Armagh offer little resistance to Cork

Cork 0-19 Armagh 1-7

Cork will take on Monaghan in the Allianz NFL Division 2 final after clinching promotion with an easier than expected win over Armagh this afternoon.

Peter McDonnell's Orchard side came to Páirc Uí Chaoimh with an outside chance of gaining promotion themselves, but Cork quickly set about quashing their hopes.

Midfielder Nicholas Murphy registered Cork's opening point after only 30 seconds, firing over from 50 metres out.

Daniel Goulding and Paul Kerrigan tagged on further Rebel scores before Tony Kernan landed Armagh's first point from a 10th-minute free.

In a free-flowing opening half, Cork were quicker to the ball and much more fluid in attack, with their defenders giving Armagh's forwards little room to manoeuvre.

Kernan, from frees, and Brian Mallon kicked further points for Armagh but they were left trailing in Cork's wake.

Six points on the trot, with Donnacha O'Connor, Alan O'Connor, Goulding and Kerrigan on target, steered the hosts to a deserved 0-9 to 0-4 half-time lead.

Armagh stayed competitive but they struggled for scores and a goal, punched home by Steven McDonnell, was the highlight of a poor second half from them.

Substitute John Hayes impressed for Cork with four points, while Kerrigan also struck four second half scores to drive Cork to their fifth and most impressive win of the league campaign.

The result saw Conor Counihan's side finished the regulation phase in second place, gaining promotion to the top flight and teeing up a shot at silverware against table-toppers Monaghan.

For Armagh, their third league defeat leaves them in fourth and with much to contemplate ahead of the start of the Ulster Championship.