Wides cost Cork footballers as they fall short against Mayo at Croke Park

Mayo: 0-23 (0-5-13) 

Cork: 0-18 (0-2-14) 

Frustration and disappointment in equal measure after Cork fell short against Mayo in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park on Saturday evening. 

After the standout victory over Donegal two weeks ago, the Rebels were unable to hit those same heights.

It was level at half-time, but wides and lateral play were recurring issues for Cork throughout. 

John Cleary’s side finished with 14 wides and were turned over cheaply on numerous occasions. 

While the teams were tied at the interval, Mayo bossed the second half and were full value for their five-point triumph — clinical, composed, and decisive when it mattered. Their defending was also outstanding. 

It’s a hugely disappointing end for Cork in a season that still carried positives, including Division 2 promotion. This one will sting though. 

There was one change to the team announced on Friday morning, with Rory Maguire coming in for the injured Luke Fahy.

A swirling wind and slippery surface made conditions tricky, and Mayo hit the front inside a minute through starlet Kobe McDonald, followed quickly by a Ryan O’Donoghue effort. A Steven Sherlock 45 settled Cork after four minutes.

Ian Maguire then slipped a clever pass to Chris Óg Jones for a decent goal chance, but Mayo goalkeeper Jack Livingstone got down sharply to push it out for another 45, which Sherlock was unable to convert.

Cork were getting joy around midfield, but wayward shooting continued to hurt them. The returning Colm O’Callaghan levelled matters.

Mayo nudged ahead again to lead 0-3 to 0-2 after 12 nervy minutes. A Mark Cronin two-point free handed Cork the lead for the first time, followed by an Ian Maguire point after a patient move. The sides traded scores as Cork led 0-6 to 0-4 with 13 minutes to the break.

A neat Paul Walsh point pushed the margin to three before an orange flag from McDonald with the outside of his boot left Mayo one adrift, and O’Donoghue soon restored parity. A Sherlock 45 and a Jones point gave Cork a two-point cushion, but an O’Donoghue orange flag from a free meant the sides went in level, 0-9 apiece.

Jones pointed on the resumption, but Mayo’s reply was swift — a Darragh Beirne two-point free and a McDonald effort. 

Beirne then kicked over an orange flag and suddenly Mayo were 0-14 to 0-10 ahead after 41 minutes.

A Paul Walsh point arrived at a timely moment, and a superb Sherlock effort left two in it. The sides traded white flags as Mayo led 0-15 to 0-13 after 51 minutes. A fisted Rory Maguire point from a Sherlock pass left the bare minimum between them.

But Mayo pushed on, moving 0-19 to 0-14 ahead, helped by a Jack Carney orange flag. A Sherlock two-point free kept Cork in touch, but Beirne bisected the posts to push the gap to four with nine minutes left.

An inspirational Brian Hurley point reduced the deficit as Cork clung on at 0-20 to 0-17 after 63 minutes. 

Brian O’Driscoll was then denied a goal by Livingstone, though the shot was straight at him. Three quick Mayo points created a six-point buffer.

A late Sherlock free was merely consolation as Cork’s challenge petered out.

Scorers for Mayo: R O’Donoghue 0-8 (1 2pt f, 0-2 f), D Beirne 0-7 (1 2pt f, 1 2pt), K McDonald 0-4 (1 2pt), J Carney 0-2 (1 2pt), T Conroy, C Loftus 0-1 each.

Cork: S Sherlock 0-7 (0-2 45, 1 2pt f, 0-1 f), P Walsh 0-3, M Cronin (1 2pt f), C Óg Jones 0-2 each, I Maguire, R Maguire, B Hurley, C O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

MAYO: J Livingstone; J Coyne (c), D McHugh, E McGreal; S Callinan, D McBrien, E Hession; B Tuohy, J Carney; S Coen, P Towey, J Flynn; D Beirne, R O’Donoghue, K McDonald.

Subs: D Duffy for E McGreal (12, inj), T Conroy for P Towey (h-t), C Loftus for S Coen (49), M Ruane for B Tuohy (53), R Brickenden for D Duffy (65).

CORK: P Doyle; D O’Mahony, S Meehan, M Shanley; B O’Driscoll, T Walsh, R Maguire; I Maguire (c), C O’Callaghan; P Walsh, D Sheedy, S McDonnell; M Cronin, C Óg Jones, S Sherlock.

Subs: R Deane for S McDonnell (48), C Corbett for D Sheedy (50), B Hurley for M Cronin (60), S Brady for R Maguire (62), S Walsh for P Walsh (65).

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).