By Eoghan Cormican
Páirc Uí Rinn
Cork 1-20
Monaghan 1-13
Cork picked up their second win of the Allianz FL courtesy of this seven point win at home to Monaghan.
Having suffered three defeats on the bounce in recent weeks, today’s performance will have provided a much needed shot of confidence heading into the closing rounds.
The damage was done in the first period as Cork enjoyed 1-12 to 1-6 interval advantage and full value were Peadar Healy’s charges for their lead. In an almost carbon copy of their start against Dublin the week previous, Cork raced into an early lead, forging 1-5 to 0-0 clear by the 9th minute.
The Cork goal arrived on six minutes, Peter Kelleher taking down a Paul Kerrigan delivery and while Colm O’Neill still had a bit of work to do when collecting the offload, he produced a calm finish beyond Rory Beggan.
A Conor McManus free had Monaghan off the mark after 10 minutes. Ryan McAnespie kicked their first from play thereafter, but Cork were still the dominant outfit and further points from Mark Collins, O’Neill (two frees), Kerrigan and Brian O’Driscoll moved them 1-10 to 0-3 clear by the 29th minute.
A quickly-taken Conor McManus free set-up a Conor McCarthy goal on 30 minutes and the gap was further eroded courtesy of fine efforts from Darren Hughes and two from the excellent McManus.
Colm O’Driscoll and Colm O’Neill kicked the opening two scores of the second-half and from there Cork never looked back. Monaghan, who were hugely reliant on Conor McManus for scores, never came within seven of their opponents in the closing half an hour; scores from Colm O’Neill, Kevin Crowley, Dan Mac Eoin and Daniel Goulding putting the gloss on this much-needed victory.
Scorers for Cork: C O'Neill (1-8, 0-6 frees); M Collins, B O'Driscoll (0-2 each); C O'Driscoll, K O'Driscoll, L Connolly (0-1 free), P Kerrigan, P Kelleher, D Mac Eoin (0-1 free), D Goulding, R Deane (0-1 each).
Scorers for Monaghan: C McManus (0-8, 0-6 frees); C McCarthy (1-0); R Beggan (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 '45), D Hughes (0-2).
Cork: R Price; J O’Sullivan, E Cadogan, K Crowley; T Clancy, B O’Driscoll, K O’Driscoll; I Maguire, S Kiely; M Collins, L Connolly, C O’Driscoll; C O’Neill, P Kelleher, P Kerrigan.
Subs: B Hurley for Connolly (47 mins) K O’Hanlon for Kiely (52), M Shields for B O’Driscoll (55, bc), R Deane for C O’Driscoll (58), D Mac Eoin for O’Neill (60), D Goulding for Kelleher (64)
Monaghan: R Beggan; C Walshe, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, F Kelly, R McAnespie; K O’Connell, N McAdam; S Carey, D Malone, G Doogan; C McCarthy, D Hughes, C McManus.
Subs: V Corey for Doogan (HT), O Duffy for Malone (44 mins), F McGeough for McCarthy (59)
Referee: P O’Sullivan (Kerry).
