All-Ireland MFC: Cork well beaten by Mayo in quarter-final clash 

Mayo: 3-14 

Cork: 0-6 

THE Cork minor footballers have bowed out of the championship after losing out to a strong Mayo side in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at Cusack Park in Ennis on Saturday afternoon.

On what was a gorgeous evening for a game of football, Micheál ‘Haulie’ O’Sullivan’s side certainly gave it their best in this one especially after the heavy loss to Kerry in the Munster final a month ago but just came up against a better team. Mistakes in important positions on the pitch hurt Cork very much most notably in the first half.

Mayo recently won the Connacht championship after beating Roscommon so this was always going to be a difficult assignment for the Rebels and so it proved. 

Aided by a strong wind in the first half, Mayo got off to a dream start after a minute when Oisín Deane billowed the back of the Cork net. The green and red never looked back after that. Mayo registered three unanswered points before Cork got their first score after eight minutes, a beauty of a point from Oisín Harrington from an acute angle. That score failed to ignite the Rebels challenge despite seeing a good bit of ball.

Points from Kobe McDonald and David Hurley further extended Mayo’s comfortable advantage after 15 minutes, 1-5 to 0-1. Mayo tacked on two further white flags before Séan Whelton converted a close range free for the Leesiders after 27 minutes after the impressive Harrington was fouled. 

The sides traded points before Mayo were awarded a penalty right on the stroke of half-time after Dylan Flynn was fouled by Cork goalkeeper James O’Flaherty who received a black card. McDonald stepped up and sent stand in netminder Seán Whelton the wrong way, 2-8 to 0-3 at the short whistle.

On the resumption, Cork were now wind assisted but it did little to make inroads into the deficit for the Rebels. Mayo kicked three points on the trot before Cork were back to their full complement of players, 2-11 to 0-3 after 40 minutes. 

Cork did hit two of the next four points with Dylan O’Neill and a Whelton free getting the scores for the Rebels. Mayo got their third goal after 51 minutes when Deane raised his second green flag, 3-13 to 0-5.  

The game petered out in the closing stages as the sides exchanged points, Whelton with the neat point for Cork, as the season for the Rebels comes to an end.

Two extremely disappointing results, with the Munster final defeat to Kerry still fresh in the mind, but these young lads will rise again. 

Scorers for Mayo: K McDonald 1-6 (0-2 f, 1-0 pen), O Deane 2-3, M Sheerin 0-2, T Hession, D Flynn (m), D Hurley 0-1 each.

Cork: S Whelton 0-3 (0-2 f), D Miskella, D O’Neill, O Harrington 0-1 each.

MAYO: N Roddy; C Coghill, T Hession, D Butler; D Hurley, M Noonan, M Sheerin; J Moyles, O Loughney; C Moriarty, K McDonald, D Flynn; J Forry, O Deane, A Quinn.

Subs: F Ó Cinnsella for J Forry, H McHale for A Quinn (both 45), C Kavanagh for O Loughney (53), J O’Malley for D Flynn (55), D Óg Cox for H McHale (58, inj).

CORK: J O’Flaherty (Douglas); O Harrington (Kilmeen), N O’Shea (Urhan, captain), B Ryan (Glenville); C Cooney (Clyda Rovers), A Keane (Kinsale), C O’Connor (Ballincollig); P Tobin (Carbery Rangers), J Trench (Ballinora); H Cogan (Glanmire), D Miskella (Ballincollig), C McCarthy (St Colum’s); H Canty (Newcestown), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers), S Whelton (St James’).

Subs: L Kelleher (Douglas) for C Cooney (12), D O’Donovan (Castlehaven) for C O’Connor (27), L Murphy (Barryroe) for H Cogan (41), B Delaney (Carrigaline) for H Canty (48), P McGrath (Douglas) for P Tobin (52).

Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare).