NHL Division One/ Cork 1-21 Offaly 1-14: Cork made a winning start to their campaign with a workmanlike display at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

Offaly began both halves encouragingly but couldn't sustain their effort as a more resourceful Cork dominated for long stretches, inspired by their outstanding centre back Ronan Curran.

Having been seven points in arrears at the break, Offaly responded by scoring 1-2 without reply in the opening minutes of the second half.

Derek Molloy claimed the goal, beating Donal Óg Cusack with a powerful, low shot to the goalkeeper's left.

Cork's reply was typical, four unanswered points, including a couple from the immaculate Joe Deane, though Cusack had to be alert to instinctively stop Eddie Bevans's 44th-minute piledriver.

Indeed, Offaly could add only one more point from play in the remaining time, a fine Shane Dooley effort from an acute angle, relying chiefly on the accuracy of Joe Bergin from frees for the bulk of their scores.

Cork finished strongly, helped by the free-taking of substitute Neil Ronan, and captain Kieran Murphy also showed up promisingly at midfield, venturing forward late on to knock over the last two scores.

Whether the beaten All-Ireland finalists persist with the Diarmuid O'Sullivan experiment at full forward remains to be seen after the converted full back scored one point and provided passes for a couple more, though his overall performance wasn't wholly convincing.

Scores were hard to come by early on, Cork leading by only 0-4 to 0-3 after the opening quarter, but they finished the half on top, boosted by a 20th-minute goal by newcomer Eoghan Murphy, who scored with his first touch. Niall McCarthy's effort was blocked initially, and though Deane and O'Sullivan couldn't put away the rebound, Murphy's surer touch proved more decisive.

It helped Cork to a 1-6 to 0-5 lead at the time and provided the springboard to pull away with a succession of fine points. O'Sullivan was the catalyst for Tom Kenny and McCarthy in particular.

Deane's class showed as he fired over the last point of the half to help his side to a 1-10 to 0-6 lead, though Bergin could have tested Cusack in the final act only for the goalkeeper to save his tame shot.

Offaly's early second-half surge suggested a lively half was in prospect only for Cork to stamp out any threat with their impressive point-taking.

CORK: D Óg Cusack; W Sherlock, C O'Connor, B Murphy; G Callanan, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny (0-3), K Murphy (0-5, one free, one 65); P Cronin, N McCarthy (0-3), T McCarthy (0-1); E Murphy (1-1), D O'Sullivan (0-1), J Deane (0-3, one free). Subs: K Hartnett for Callanan (41 mins); N Ronan (0-4, three frees)for T McCarthy (42 mins); P O'Sullivan for Deane (57 mins); K Canty for N McCarthy (69 mins).

OFFALY: S O'Connor; C Hernon, P Cleary, M Verney; C Horan, D Hoctor, D Kenny; B Teehan, G Hannify (0-1); D Molloy (1-1), R Hanniffy (0-1), E Bevans (0-1); C Parlon (0-1), J Bergin (0-7, free), S Dooley (0-2). Subs: B Murphy for Parlon (45 mins); J Rigney for Horan (46 mins); B Carroll for Teehan (49 mins).

Referee: M Wadding(Waterford).