Dublin made to battle for narrow win in epic with Cork

The Rebels could have nicked it at the death as both sides finishing a man down.

TOE TO TOE: Tempers flare between James McCarthy and Colm O'Callaghan of Cork. Picture: INPHO/Evan Treacy

Dublin 0-18 

Cork 2-10 

Dublin are being made to earn their crust in Division 2.

Yes, Dessie Farrell’s men remain unbeaten and yes they remain in pole position for swift promotion back to the top tier, but no more than their one-point win over Kildare in the opening round, this was a two points banked that they’ll feel in the morning.

Paying their first visit to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 10 years, Dublin required a mix of superb last-ditch defending, excellent goalkeeping, and the crossbar to stave off a Cork goal at the end of nine minutes of second half injury-time.

It was a most hectic finish.

Jack McCaffrey, making his first appearance in blue since February 2020, kicked a 74th-minute point to double his team’s lead. It had the look of an insurance score about it.

It forced Cork to go chase a green flag. And what a chase they gave.

On 77 minutes, full-back Daniel O’Mahony of all people saw his drive blocked by a blue shirt that we haven’t had time to watch back and identify. It was a sterling block, irrespective of who made it.

Cork came again. Brian Hurley, whose one blemish on an otherwise 9/10 afternoon was to miss a run of the mill equalising opportunity on 68 minutes, thundered a goal bound shot that ‘keeper David O’Hanlon touched onto the crossbar.

Seamus Mulhare’s final whistle sounded shortly after. Dublin breathed a sigh of relief, Cork applauded off the field by the majority home support in the crowd of 10,232.

Mulhare was a leading actor in the third quarter. Three minutes after the restart, he showed Ian Maguire a yellow card for the slightest of jersey tugs on Dean Rock. It wasn’t even forcible enough to cause Rock to break strike. Maguire was dumbfounded. We all were.

The resultant Rock free was the first of a Dublin second half four-in-a-row to shove the visitors 0-14 to 1-6 ahead.

Re-enter Mulhare. He showed a second yellow to Dublin’s Lee Gannon on 47 minutes for a challenge on Sean Powter.

Their numerical disadvantage erased, Cork grew back into proceedings. Mattie Taylor’s left-footed screamer on 54 minutes levelled matters at 0-14 to 2-8.

Crucially, though, Cork were unable to return in front. Experienced soldiers like Brian Fenton and James McCarthy edged Dublin once more ahead. They just about held on.

The conclusion bore no likeness to its opening act. It was a first half of caginess.

Dublin, for much of said half, were content to sit. Cork, meanwhile, prodded and poked and looked to find their inside teammates with long kickpasses from midfield.

Their willingness to attempt these percentage passes didn’t go unrewarded.

Cork’s third point, a Steven Sherlock free, had its roots in Colm O’Callaghan’s pinpoint delivery to Brian Hurley. It was a move that could well have ended in a green rather than white flag, goalkeeper David O’Hanlon smothering Chris Óg Jones’ shot before fouling possession.

Their fourth point came from a Rory Maguire long pass to his Castlehaven clubmate Brian Hurley. And so on and so on it continued.

The Cork goal on 22 minutes began with Luke Fahy intercepting a Cormac Costello handpass, Mattie Taylor swept possession up the field by boot, with Eoghan McSweeney supplying the finish.

The assist for that goal was provided by Hurley. He had started out with John Small beside him. That later changed to Michael Fitzsimons, the latter coming off a distant second in their duel.

Having endured an anonymous afternoon in Cork’s league opener at home to Meath, Hurley had three from play, plus a mark, by half-time. Another noteworthy positive was Mattie Taylor’s job on a subdued Ciarán Kilkenny And yet for all that, the hosts, who had the wind behind them for the opening 35 minutes, found themselves 0-10 to 1-6 in arrears at the break.

Dublin didn’t score from play until the 17th minute. They twice found themselves three behind. What they did do impressively, though, was respond smartly to the Cork goal.

The Cork defence had begun in robust and smothering fashion. In the final 10 minutes, however, it was stretched and threads were pulled loose.

Dublin kicked five of the half’s last six scores. Five different players stepped up. Daire Newcome, Cian Murphy, Con, Rock, and Costello all on target. Cork, by contrast, finished the half with three wides.

Their near misses at the end of the second half left an aftertaste of what if.

Scorers for Dublin: D Rock (0-6, 0-4 frees); C O’Callaghan (0-4, 0-1 mark); D Newcombe (0-2); C Murphy, B Fenton, R McGarry, C Costello, J McCarthy, J McCaffrey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: B Hurley (0-7, 0-2 frees, 0-1 mark); E McSweeney (1-1); M Taylor (1-0); S Sherlock (0-1 free).

Dublin: D O’Hanlon; D Newcombe, M Fitzsimons, C Murphy; J Small, L Gannon, T Lahiff; B Fenton, P Ó Cofaigh Byrne; C Kilkenny, R McGarry, N Scully; C Costello, D Rock, C O’Callaghan.

Subs: J McCarthy for Ó Cofaigh Byrne (43); D Byrne for Scully, C Basquel for McGarry (55); J McCaffrey for Murphy (58); L O’Dell for Costello (69).

Cork: MA Martin; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, T Walsh; L Fahy, R Maguire, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; E McSweeney, S Powter, B O’Driscoll; B Hurley, C Óg Jones, S Sherlock.

Subs: R Deane for Sherlock (43); C Corbett for Jones (55); J O’Rourke for McSweeney (62); K O’Hanlon for Powter (63); F Herlihy for O’Driscoll (72).

Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).