NFL, Division 2: Cork 0-13 Roscommon 2-21
Roscommon returned to the scene of their 2023 championship elimination and emerged with a thumping 14-point victory over Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
They had second-half goals from an Enda Smith penalty and Ben O’Carroll punishing a defensive calamity to get their promotion push back on track with their fourth win in five games.
Cork hit the crossbar twice in the second half as their top-two hopes appear all but over.
The hosts created a pair of goal chances within two minutes but Seán McDonnell blazed wide and Paul Walsh was denied by Conor Carroll.
A Roscommon 3v3 infraction allowed Mark Cronin to convert a two-point free but Cork had their own transgressions. Twice they allowed Diarmuid Murtagh to raise orange flags as the Rebels went scoreless for 15 minutes.
Cronin responded with the first two-pointer from play before the break to go in four behind; 0-12 to 0-8.
Conor Hand launched a two-pointer as Roscommon moved seven ahead within two minutes of the resumption.
Chris Óg Jones and Paul Walsh points gave Cork hope but it was extinguished by Smith’s 49th-minute penalty. That came about when O’Carroll regained possession from sloppy Cork handling and fed Ciarán Lennon who tumbled over Neil Lordan.
That made it 1-16 to 0-11 and Hand extended the lead to 10 with his second two-pointer.
Cork countered with Seán Powter breaking through the middle but his dipping shot struck the crossbar and bounced over.
Colm O’Callaghan was pushed forward as Cork gave chase. He had a palmed goal chance saved by Carroll before kicking an advanced mark.
Roscommon added salt to the wound when Rory Maguire passed back towards goalkeeper Patrick Doyle, not permitted to receive the ball inside his own half under the new rules, and O’Carroll profited to tap into the net.
Brian O’Driscoll hit the crossbar from a flowing move at the other end before Roscommon ended with a long-range Niall Daly point, deemed a one-pointer due to a touch from Patrick Doyle as it flew over the bar.
CORK: P Doyle; N Lordan, T Walsh, D O’Mahony; S Brady, R Maguire, M Taylor; I Maguire, C O’Callaghan (0-0-1; 1m); P Walsh (0-0-1), B O’Driscoll, S McDonnell; M Cronin (0-2-4; 1tp, 1tpf, 4f), C Óg Jones (0-0-1), C O’Mahony (0-0-1).
Subs: S Powter (0-0-1) for T Walsh (43 mins), R Deane for O’Mahony (45), S Walsh for McDonnell (57), C Cahalane for P Walsh (59), H O’Connor for Jones (65).
ROSCOMMON: C Carroll; P Frost, N Higgins, J McManus; R Dolan (0-0-1), D Murray, S Cunnane (0-0-1; 1m); K Doyle, U Harney (0-0-1); C Lennon, C Hand (0-2-2; 2tp, 1 ’45), E Smith (1-0-0; pen); D Murtagh (0-2-3; 2tpf, 2f), C McKeon, B O’Carroll (1-0-3).
Subs: C Murtagh (0-0-1; f) for McKeon (h-t), R Daly for McManus (45 mins), E Nolan for Harney (51), D Ruane for Lennon (61), N Daly (0-0-1) for Dolan (65).
Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).
