Cork 1-27 Donegal 2-10:Cork became the first side into the All-Ireland semi-finals after a 14-point demolition Donegal at Croke Park this afternoon, though the margin could have been even bigger had Michael Murphy not shone up front for the northerners.
The 19-year-old scored six points and set up a late goal but his efforts were in vain as the Rebels physically dominated their opponents and punished some very lax marking with expert marksmanship.
There will be few concerns for Conor Counihan ahead of a meeting with Tyrone, but questions will be asked as to how the teenage Murphy caused so many problems for Michael Shields and company in the Cork defence.
Initially Donegal looked bright and confident, winning early ball in midfield and switching the point of attack quickly and efficiently, but it yielded just one point through a Murphy free and there wasn’t another until Brian Roper added a 13th minute effort.
They wouldn’t score again until injury time when Murphy added another.
By then, Cork had run riot - their running lines and support play too much for a languid Donegal defence.
John Miskella was getting free rein from Rory Kavanagh and he and Donncha O’Connor grabbed two each prior to Roper’s contribution.
Daniel Goulding should have hit the net prior to Graham Canty’s point in the 18th minute, but two Paddy Kelly efforts made up the difference soon after.
Donegal got men behind the ball but then failed to track the runners, all too often giving Cork clear sights of the posts from kickable distances.
Cork played their way through at will as well, with Paul Kerrigan the next to benefit after neat interplay with Pearce O’Neill, before seeing his fisted effort come back off the bar.
Colm and Pearce O’Neill gratefully punished their opponents further to the net effect of a 10-point lead at the break.
Little changed after the break, despite Donegal trading points through the Murphy and Eamonn McGee in the early exchanges to keep the gap at 10 points.
Cork grabbed that elusive goal when Kerrigan’s run wasn’t tracked down the left and his finish into the top corner was sublime.
Murphy brought his tally to four but three in a row for Miskella, Pearce O’Neill and replacement Fintan Goold underlined the futility of his brave fight.
Donegal needed a goal to have any hope and it came through Kavanagh after Kevin Cassidy provided a timely handpass. It was a temporary reprieve, though, as Cork continued to stroll through their defence.
Goulding got his first and the excellent Kerrigan his fourth before substitute Paudie Kissane guided one over from close range.
Murphy was doing his best at the other end and pointed his sixth before brilliantly holding off Shields to set up Stephen Griffin, who expertly found the bottom corner.
However, the damage was long since done by a rampant Cork side that never stopped until the last whistle sounded after Kissane stretched the gap to 14.