Rebel Army Dominate the Farney

Allianz National Football League: Cork 1-20 Monaghan 1-13Cork were comfortable seven point winners in today’s Allianz Football League tie against Monaghan in Páirc Uí Rinn. From the outset the home side meant business, racing into a 1-5 to no score lead in the opening ten minutes. The ball being worked with ease down the field, with good variation shown between hand-passing and kick-passing. The goal arrived after Peter Kelleher showed his considerable ball-winning prowess by fetching a high-ball from Paul Kerrigan and offloading to the able hands of Colm O’Neill. The Ballyclough man looked to have lost the momentum of the attack but managed to get off a shot across goal into the bottom left corner of the Farneymen’s net.Their danger man Conor McManus opened his side’s account with a free on ten minutes as they began to eek their way into the game. Cork continued on adding to their tally however; the pick of the bunch being O’Neill’s feeding to an onrushing Mark Collins who pointed. Monaghan’s defence was lackadaisical as Cork played around them with ease – one feared this could be a hammering for Malachy O’Rourke’s side. But their cause was helped considerably when a quickly-taken free in front of goal went to Conor McCarthy who dispatched to the net. Thirty minutes gone and some hope, albeit slim, for the away side as they trailed 1-10 to 1-3.Three more points on the bounce were added to the goal to narrow the gap. The last of which, an extraordinary McManus effort from the right side-line, drawing gasps from those present. The Rebels further widened the difference soon afterwards, Collins pointing again and O’Neill converting a free - giving them a 1-12 to 1-6 lead at half-time.Cork resumed their confident play on the resumption, with Colm O’Driscoll roaming upfield and pointing. The attack from Cork’s defence all day was particularly impressive. Brian O’Driscoll was to the fore here, giving some marvellous kick-passes and grabbing two points with his marauding runs from deep.His brother Kevin pointed on fifty minutes making it 1-16 to 1-7. Kevin’s mobility in midfield perfectly complimenting the strength of Ian Maguire beside him. In defence Eoin Cadogan showed great judgement and composure in his role as the spare man. He also did well when he took up McManus for the final period of the game.The final periods proving banal as Monaghan never posed any threat of usurping Cork’s lead. The 1-20 to 1-13 final scoreline boosting Cork in their quest to avoid relegation and increasing morale after three successive losses.An improvement could be made in the discipline stakes as Conor McManus profited from errant tackling by converting six frees; with the Rebels also acquiring two yellow and two black cards. Such indiscipline could be very costly in the Championship and Peadar Hurley is surely mindful of this.The tally of 1-20, while obviously being a great total for a game of football, highlights the scoring riches of this Cork side. Young full-forward Peter Kelleher is a tremendous addition to the front-guard as he adapts agreeably to the demands of senior inter-county football.Monaghan on the other hand, never looked like they were in with a chance. It’s almost as if they resigned themselves to defeat after conceding four points in the opening five minutes. They do have some immensely talented players like McManus and midfielder Darren Hughes. The latter impressing with a colossal point towards the end of the proceedings. They are now level with Cork on four points in the League table as both teams grapple to avoiding joining what inevitably looks to be Down in relegation to Division Two.Based on today’s performance it seems that Cork have no intention at all to be playing Division Two football next spring.