Cork falter as Farney flourish

THE Allianz Football League Division 2 promotion race has just got interesting. Monaghan’s merited success over Cork ensures it will be a pivotal promotion day in the last round in two weeks time.

The Ulster men’s hopes of graduating to the top level next season were re-ignited here, while Cork now encounter a phase of uncertainty after a spring of good times until now.

Cork’s chaotic injury list is starting to have ruinous consequences. A hamstring epidemic swept through the squad before yesterday, claiming Anthony Lynch, Graham Canty and Pearse O’Neill as victims. Manager Conor Counihan was loathe to use that as the case for defence afterwards but his team looked, questionable puns aside, hamstrung as a result. The absence of Canty and O’Neill’s imposing presence around the middle was significant, while the defensive sweeping of Lynch was also missed.