Roscommon - 1-9, Cork - 0-10: All eyes were on hurler Diarmuid O'Sullivan, who made his Cork senior football debut at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday, only for Roscommon to deflect attention with a well-deserved win.
O'Sullivan started at full-forward and used his power to make a couple of outstanding over-head catches in the first-half. However, Cork didn't use their target man frequently enough, despite having a strong wind at their backs in the opening half.
On the resumption, when Roscommon powered to a 1-7 to 0-4 lead after 50 minutes, Cork coach Larry Tompkins switched O'Sullivan to centre-forward in an attempt to revive his side's fortunes and the move helped set up a rousing finish.
Both sides showed signs of ring rust in this their opening game and three times Roscommon got through on goal but couldn't score.
Nigel Dineen pumped a speculative cross from the right towards the edge of the Cork square. Goalkeeper Kevin O'Dwyer advanced from his line only to brush against right corner-back Michael O'Donovan and the ball dropped invitingly for the surprised John Hanley to poke it over the line.
The shock woke Cork, who responded with four points without reply to lead by 0-4 to 1-0 after 24 minutes.
They nudged in front with a fine score from Brendan Ger O'Sullivan, but couldn't add to their tally as Roscommon regained the initiative.
Points by Gary Cox and a Gerry Lohan free helped the visitors to a 1-2 to 0-4 interval advantage after a best forgotten 35 minutes' football. The second period was better football as forwards began to find the range.
Roscommon cut Cork to pieces with some enterprising play in attack and the scores flowed. Cox popped over two and there was one each for Jonathan Dunning, Lohan and John Tiernan as Cork struggled alarmingly.
Cork's best forward Conrad Murphy kicked over two points and Clifford chipped in with another to cut the gap to 1-7 to 0-7. Nigel Dineen edged Roscommon four clear again only for O'Sullivan and John Miskella to hit back for the home side.
Michael O'Donovan scored Cork's final point, but it wasn't enough to deny the Connacht side.
CORK: K O'Dwyer; M O'Donovan (0-1), E Sexton, A Lynch; J Miskella (0-1), C O'Sullivan, P Kissane; N Murphy, R McCarthy; BG O'Sullivan (0-2), F Murray (0-2), C Crowley; C Murphy (0-3), D 0'Sullivan, M O'Sullivan. Subs: D Duggan for O'Donovan, injured, N O'Leary for Kissane, M O'Sullivan for N Murphy, P Clifford (0-1) for Murray, K Murphy for Crowley.
ROSCOMMON: D Thompson; D Gavin, J Whyte, I Daly; A McPadden, F Grehan, M Ryan; S O'Neill, S Lohan; G Cox (0-3), J Hanley (1-0), J Tiernan (0-1); N Dineen (0-1), G Lohan (0-3), J Dunning (0-1). Subs: D Gilhooley for Ryan, D Casserly for G Lohan.
Referee. P Fox (Westmeath)
