Cork 0-16 Down 0-15:Cork have put an end to their unenviable record of losing All-Ireland football finals with the most dramatic and narrowest of victories in Croke Park. The one-point margin reflected what was a tense and tight battle throughout, but in the end Cork proved deserving winners to inflict a painful defeat on Down, who had set the pace for long periods.
So, it wasn’t to be six titles from six finals for Down, and yet few people could deny Cork their moment – particularly after the brave and ultimately determined way they went about their victory.
Cork’s euphoric reaction at the final whistle reflected what it meant to win this title, as did the expression of team captain Graham Canty on lifting the Sam Maguire. Canty didn’t start due to a hamstring injury, but his second half introduction was one the things that helped swing the momentum in Cork’s favour.
It probably won’t go down as one of the better All-Ireland finals, played before an official attendance of 81,604, but the frantic climax made up for the poor first half. It will certainly be fondly recalled by Cork – who had twice lost All-Ireland finals in the previous three years, both times to Kerry, and 16 previous finals in total. Now they’ve collected a seventh title, their first since 1990.
Yet, Down had been the better team for most of the first half, and held a three-point lead at the break. But the slow-burning game finally caught fire in the last 20 minutes when both sides went at each other with increasing determination. Daniel Goulding’s contribution of 0-9 was pivotal, as Donncha O’Connor was one of the few other Cork forwards that managed to sparkle.
Cork had trailed throughout the first half, and so needed the better start to the second half, yet Down made it, Paul McComiskey hitting his third point. A Goulding free balanced that out, and on 41 minutes, Canty was introduced to instil further momentum into Cork. It worked, with Goulding’s fourth free reducing the gap to two points, 0-9 to 0-7.
Mark Poland and O’Connor then exchanged scores, as the tension mounted. Goulding reduced the gap to the minimum on 47 minutes, and finally the Cork supporters came alive.
Both sides turned up the aggression, but Cork made it count – levelling the game on 50 minutes with a beautiful point from Ciaran Sheehan. Kevin McKernan restored Down’s advantage, briefly, as O’Connor’s free levelled it again – before Paul Kerrigan shot Cork in front on 56 minutes.
Two 45’s in quick succession from Goulding pushed Cork 0-14 to 0-11 in front, just before the hour mark, and for the first time they looked like winners. Still, Peter Fitzpatrick clawed one back for Down with just over five minutes to play. But when O’Connor curled over a gem of a point it looked like Cork’s day.
Again Down reduced it to two, with a point from Ronan Murtagh. But Cork hit back with Goulding’s third 45, before Benny Coulter shot over the bar at the other end, when the goal chance appeared to be on. Hughes then fisted a point to close the gap to one, 16 to Down’s 15 – with only two additional minutes announced. But Down ran out of time, ultimately, as Cork won the vital last swing of possession.
Cork were dealt a blow before the start when Canty failed a late fitness test on his troubled hamstring, with John Miskella taking his place instead. Yet Cork started like a hurricane, assaulting the Down defence. Sheehan had a glorious goal chance stopped on the line by Daniel McCartan. Yet all they could salvage from that series of attacks was a free for Goulding, on two minutes.
Down soon settled into the game, a nice point from Danny Hughes on five minutes, followed by an even better effort from Paul McComiskey on 10 minutes. Still, both teams were guilty of some overly-anxious play, and several wides.
Cork levelled it again on 13 minutes with a second free for Goulding, but Down were winning more possession – and a Marty Clarke free put them back in front moments later, followed by a big point from his brother John. Another free for Marty Clarke followed, and so Down were up 0-5 and 0-2, and already looking far more comfortable.
McComiskey added his second point on 18 minutes, and Down went four clear, leaving Cork looking increasingly directionless. Paul Kerrigan and Miskella both hit awful wides around 25 minutes, and on the sideline manager Conor Counihan must have been wondering if they’d ever get their act together.
At the other end, Hughes stretched Down’s lead to five with his second point. Eventually, a free from Donncha O’Connor ended Cork’s 20-minute wait for a score, and moments later, in the 31st minute, Goulding scored their first from play. Marty Clarke added a third free, but O’Connor responded with a great point, as Cork finally got their skates on. So, they went into the break with Down just three points clear, 0-8 to 0-5.
But Cork’s second half performance, and the hunger and desire they showed in ending their losing finals streak, was what this game will be long remembered for.
CORK: A Quirke; E Cadogan, M Shields, R Carey; N O’Leary, J Miskella, P Kissane; A O’Connor, A Walsh; C Sheehan (0-1), P O’Neill, P Kelly; D Goulding (0-9), D O’Connor (0-5), P Kerrigan (0-1).
Subs: N Murphy for O’Connor (half time), G Canty for Kissane (41 mins), C O’Neill for P O’Neill (55 mins), D Kavanagh for Murphy (65 mins), J Hayes for Kerrigan (68 mins).
DOWN: B McVeigh; D Martin, D Gordon, D Rafferty; D Rooney, K McKernan (0-1), C Garvey; P Fitzpatrick (0-1), K King; D Hughes (0-3), M Poland (0-1), B Coulter (0-1); P McComiskey (0-3), J Clarke (0-1), M Clarke (0-3).
Subs: C Maginn for J Clarke (45 mins), R Murtagh (0-1) for McComiskey (55 mins), B McArdle for Rafferty (56 mins), A Brannigan for King (64 mins), C Laverty for Poland (66 mins)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).