Roscommon 4-9
Cork 3-9
Roscommon finished their Super 8s campaign on a positive note with this three-point win over Cork.
Behind by the minimum at the break, 2-5 to 1-7, Roscommon found the Cork net on three occasions in the second half to eke out their first win of the summer since landing the Connacht title.
Brian Stack, provider of their opening goal in the first-half, also suppled their second on 53 minutes, shoving the visitors into a one-point advantage. Their next score was another green flag, Enda Smith beating Mícheál Martin on the hour mark.
That had the scoreboard showing Anthony Cunningham's charges in front by 3-8 to 2-7, but we were back to a one-point ball game within a minute-and-a-half as James Loughrey, for the second in-a-row, stole forward to goal.
The hosts could not find an equaliser, though, and the verdict was sealed when Shane Killoran registered Roscommon's fourth goal.
The winners finished with 14 men following late black cards to Tadhg O'Rourke. In total, there were 13 yellow and three black cards handed out.
In truly horrendous conditions, Cork couldn’t have asked for a better start.
Luke Connolly converted a free inside 54 seconds and when the ensuing restart was kicked straight to the Nemo Rangers forward, he played through Mark Collins, the Castlehaven man finding the net with the clock reading just 72 seconds.
Another Luke free followed shortly after to put the home side five up.
Roscommon settled with three unanswered points, a pair of Conor Cox frees sandwiching an Enda Smith minor.
The visitors to Páirc Uí Rinn were level on 28 minutes, Cathal Cregg putting through Brian Stack for a Roscommon goal.
But Cork’s response was emphatic, the home side raising a second green flag within 50 seconds of Stack hitting the net.
Eoghan McSweeney had a point on his mind when putting boot to ball, but his effort didn’t have the necessary legs, landing into the Roscommon danger area where Luke Connolly was on hand to punch it to the net.
Shane Killoran and Cox (free) answered with a brace to leave the minimum between them at the break 2-5 to 1-7.
Scorers for Roscommon: B Stack (2-0); C Cox (0-5, 0-5 frees); E Smith, S Killoran (1-1 each); A Glennon (0-1 free), D Smith (0-1 each).
Scorers for Cork: L Connolly (1-3, 0-3 frees); M Collins (1-2, 0-2 frees); J Loughrey (1-)); J O'Rourke, K O’Driscoll, R Deane, S Sherlock (0-1 each).
Roscommon: D O’Malley; D Murray, C Daly, G Patterson; N Daly, R Daly, C Hussey; T O’Rourke, S Killoran; B Stack, C Cregg, N Kilroy; E Smith, C Cox, A Glennon.
Subs: C Compton for N Daly (half-time, bc); A Lyons for Hussey, F Cregg for C Cregg (both 45); D Smith for Kilroy (55 mins); D Murtagh for Glennon (57); H Darcy for Compton (69, bc).
Cork: M Martin; K Flahive, J Loughrey, T Clancy; S Cronin, S White, M Taylor; I Maguire, K O’Hanlon; E McSweeney, R Deane, K O’Driscoll; P Kerrigan, M Collins, L Connolly.
Subs: J O’Rourke for Kerrigan (bc), M Hurley for McSweeney (both half-time); B Hurley for Collins (57); C Kiely for Cronin (59); R O’Toole for Clancy (63); S Sherlock for Connolly (70).
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
