Cork v Derry: Last time Ulster champs came to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, it was strange but exciting game
Damien Gore scores the first goal from Derry's Padraig McGrogan during in the Allianz football league division 3, round 5 game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
THE last time Derry made the long journey south to play Cork on Leeside was in a 2020 Division 3 game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh with the home side winning a very strange affair by 3-13 to 3-11.
The victory left Cork needing just one more point from concluding games against Louth at the same venue and away to Longford, a match which never took place, to make an immediate return to Division 2.
At the time Derry football was still in the Doldrums after slipping from the top tier all the way to Division 4 in a freefall motion, but they’ve overtaken the Rebels now and Rory Gallagher’s side can look forward to rubbing shoulders with the elite once more in 2024.
They clinched promotion to Division 1 last weekend with a facile 10-point win over Clare, Cork’s Munster Championship opponents in a fortnight, so soon you almost have to rub your eyes to believe the main action of the season is about to start.
While the Ulster champions-another indication of the huge progress made under Gallagher’s stewardship-bridge an eight-year gap since their last participation at the top level, Cork remain in Division 2 for another season.
Back in 2020, Cork seemed to be cruising to the points on a day ruined by a howling wind, which aided Derry in the second half.
A first-half goal from Damien Gore was added to by John O’Rourke, who pounced twice after 45 and 60 minutes to send Cork surging to a 3-12 to 1-8 lead and seemingly coasting to victory.
Yet, in the closing five minutes, Derry managed to outscore a Cork side, who had clearly taken their foot off the pedal, by 2-3 to 0-1 following goals from Emmett Bradley and Patrick Kearney before the game entered four minutes’ injury time.
It had everyone scratching their heads as to why Derry left it so late to produce their best football after injecting much-needed life into their display having being outplayed for so long by the home side.
The Cork team is due to be made public at lunchtime today and whatever combinations are included the starting 15 is sure to be almost completely different to that of three years ago.
The likely survivors are set to be Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty) in defence, Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s) at midfield and Sean Powter (Douglas) at centre-forward though Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig) and O’Rourke could come into the reckoning.
Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), who has started all six games to date, came on as a substitute that afternoon.
It’s the final round of games in the league after which all the issues surrounding promotion and relegation will become clear.
It’s already known that Derry will replace another Ulster county, Donegal, in Division 1 but who accompanies them won’t be identified until Dublin host Louth at Croke Park with the Dubs fancied to bounce back straight away from last season’s relegation.
Who joins Donegal in falling through the trap door is a right puzzle because so many teams are separated by so little, but Monaghan, away to finalists Mayo, look the most vulnerable.
J O’Rourke 2-2 (0-1), D Gore 1-3 (0-1 m), C O’Mahony 0-4 (0-2 f), L Connolly 0-2 (0-1 f), M Hurley, E McSweeney 0-1 each.
S McGuigan 0-6 f, E Bradley 1-1, N Loughlin 1-1 (0-1 f), P Kearney 1-0, O Lynch 0-1 45, C McWilliams 0-1 f, P Cassidy 0-1.
A Casey (Kiskeam); T Clancy (Clonakilty), M Shanley (do), P Ring (Aghabullogue); L O’Donovan (Clonakilty), S Powter (Douglas), M Taylor (Mallow); I Maguire (St Finbsrr’s, c), K O’Hanlon (Kilshannig: J O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), S White (Clonakilty), B Hartnett (Douglas); P Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers), L Connolly (do), D Gore (Kilmacabea).
C O’Mahony (Mitchelstown) for Connolly inj 25, K O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers) for L O’Donovan inj 35+1, E McSweeney (Knocknagree) for Hartnett 45, M Hurley (Castlehaven) for Kerrigan 62, J Loughrey (Mallow) for Powter.
O Lynch; P McGrogan, B Rogers, C McWilliams; S Downey, C McKaigue, N Keenan; C McFaul, P Cassidy; E Bradley, N Loughlin, D Tallon; B Heron, S McGuigan, N Toner.
L McGoldrick for Cassidy and P Kearney for Toner 42, C Doherty for Tallon 57, D Cassidy for Heron 61.
F Kelly (Longford).
![<p>Mark Coleman: 'We knew the kind of person Ben was coming into it. He's the same with us as he is with ye [media], just straight to the point and that's it.' Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile</p>](/cms_media/module_img/10051/5025956_2_augmentedSearch_2020946_1_.jpg "<p>Mark Coleman: 'We knew the kind of person Ben was coming into it. He's the same with us as he is with ye [media], just straight to the point and that's it.' Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile</p>")
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