Cork ... 3-8 Donegal 0-10: Cork maintained their challenge for a semi-final place with a decisive win over relegated Donegal at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night. The game swung Cork's way in a four-minute spell either side of the interval, when they scored two goals.

The sides were level three times in the first half as Brendan Devenney posed Donegal's biggest threat. Cork manager Larry Tompkins switched full back Alan O'Connor away from the dangerman, bringing across corner back Seán O'Brien to perform a solid policing effort. Cork led 0-5 to 0-4 approaching first-half injury-time when goalkeeper Kevin O'Dwyer found Jim O'Donoghue in defence. He laid the ball off to Eoin Sexton who ran 55 metres before shooting to the net.

A Miceal Ó Croinin pointed free helped Cork to a 1-6 to 0-4 lead. Three minutes after the resumption Devenney found himself one-on-one with O'Dwyer, who parried his shot well before gathering the rebound and earning a free out.

Cork put the game beyond doubt with their second goal. Brendan Jer O'Sullivan's run ended in a penalty. O'Sullivan tucked away the kick for a 2-6 to 0-4 lead. Donegal rallied with points from Brian Roper, Devenney and Jim McGuinness before Cork introduced Colin Corkery who landed a terrific point with his first touch. Corkery fisted the ball home for Cork's third goal a minute from the end.

CORK: K O'Dwyer; N O'Donovan, A O'Connor, S O'Brien; S Levis, E Sexton (1-0), N O'Leary; N Murphy, G Canty; J O'Donoghue, BJ O'Sullivan (1-2), J Miskella (0-1); J O'Shea, M Ó Croinín (0-3), C Crowley (0-1). Subs: C Corkery (1-1) for Crowley, D Kavanagh for Sexton, A Cronin for Miskella, T Kenny for Murphy, M McCarthy for O'Sullivan.

DONEGAL: G McGill; N McGinley, E Reddin, N McCready; R Sweeney, B Monaghan, D Diver; J Ruane, J McGuinness (0-2); D McNamara, M Hegarty (0-2), B Roper (0-2); J McCafferty, B Devenney (0-4), S Carr. Sub: B McLaughlin for McCafferty.

Referee: M Ryan (Limerick).