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Louth manager Mickey Harte and Cork manager John Cleary at the end of the game. Ken Sutton/INPHO

Cork hold off Louth to progress to next round of All-Ireland football qualifiers

It required plenty of patience and persistence from the Rebels, but the John Cleary-managed team eventually got over the line.

Cork 2-12

Louth 2-8

CORK DEFEATED LOUTH to progress into the next round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday afternoon.

It required plenty of patience and persistence from the Rebels, but the John Cleary-managed team eventually got over the line successfully.

Louth set out their stall from the outset, playing a defensive game and then looking to hit on the break.

Cork needed patience to break down a stubborn Louth defence. But they did get off the mark as Stephen Sherlock pointed.

That was before Brian Hurley tapped over a pair of points for the Rebels, one from play and another from a mark.

Louth got level in the 17th minute through a well-worked collective move, which was finished from close range to the back of the net by Liam Jackson.

It was finely poised at the midway stage of the first half. Sam Mulroy slotted over a free for Louth, while Sherlock continued to prove a reliable scoring option at the other end.

On the half-hour mark Brian Hurley put Cork 0-7 to 1-2 ahead with a lovely pointed score from distance.

Dan Corcoran got another Louth point just before the break to reduce the gap to one, leaving all to play for heading into the second half.

The second half didn’t really come to life until the later stages, in truth. Cork goalkeeper Chris Kelly made a superb double save to deny Louth’s Ciaran Keenan.

ciaran-downey-tackles-ian-maguire Louth's Ciaran Downey tackles Cork midfielder Ian Maguire. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

At the other end, Sherlock kept slotting over scores, along with a wonderful Brian Hurley effort, before the Castlehaven man got a brilliantly-taken goal to make it 1-11 to 1-5.

Louth though kept chipping away at the scores and three points in-a-row brought them back to within touching distance.

Cork got a second goal when Colm O’Callaghan finished off a fine, free-flowing move. But once more Louth were not finished, as Conor Grimes netted with a deflected effort to leave it at 2-11 to Louth’s 2-8.

Sherlock got the final point of the game to ensure Cork’s progression. It wasn’t pretty for large spells, but all that matters from a Cork perspective is that they are into the next round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers.

Scorers for Cork: Stephen Sherlock (0-8, 0-6 frees); Brian Hurley (1-4, 0-1 mark); Colm O’Callaghan (1-0).

Scorers for Louth: Liam Jackson (1-1); Sam Mulroy (0-4, 0-4 frees); Conor Grimes (1-0); Dan Corcoran, Ciaran Downey, Tom Jackson (0-1 each).

Cork

1. Christopher Kelly

2. Sean Powter , 3. Maurice Shanley , 4. Kevin O’Donovan

5. John Cooper 6. Rory Maguire 7. Mattie Taylor

8. Colm O’Callaghan 9. Ian Maguire

10. John O’Rourke , 11. Eoghan McSweeney 12. Daniel Dineen

13. Steven Sherlock , 14. Brian Hurley 15. Cathail O’Mahony

Subs:

  • Brian Hayes for O’Mahony (HT)
  • Damien Gore for O’Rourke (50)
  • Tadhg Corkery for Powter (temporary, 68-71)
  • Cian Kiely for Dineen (70)
  • Paul Walsh for E McSweeney (73)
  • Tadhg Corkery for Powter (74).

Louth

1. James Califf

2. Dan Corcoran , 3. Bevan Duffy 4, Donal McKenny

23. Daire McConnon 6. Niall Sharkey , 7. Liam Jackson

19. John Cutterbuck 9. Conor Early

10. Conal McKeever , 11. Sam Mulroy 12. Ciaran Downey

13. Craig Lennon 26. Daire Nally. , 18. Ryan Burns.

Subs

  • Ciaran Keenan for R Burns (44)
  • Tommy Durnin for Early (45)
  • Leonard Grey for McKeever (62)
  • Conor Grimes for Nally (65)
  • Ton Jackson for C Lennon (67).

Referee: Fergal Kelly.

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