Sport

O'Neill delivers the goods as champions show their class

NFL DIVISION ONE Cork 2-14 Laois 0-10: FOR THE second week in a row Laois faced the reigning champions – last week it was the…

Mon Mar 12 2012 - 00:00

NFL DIVISION ONE Cork 2-14 Laois 0-10:FOR THE second week in a row Laois faced the reigning champions – last week it was the All-Ireland champions Dublin who won comfortably in the end and on Saturday it was the reigning league champions Cork who were in town.

After a miserable away display against Donegal, Conor Counihan was hoping for an improvement and he got it with a bonus. After 15 minutes the champions had exceeded last week’s total of six points after the Laois defence was carved open and Colm O’Neill smashed a powerful shot to the net. At that stage Cork led 1-4 to 0-3 after Laois had opened the scoring with points by Ross Munnelly and John O’Loughlin.

Laois enjoyed a brief spell of supremacy but hit three terrible wides in the space of five minutes.

Cork then upped their game and a string of points by Paudie Kissane Fintan Gould and Colm O’Neill put seven between the teams.

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Ross Munnelly broke the sequence but Cork pulled away again and whatever hope there was of a recovery were dashed when O’Neill took a pass from Donnacha O’Connor to crash home his second goal leaving the champions in front, 2-11 to 0-5.

Despite having Pearse O’Neill sent off on a second yellow after 40 minutes it mattered little.

Laois enjoyed their best spell shooting four good points but Cork replied with three.

Conor Counihan will be a little concerned at how Cork faded out with a trip to Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday next up. Laois boss Justin McNulty faces a difficult week as he awaits his native county Armagh on Sunday next.

CORK: A Quirke; R Carey, E O'Mahony, E Cotter (0-1); N O'Leary, G Canty, P Kissane (0-1); A O'Connor, F Gould (0-3); P Kerrigan (0-1), A Walsh (0-3), P Kelly; C O'Neill (2-3), D O'Connor (0-2), P O'Neill; Subs: S Kiely for G Canty (59 mins), J Fitzpatrick for A O'Connor (60 mins), L Shorten for D O'Connor (64), B O'Driscoll for P Kerrigan D O'Sullivan for P Kissane (62).

LAOIS: E Culliton; C Healy, K Lillis, P O'Leary; D Strong, K Meaney, C Boyle; MJ Tierney (0-4), J O'Loughlin (0-2); R Munnelly (0-2), C Begley (0-1); D O'Connor; P Cahillane (0-1), A Kelly, B Sheehan. Subs: S Conroy for B Sheehan (35 mins), M Timmons for D O'Connor (35 mins), S Ramsbottom for A Kelly (59), L Kealy for D Strong (58), G Walsh for J O'Loughlin (65).

Referee: Cormac Reilly(Meath).