CORK manager John Cleary paid tribute to his charges’ never-say-die attitude in snatching a dramatic 1-14 each draw with Ulster champions Derry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

The newly promoted visitors led by eight points during the second half but were denied a perfect seven from seven following Ian Maguire’s last-gasp goal, seven minutes into stoppage time.

“It looked at stages there in the second half that it was going to go away from us big time,” admitted Cleary after.

“But credit to the lads they kept at it and we got a nice impact from the bench, bit of freshness.”

One of those Conor Corbett helped inject new life into Cork’s challenge by scoring half of his side’s 0-6 without response in a critical nine-minute spell before Maguire pounced for his sensational leveller.

Still, Cleary admitted Cork were second best for long spells. “We were hanging on by our fingernails there. Derry taught us a lesson for a lot of it. They soaked us up and defended well.

“At times, we maybe didn’t help ourselves. They broke with intent, looped around cut us open pretty easily.” 

One of Cork’s failings in their Division 2 campaign was an inability to convert chances, especially goal-scoring opportunities, and it surfaced once more yesterday.

“There were times when we broke and got up the field, but didn’t punish them. Again, we had two gilt-edge goal chances and didn’t take them. It looked like it was going to be the difference in the end.

“We got a bit of luck in the end. A high ball could have gone anywhere, but it ended up in the back of the net.

We’ll take it definitely. It’s good for morale. All the lessons are there today and we didn’t suffer defeat learning the lessons.

“It is about two weeks’ time now (away to Clare in the championship) and back up to Ennis. We are going up in better spirits than if we were beaten by eight or nine points.”

Cork finished fourth in the table with Derry-Dublin contesting the final with Limerick and Clare relegated. Cleary said it was a mixed bag of a league.

“We were very disappointed with the Meath game. We came into it with a plan. Meath hit us and we learned a lot of lessons from that.

“We had six goal chances against Louth. Again, it was a game we shouldn’t have left behind us. But they are the lessons of the league. We learned an awful lot. If you let your guard down or if you are not on it at this level, you are going to get punished.”