Classy Cork put Dublin to the sword

Cork 1-25 

Dublin 0-22 

Cork are through to the next round of the All-Ireland Qualifiers after a thoroughly impressive performance against a stubborn Dublin side in Semple Stadium on Saturday evening. 

Cork advance to take on Tipperary in Round three next Saturday evening live on Sky Sports. For Dublin, their season is now over after they had lost to Kilkenny in the Leinster Championship semi-final having beaten Laois in a preliminary quarter final. 

Both sides came flying out of the blocks with Luke Meade and Danny Sutcliffe trading points in the first minute. Declan Dalton, making his championship debut, fired Cork three points ahead after ten minutes as he blasted the ball beyond Alan Nolan in the Dublin net. 

Seamus Harnedy and Shane Kingston extended Cork’s lead as Dublin looked very flat and had no zip about them. This was Dublin’s third game in three weekends, and you could see that Cork were the fresher side. 

The Rebels led by three at the water break as Cian Boland and Conor Burke tacked over two points for the Dubs. Cork looked by far the better side and were a different side to the game last weekend against Waterford in the Munster semi-final.  

Seamus Harnedy and Shane Kingston were on fire for Cork as they went into the break six points ahead. Robbie O’Flynn pointed two superb points on the resumption as Cork never let their guard down. 

Patrick Horgan was immaculate on frees and he scored a massive eight points during the 70 minutes. Another debutant for Cork, Jack O’Connor got his first ever championship point soon after. 

Alan Nolan ensured Cork wouldn’t have more than one goal as he made two excellent saves from Jack O’Connor and Seamus Harnedy. Horgan pointed two final points of the game with two frees. 

Cork will go into the Tipperary game full of confidence after such a commanding performance against a good Dublin side on paper. 

Dublin: Alan Nolan; Paddy Smyth, Eoghan O’Donnell, James Madden; Conor Burke (0-01), Daire Gray, Cian O’Callaghan; Jake Malone; Cian Boland (0-02), Chris Crummey (0-03), Danny Sutcliffe (0-03, 1f) Donal Burke (0-11, 9f) Ronan Hayes (0-01), Eamonn Dillon. 

Subs: Davy Keogh (0-01) for Eamonn Dillon 46, Sean Moran for Jake Malone 50, Mark Schutte for Cian Boland 52, Conal Keaney for Rian McBride 66. 

Cork: Anthony Nash; Damien Cahalane, Colm Spillane, Sean O’Donoghue; Tim O’Mahony, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Bill Cooper, Luke Meade (0-01), Seamus Harnedy (0-05), Shane Kingston (0-04), Robbie O’Flynn (0-05); Jack O’Connor (0-01), Declan Dalton (1-01), Patrick Horgan (0-08, 5f, 1 65) 

Subs: Stephen McDonnell for Sean O’Donoghue 30, Conor Lehane for Declan Dalton 54, Aidan Walsh for Seamus Harnedy 67, Niall O’Leary for Robert Downey 68, Shane Barrett for Jack O’Connor 73.