Huge win for Cork as they take a step towards safety with comfortable victory over Louth

Cork: 1-23 (1-4-15) 

Louth: 0-18 (0-6-6) 

A hugely significant win for Cork in their penultimate Allianz Division 2 football league fixture of 2025 after defeating Louth at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

With four points from five games and promotion out of the equation prior to this, avoiding relegation was the objective and a victory was a must in this one following Down’s home win over Westmeath last night.

It now means John Cleary’s side are two points clear of the Ulster side, who are in the drop zone heading into the final day next weekend. A result away to Cavan would secure the Rebels Division 2 status.

There were three changes from the team that was announced on Friday, with Micheál Aodh Martin replacing Patrick Doyle in goal, Eoghan McSweeney came in for the injured Tommy Walsh and Cathail O’Mahony made way for Brian Hurley.

The heavy lifting was done in the opening half for Cork as they led by eleven points at half-time, which included four two-pointers in what was the best half so far in this campaign. Out of 15 attacks, the Leesiders scored eleven points. 

Crucially, they were able to sustain the display in the second half to prevail by a handsome margin. A lot of boxes were ticked.

On what could have been a nervy start, the Rebels started brightly with a Brian O’Driscoll two-pointer as they were very tenacious early on showing that they were up for the fight. Louth did have two wides before Chris Óg Jones extended Cork’s advantage with a point inside eight minutes.

Rory Maguire kicked an effort over the bar from an acute angle until Jones thought he had his second point, but it was waved wide. Louth went down the other end to get their first score after 13 minutes when marksman Sam Mulroy converted a two-pointer from a free, 0-4 to 0-2.

Another O’Driscoll two-pointer was much-needed at a time when the opposition were slowly getting a grip. Seán Reynolds did cut the deficit to a goal, but a two-pointer from a free through Mark Cronin following a breach by Louth gave Cork breathing space, 0-8 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.

The sides traded points before Seán Brady brilliantly blocked Tom Jackson’s goal bound effort. A pair of Cronin points, one which was a free and the other could have been a goal, gave Cleary’s charges an 0-11 to 0-4 lead with nine minutes to the break.

Cronin tacked on another two-pointer from a free before Rory Maguire and Hurley (free) gave Cork a 0-15 to 0-4 advantage at half-time.

Mulroy did give Louth a boost with a two-pointer two minutes into the new half but a neat one-two involving Colm O’Callaghan and Jones resulted in O’Callaghan pointing in what was a great move.

Cork were comfortable in truth at this juncture, no sign of a great comeback from Louth. Cronin added a point before O’Callaghan goaled after 43 minutes with a low finish following a driving run from midfield, 1-17 to 0-6.

Jones pointed before Louth sub Ciarán Downey did kick a two-pointer, but they were being dominated in every sector of the pitch.

A Matty Taylor effort following his typical run up the pitch gave Cork a 1-19 to 0-8 lead, but scores were at a premium for a short spell in this one.

Two Mulroy two-pointers on the bounce left 10 points in it after 55 minutes, 1-19 to 0-12. Louth were having their purple patch, landing two of the next three efforts, 1-20 to 0-14.

The sides swapped white flags before Cork finished well though, hitting two of the next three points, sub Cathail O’Mahony with the scores for the Rebels. Mulroy did kick another two-pointer for Louth. It didn’t matter.

Job done for Cork, onto Cavan.

Scorers for Cork: M Cronin 0-8 (2 2pt f, 0-2 f), B O’Driscoll 0-4 (2 2pt), C O’Callaghan 1-1, C Óg Jones 0-3, R Maguire, C O’Mahony 0-2 each, I Maguire, B Hurley (f), M Taylor 0-1 each.

Louth: S Mulroy 0-11 (4 2pt, 1 2pt f, 0-1 f), C Downey (1 2pt), A McDonnell 0-2 each, S Reynolds, D McKeown, C Brannigan 0-1 each.

CORK: M A Martin; S Brady, D O’Mahony, N Lordan; B O’Driscoll, R Maguire, M Taylor; I Maguire, C O’Callaghan; P Walsh, E McSweeney, S McDonnell; M Cronin, C Óg Jones, B Hurley (capt).

Subs: R Deane for S McDonnell (43), C O’Mahony for B Hurley (53), C Cahalane for E McSweeney (58), S Walsh for I Maguire (inj), H O’Connor for M Cronin (both 65).

LOUTH: N McDonnell; D Nally, D Campbell, D McKenny; L Gray, P Lynch, C McKeever; T Durnin, P Matthews; D McDonnell, A McDonnell, S Reynolds; T Jackson, S Mulroy (capt), R Burns.

Subs: C Downey for S Reynolds, E Carolan for L Gray (both h-t), D McKeown for T Jackson (42), F Malone for D McDonnell (45), C Brannigan for R Burns (63).

Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).