Hat-trick for Alan Connolly as Cork rout Offaly 

The Rebels hit five goals while Robert Downey starred at wing-back. 

TREBLE TOPS: Alan Connolly of Cork tries to evade Jason Sampson, left, and Ben Coneely of Offaly. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

OFFALY 0-16 CORK 5-28 

Alan Connolly’s poaching skills were on full display in Glenisk O’Connor Park as he helped himself to three goals in this rout of Offaly.

It was men against boys as Cork were far too physical for Johnny Kelly’s side whose first touch was terrible at times. Aside from Connolly’s eye for goal, Robert Downey gave a stand-out performance at wing-back.

Cork led by 10 points at the break, 2-12 to 0-8, and seemed to be in for a third goal less than a minute into the half only for Mark Troy to deny Luke Meade and then Conor Lehane with the follow-up. Troy was forced off with a head injury following the attack.

With Cork leading by 17 points, Connolly completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute when he showed great dexterity to find the net. Late goals followed from substitutes Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon on a jaunt of an afternoon for the visitors.

Offaly won the toss and played with the breeze but over half of their shots in the first half tailed wide. Cork, on the other hand, had more strikes courtesy of their dominant half-back line where Downey was winning ample aerial ball.

Cork were 0-7 to 0-3 ahead prior to Connolly’s first goal in the 20th minute. Tim O’Mahony delivered inside where Connolly initially appeared to lose the ball but retrieved it and swiped low to beat Mark Troy.

A couple of Eoghan Cahill undid some of the damage but the abundance of space in the Offaly half of the field was a constant concern for the home crowd. After Declan Dalton pointed his third place ball in the 27th minute, Jack O’Connor picked off a fine solo effort and Luke Meade joined the Cork list of scorers to put nine points between them.

Troy denied Connolly a second goal in the 33rd minute but he was beaten by the Blackrock man three minutes later. Conor Lehane sent in a quick ball to Connolly who again seemed to lose control of it before using his strength to finish clinically.

Scorers for Offaly: D. Nally (0-8, 6 frees, 1 65); E. Cahill (0-5, 4 frees); D. Ravenhill, S. Bourke, D. Bourke (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: A. Connolly (3-1); D. Dalton (0-7, 4 frees, 2 65s); B. Hayes, D. Fitzgibbon (1-1 each); S. Kingston (0-4, 2 frees); R. Downey (0-3): J. O’Connor, B. Roche, C. Lehane, L. Meade, S. Barrett (0-2 each); S. Harnedy (0-1).

OFFALY: M. Troy; C. King, B. Conneely, P. Cantwell; D. King, J. Sampson (c), S. Bourke; E. Kelly, E. Cahill; D. Ravenhill, K. Sampson, D. Nally; D. Bourke, O. Kelly, A. Screeney.

Subs for Offaly: C. Mitchell for D. Ravenhill (inj 14); J. Clancy for E. Cahill (h-t); S. Corcoran for M. Troy (temp 39-); L. Watkins for A. Screeney (inj 44); D. Shirley for P. Cantwell (52); M. Watkins for E. Kelly (69).

CORK: P. Collins; N. O’Leary, D. Cahalane, E. Downey; G. Millerick, T. O’Mahony, R. Downey; B. Roche, L. Meade; D. Dalton, C. Lehane, S. Harnedy; J. O’Connor, A. Connolly, S. Barrett.

Subs for Cork: R. Cotter for J. O’Connor (h-t); D. Fitzgibbon for S. Harnedy (45); S. Kingston for D. Dalton (55); B. Hayes for A. Connolly (58); C. O’Brien for R. Downey (69).

Referee: C. Cunning (Antrim).