Cork edge Tyrone to seal promotion to Division 1 for first time in 10 years

Brian Hurley had been on the last Cork side to feature in the top-flight in 2016 and it was appropriate he would be instrumental to the achievement.

ON THE UP: Cork's Luke Fahy in action against Ben McDonnell. Pic: Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile.

TYRONE 0-19 (0-1-17) CORK 0-22 (0-2-18)

A bizarre Brian Hurley two-pointer was key to Cork earning promotion to Division 1 for the first time in 10 years.

Hurley had been on the last Cork side to feature in the top-flight in 2016 and it was appropriate he would be instrumental to the achievement, even if the means was unusual in Omagh.

Cork were three to the good when Hurley’s two-point effort in the 66th minute fell short yet there was enough juice in the strike to bounce over the bar for an orange flag and they saw out the remainder for a famous victory.

Cork could pride themselves on a fine first half which they won 0-9 to 0-8 despite a wind disadvantage. The teams were square on four occasions in the third quarter but Cork took control with five points from play between the 51st and 55th minutes.

Mark Cronin and Dara Sheedy’s successful efforts were doubled by Steven Sherlock’s two-pointer prior to Brian Hurley making his introduction.

Sherlock punished a foul on Hurley although Cork could have made matters so easier for themselves had Cronin (free) and Chris Óg Jones flashed wides.

At the other end, Darren McCurry and the evergreen Mattie Donnelly brought Tyrone within a point but Cork’s resolute couldn’t be questioned.

Hurley and Sherlock each converted a one-point score and then Hurley’s crazy effort. Tyrone hit back with three points but it was Hurley who eased Cork’s worries with a fisted point and victory and promotion was theirs.

Cork faced a stiff breeze in the opening half but led by as much as five points after 19 minutes. Tyrone were standing off their Cork markers and the visitors put up the first three scores inside the opening eight minutes.

Cronin and Sherlock sent over a free either side of a Colm O’Callaghan fisted point. Cork were so confident they were pressing up on Oisín O’Kane’s kick-outs despite the elements being against them.

Tyrone kicked nine first-half wides but were up and running through Ethan Jordan in the eighth minute. It was a short respite in an opening quarter as O’Callaghan doubled his tally a minute later.

If Tyrone weren’t missing their target, Cork were hounding them. Maurice Shanley’s 10th minute dispossession on McCurry was a superb piece of defensive play.

Luke Fahy put Cork four up in the 12th minute, which would have jumped to seven if O’Kane wasn’t level to Seán McDonnell’s goal opportunity in the 15th minute.

Tyrone were being cut open almost at will and after a Jordan two-pointer Cork replied with three points in less than two minutes. Ian Maguire, Chris Óg Jones and Tommy Walsh all posted scores and they led 0-8 to 0-3.

Cork managed just one more score in the remaining 16 minutes but Tyrone couldn’t catch them by the break. McCurry rattled the crossbar in the 27th minute after McDonnell had restored a four-point cushion for Cork.

A Jordan free and points from Cananan and Donnelly ended the half but the tale of the half was their erratic shooting and Cork’s close to unblemished finishing.

Scorers for Tyrone: M. Donnelly (0-6); E. Jordan (0-5, 2 frees, 1 tp); D. Canavan (0-4, 1 free); D. McCurry (0-2); C. Daly, C. Kilpatrick (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: S. Sherlock (0-5, 2 frees, 1 tp); B. Hurley (1 tp) (0-4 each); C. O’Callaghan (0-3); C. Jones, S. McDonnell, M. Cronin (1 free) (0-2 each); L. Fahy, I. Maguire, T. Walsh, D. Sheedy (0-1 each).

TYRONE: O. O’Kane; C. Quinn, P. Teague, B. Cullen; N. Devlin, B. McDonnell, J. Clarke; B. Kennedy, C. Kilpatrick; S. O’Donnell, R. Cassidy, B. McDonnell; D. McCurry, M. Donnelly, E. Jordan.

Subs: E. McElholm for E. Jordan (h-t); F. Burns for B. McDonnell (48); C. Daly for R. Cassidy (53); M. McKernan for B. Cullen (55).

CORK: P. Doyle; S. Meehan, D. O’Mahony (c), M. Shanley; B. O’Driscoll, T. Walsh, L. Fahy; C. O’Callaghan, I. Maguire; P. Walsh, S. McDonnell, S. Sherlock; C. Jones, D. Sheedy, M. Cronin.

Subs: B. Hurley for D. Sheedy (53); R. Deane for P. Walsh (59); R. Maguire for L. Fahy (61); D. Buckley for I. Maguire (69).

Referee: M. McNally (Monaghan).