Allianz Football League Division 2 – Roscommon 1-13 Cork 0-10

Roscommon defeated Cork by 1-13 to 0-10 in Round 1 of the Allianz Football League Division 2 on Sunday January 30th at Dr. Hyde Park Roscommon.

Match Highlights

GAANOW was at Hyde Park on Sunday as @RoscommonGAA overpowered @OfficialCorkGAA in Round 1 of the #AllianzLeagues. Watch the highlights here. pic.twitter.com/S8TSa2LerT

— The GAA (@officialgaa) February 1, 2022

Structured Roscommon have too much guile for disjointed Cork https://t.co/5RXZ7MzWA1

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 30, 2022

Structured Roscommon have too much guile for disjointed Cork

Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Roscommon 1-13 Cork 0-10

Roscommon’s Division 2 League campaign has begun on the brightest note imaginable, Anthony Cunningham’s inexperienced side comfortably accounting for a disjointed Cork effort.

The involvement of Padraig Pearses and St Faithleachs in All-Ireland club semi-final action on Saturday meant Roscommon were without first-team regulars the Murtagh and Daly brothers, as well as David Murray.

Indeed, a quick scan of the Roscommon team that started last year’s Connacht semi-final defeat to Galway showed just five players who also started today’s League visit of Cork.

Ahead by 1-10 to 0-6 after a first-half where they were aided by a strong wind, Roscommon were organised and composed in protecting their lead throughout a second-half where wasteful Cork tallied 10 second-half wides, five of which arrived within eight minutes of the restart.

Cork will be incredibly disappointed with their second-half total of 0-4, only one of which was scored from play. Mark Cronin and Brian Hurley (free) landed the opening two points of the second period to narrow the gap to five, but that was as good as it got for the visitors. Even allowing for the elements Roscommon had in their favour in the first period, Anthony Cunningham’s charges strung together numerous fine passages of play, most noticeably during the 16-minute period in the middle of the first-half when the hosts hit 1-7 without reply.

Roscommon’s directness caused untold problems for the Cork rearguard, the Smith brothers Enda and Donie proving particularly difficult to tie down. Full-forward Donie was at the end of several sweeping Roscommon plays, his first-half total coming in at 0-5 (three frees). Enda, meanwhile, was the provider of the Roscommon goal, his shot skidding to the net despite Michéal Martin getting a strong hand to the centre-forward’s drive.

The contest’s sole green flag arrived 14 minutes in and lit the fuse on a sustained period of dominance that saw the home side go from 0-3 to 0-2 in arrears 11 minutes in to 1-9 to 0-3 in front just shy of the half-hour mark.

Cian McKeon was one of four Roscommon players on target as they surged nine clear, his 20th minute free resulting from the latest piece of fine defending from half-back Richard Hughes at the other end of Dr Hyde Park.

Cork did have chances to add to their three early points during their 22-minute barren spell, goalkeeper Colm Lavin denying Colm O’Callaghan a goal after Mark Cronin’s point attempt had bounced off the crossbar and into the goalmouth.

A pair from Brian Hurley either side of a John O’Rourke white flag closed the gap to six approaching the break (1-9 to 0-6), but the seven-point deficit Cork were forced to chase in the second period was one they were incapable of wiping out.

So, a difficult start for Cork in Division 2. Not so for buoyant Roscommon.

Scorers for Roscommon: D Smith (0-7, 0-5 frees); E Smith (1-2); C McKeon (0-3, 0-2 frees); N Kilroy (0-1).

Scorers for Cork: B Hurley (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘45)’ M Taylor, D Buckley, M Cronin, J O’Rourke (0-1 each).

ROSCOMMON: C Lavin; F Lennon, B Stack, E McCormack; D Ruane, C Hussey, R Hughes; U Harney, E Nolan; N Kilroy, E Smith, D McCann; C Heneghan, D Smith, C McKeon.
Subs: B O’Carroll for Heneghan (HT); C Lawless for Ruane (52); S Cunnane for McGann (57); C Sugrue for Harney (65); C Walsh for Lennon (68).

CORK: M Martin; T Corkery, K Flahive, S Powter; C Kiely, J Cooper, M Taylor; J Grimes, R Maguire; D Buckley, J O’Rourke, C O’Callaghan; M Cronin, B Hurley, D Dineen.
Subs: E McSweeney for Grimes (27); K O’Donovan for Cooper (HT); C Óg Jones for Buckley (46); P Ring for O’Rourke (64); M Buckley for Cronin (67).

Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).

Team News

CORK v Roscommon:
Míchéal Martin (Nemo Rangers);
Sean Powter (Douglas), Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra);
Cian Kiely (Ballincollig), John Cooper (Éire Óg), Matthew Taylor (Mallow);
Joe Grimes (Clonakilty), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg);
Daniel O’Connell (Kanturk), Blake Murphy (St Vincent’s), David Buckley (Newcestown);
Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Brian Hurley (Castlehaven), Daniel Dineen (Cill na Martra).
Subs: Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg), Kevin Flahive (Douglas), Paudie Allen (Newmarket), Paul Ring (Aghabullogue), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Shane Merrit (Mallow), John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), Mark Buckley (Dohenys), Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers), Chris Óg Jones (Iveleary).