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Sheehan's late sucker punch sickens Down

Cork 3-12 Down 1-17: Ciarán Sheehan scored a goal with the last kick of the game to snatch a scarcely deserved victory for Cork…

Mon Mar 04 2013 - 00:00

Cork 3-12 Down 1-17:Ciarán Sheehan scored a goal with the last kick of the game to snatch a scarcely deserved victory for Cork over Down.

Down deservedly led by two points as the game edged towards injury time but Aidan Walsh dispossessed Paul McComiskey and offloaded to Fintan Goold who put Sheehan through for Cork’s winner.

Dominant midfielder Walsh scored five points, three from play, but this was a game Down should have won comfortably. Three individual errors cost them three goals.

Cork’s first came in the 18th minute when Dan McCartan failed to deal with a long ball. Paul Kerrigan fisted the loose ball into the path of Thomas Clancy who found the net.

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Before that goal, Down were leading by two points thanks to scores from Paul McComiskey and the excellent Donal O’Hare and they regained the momentum.

Two points from Mark Poland and two more frees from O’Hare put Down in front before Connaire Harrison blasted home a 34th minute goal.

In injury time at the end of the first half, Down’s commanding five-point lead shrank when a long ball from Donncha O’Connor was fumbled by goalkeeper Michael Cunningham, rebounding directly off Down defender Benny McArdle and into the net.

Cork played their best football in the third quarter. Donncha O’Connor (free), Colm O’Neill (two), Walsh and O’Connor again all hit scores to put Cork three points clear.

Down responded with points from Harrison, Kevin McKernan, Aidan Carr, O’Hare (three in a row) and Conor Lavery before Sheehan’s late sucker punch.

DOWN:M Cunningham; D McCartan, B McArdle (OG), R Boyle; R Mallon (0-1), A Carr (0-1), P McComiskey (0-1); K King, K McKernan (0-1); C Laverty (0-1), M Poland (0-2), K Quinn; D O'Hare (0-9, 0-4 frees), C Harrison (1-1), B Coulter. Subs: J Johnston for K Quinn (47 mins), E McCartan for K King (55 mins) S McArdle for D O'Hare (64 mins). CORK: K O'Halloran; M Shields, E O'Mahony, E Cadogan; T Clancy (1-0), N O'Leary, J O'Sullivan; G Canty, A Walsh (0-5, 0-2 frees); F Goold, C Sheehan (1-1), P Kerrigan (0-1); M Collins, C O'Neill (0-2, 0-2 frees), D O'Connor (0-3, 0-3 frees). Subs: P Kissane for E O'Mahony (half-time) B O'Drsicoll for D O'Connor (59 mins), A O'Sullivan for P Kerrigan (63 mins). Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)