (0-2), P Kerrigan. Subs: M White for Martin (42 mins), K O'Driscoll for Taylor (56 mins), R O'Toole for Kerrigan (57 mins), C Kiely for Dennehy (62 mins), S Powter for Crowley (66 mins).

Donegal: S Patton; R McHugh (0-2), S McMenamin, E Gallagher; P Brennan, E Doherty, C Ward (0-1); H McFadden (0-1), C McGonagle; C Thompson (0-1), N O'Donnell (0-3), L McLoone; J Brennan (1-2), M Murphy (0-6, four frees, one '45), O Gallen (0-1). Subs: D O Baoill (0-2) for P Brennan (23 mins), P McGrath for Ward (h-t), E McHugh for Gallen (70+3 mins), N McGee for Doherty (70+6 mins).

Referee: D Gough (Meath)