Cork's football championship aspirations received a much-needed boost yesterday when long-term injury absentee Graham Canty took part in the 3-12 to 0-8 victory over Laois in Portlaoise yesterday.
The former International Rules captain has been out since last year's Munster final against Kerry with a torn cruciate ligament.
He played a full 60 minutes at full back, keeping Laois's Paul Lawlor scoreless. Cork led 2-6 to 0-1 at half-time.
Ciaran Whelan's goal in the 13th minute of the second half paved the way for Dublin's 1-10 to 0-12 victory over Galway in Westmanstown, also yesterday.
After leading 0-7 to 0-3 the Dubs found life much more difficult into the wind in the second half but Whelan's goal
gave them a six-point cushion, 1-8 to 0-5, which they just about hung onto.
Galway, who face Mayo in Salthill on May 20th in the Connacht football championship, had plenty of opportunities in the second half but failed to judge the diagonal wind with sufficient accuracy to make it count on the scoreboard.
SCORERS: Cork - J Masters, K O'Sullivan 1-2 each; B Collins 1-1; F Goold, M Cussen 0-2 each; N O'Leary, P O'Neill, C McCarthy 0-1 each; Laois- C Conway 0-3 (one free); R Munnelly 0-2 (one free); P Clancy, G Ramsbottom, P O'Leary 0-1 each. Dublin- T Quinn 0-4 (one free); C Keaney 0-3 (one free); C Whelan 1-0; A Brogan 0-2; D O'Mahony 0-1; Galway- N Joyce 0-5 (two frees), F Breathnach 0-3, P Joyce 0-2, J Bergin, C Bane 0-1 each.
