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2025 Allianz Football League Division 2 – Cork 2-19 Meath 0-21

January 25 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Cork defeated Meath by 2-19 to 0-21 in Round 1 of the Allianz Football League Division 2 on Saturday January 25th at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Cork make light of absentees to take maximum points against Meath

Report by Eoghan Cormican courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Allianz NFL Division: Cork 2-19 (2-2-15) Meath 0-21 (0-2-20)

Never mind your new rules, the story here is Cork’s new opening day departure.

At the eighth attempt since their demotion from the League’s topflight way back in 2016, the Cork footballers have finally managed to secure maximum points on the opening weekend of Division 2 action.

The extent of Cork’s player-unavailability suggested this would be another spring of chasing. Another spring of trying to shift themselves off their typically overworked back foot.

Player-unavailability, though, proved no impediment here. The unusually early two points bagged could yet carry them a distance. That their next two outings are against the two teams promoted from the third tier last spring – Down and Westmeath – delivers the potential to reach the end of Round 3 with the maximum six points accrued.

To the story of the victory before we turn to the story of the new rules.

Level at half-time, 0-11 apiece. We were again level on 48 minutes. Shane Walsh, Eoghan Frayne, and goalkeeper Billy Hogan kicked three-in-a-row to cancel out Matty Taylor’s exquisitely taken goal on 41 minutes. A goal made, it must be noted, by a deftly executed Seán Powter through pass.

Cork refused to cede any further momentum following the Meath response. They issued 1-4 without reply to take an evenly balanced contest and remove all doubt from it. The goal, finished by Chris Óg Jones, must see a fair dollop of the credit go to Mark Cronin’s quick thinking.

Within that 1-4 was a Cronin two-point free. Meath were penalised for not having three up, Cronin eschewed the tap-over in front of goal and instead brought the free outside the arc.

We all learned as we went along. Within that, there were those determined to make sure the learning escaped no one and lessons were taught where they needed to be.

On 14 minutes, and as we waited for a Meath restart, there were only two Meath players in the opposition half. Cork roared to make the officials aware of such. Full-forward Matthew Costello stepped across the relevant paint at just the correct moment to ensure Cork cries rang hollow.

In first half stoppages, the shouts came from the Meath players. Mark Cronin with a momentary lapse of forgetfulness. Cork with only two up. The shouts were heeded. Meath free on the Cork 13-metre line. Converted Meath free at that.

Costello’s fourth of the half, split evenly between play and placed kicks, left matters tied 0-11 apiece at the break. The seventh time matters were tied. It was an opening half of little congestion. It was an opening half that bounced along at a tidy tempo. Whether it was the less-bloated defences or the new rules, or both, there was very minimal approach play before an opportunity presented itself and was taken on.

Jordan Morris was the constant thorn in the Cork defence. Time and again he zipped through. On 32 minutes, he zipped through for a goal opening. Michéal Aodh Martin got down to keep out the low drive, with the rebound recycled to Shane Walsh for a point. The levelling score was a necessary Meath score given their four previous opportunities came to nothing.

Morris appeared to have kicked the opening two-pointer as early as the fourth minute. And what a sweet effort it was with the outside of the left. The corner-forward, though, was adjudged to have encroached the arc in the process of kicking and so only the white flag went up. Same story for Paul Walsh at the Blackrock End later in the half.

What those two efforts meant was that the sole two-pointer of the half belonged to Brian O’Driscoll on 17 minutes. His free, such was the value attached, took the home side from one behind to one in front. None of the three two-pointers converted in total came from play.

O’Driscoll and Cronin converted six first-half frees between them, frees won by Matty Taylor, Paul Walsh, Seán Powter, and Eoghan McSweeney.

Cronin and O’Driscoll, along with the growing influence of Jones, were again to the fore as Cork – at long, long last – stepped onto the front foot on the opening weekend of Division 2 action.

Scorers for Cork: C Óg Jones (1-4); M Cronin (0-7, 0-5 frees, 2pt free); B O’Driscoll (0-6, 2pt free, 0-1 free); M Taylor (1-0); P Walsh, C O’Mahony (0-1 each).

Scorers for Meath: M Costello (0-10, 0-5 frees, 2pt free); J Morris (0-4); S Walsh, E Harkin (0-2 each); B Hogan, J Flynn, E Frayne (0-1 each).

CORK: MA Martin; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, N Lordan; S Powter, R Maguire, M Taylor; S Walsh; P Walsh, E McSweeney, B O’Driscoll; M Cronin, C Óg Jones, S McDonnell.
Subs: P Doyle for Martin (53), C O’Mahony (both 53); D Cashman for Powter (62); E Desmond for Walsh (66); T Walsh for McSweeney (71).

MEATH: B Hogan; A O’Neill, S Lavin, D Keogan; E Harkin, S Coffey, C Caulfield; J Flynn, B Menton; K Curtis, S Walsh, J Kinlough; J Morris, M Costello, E Frayne.
Subs: B O’Halloran for O’Neill (50, inj); C Duke for Curtis (55); J Conlon for Walsh (55); R Jones for Frayne, S Rafferty for Caulfield (both 60).

Referee: D O’Mahony (Tipperary).

Team News

Details

Date:
January 25
Time:
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Venue

Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

GAA Units

Clare GAA
Cork GAA
Kerry GAA
Limerick GAA
Tipperary GAA
Waterford GAA
US GAA