Cork 1-13 Down 2-9: A last-gasp Colm O'Driscoll goal snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for Cork in the All-Ireland under-21 football final this afternoon. O'Driscoll, who turned in a man-of-the-match performance at O'Moore Park, fired home deep into injury time to steal the title.
The Rebels, playing with a strong breeze at their backs, dominated the early exchanges and should really have led by more than 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
David Goold and Colm O'Neill were Down’s tormentors in chief, notching seven of their side’s eight scores while Down were forced to fashion scores at close quarters.
As the conditions worsened, Down came into their own in the second half and goals from Eamon Toner and Timmy Hanna swung the pendulum in the Ulster side’s favour.
Pete McGrath’s charges led by two going into added time but when Gavin Joyce was unable to hold Aidan Walsh's shot O’Driscoll turned the rebound into the unguarded net.
CORK: A Seymour; Seán McLoughlan, L Jennings, N Galvin; C O'Driscoll, A Walsh, B Daly; C O'Donovan, K O'Driscoll; C Sheehan, M Collins, C O'Driscoll; C O'Neill, D Goold, P Honahan.
DOWN: G Joyce; M Digney, C Murney, D Turley; T Hanna, J Fitzpatrick, J Murphy; M Magee, P Fitzpatrick; E Toner, C Maginn, J O'Reilly; P Devlin, P McComiskey, C Poland.