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Pic courtesy Conor Ryan
DUBLIN 1-19
CORK 1-16
Dublin advanced to the last eight of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship when overcoming Cork by three points in their preliminary quarter-final at Croke Park on Saturday evening.
Despite a slow start, it was the visitors that enjoyed a narrow but deserved 1-8 to 0-9 interval lead with Chris Óg Jones finding the net in the 11th minute.
A Brian Howard goal within nine minutes of the restart allowed the Dubs to gain a modicum of control and while Cork replied with four points on the bounce midway through the half, the hosts finished strongly with insurance points from Cormac Costello (free) and Luke Breathnach.
Dublin’s start mirrored that of seven days previously in Newry as they raced from the blocks through a brace of points by Paddy Small inside three minutes, with the Ballymun Kickhamsattacker eschewing the potential goal opportunity on both occasions.
Scores followed through Ciarán Kilkenny and Seán Bugler as the hosts dominated the aerial exchanges with Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne to the fore once again.
Dublin continued to dominate but their forward play lacked its earlier precision, allowing their opponents to settle into the encounter thanks to points by Chris Óg Jones and Mark Cronin (free).
Further sloppy Dublin play was punished in the 11th minute as they conceded a sideline ball from a Kilkenny tap down and Cork quickly transferred the ball from Ian Maguire to Jones, who coolly slotted home past Stephen Cluxton from eight yards.
The hosts continued to frustrate but eventually ended a barren period of eleven minutes as John Small pointed but the Rebels, never short of confidence when facing Dublin, continued to play the more composed football, as reflected in two fine Brian Hurley points.
Scores from Cormac Costello and Bugler offered isolated crumbs of encouragement for the hosts but the contest was largely been played on Cork’s terms as they pushed three points clear by the 30th minute.
That margin could well have been greater but for a smart save from Cluxton that denied the influential Jones and a two-pointed effort from Bugler in the closing stages of the half reduced Dublin’s deficit to a more manageable two-points by the interval.
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