Allianz Football League Division Two
Cork 3-18 (3-3-12) Westmeath 3-17 (3-4-9)
By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Chris Óg Jones blasted 3-4 as Cork kept their Division Two promotion hopes alive with an entertaining one-point victory over Westmeath.
The Uibh Laoire full-forward netted in the 14th, 52nd, and 67th minutes, with the latter strike providing a four-point cushion.
Ronan Wallace palmed home to make it a nervy finish, but Cork held possession until the hooter.
For the visitors, young wing-back Matthew Whittaker scored one goal and created two, while the McCartan brothers, Danny and Sam, combined for four two-pointers.
Still, the Division Three champions’ relegation concerns grow after their third consecutive defeat.
In a wide-open contest, both teams registered just one point each from a free with everything else scored from play.
John Cleary welcomed captain Brian Hurley, Ian Maguire, and Ruairí Deane back onto the bench after injuries although Seán Powter was a late omission due to a hamstring strain. Tommy Walsh took his place.
Dermot McCabe made two changes to his named team with Brandon Kelly and Lorcan Dolan replacing Enda Gaffney and Stephen Smith.
Cork raised fewer flags than Westmeath in the first half, but thanks to a trio of two-pointers, they led 1-10 to 1-9 at half-time.
Brian O’Driscoll landed an early double as they raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead. It should’ve been more only for Paul Walsh to blaze a one-on-one goal chance wide.
Westmeath punished that miss in the ninth minute when netting one of their own through a Whittaker shot which just evaded Patrick Doyle’s grasp.
Another major Cork chance was spurned as Seán McDonnell’s shot was deflected around the upright by Jamie Gonoud’s sliding block.
They got their goal in the 14th minute with McDonnell squaring for Jones to slide in for the finish.
The hosts jumped into a six-point lead with back-to-back two-pointers from rookie McDonnell and Eoghan McSweeney for a 1-10 to 1-6 lead.
They wouldn’t score again for the remaining eight minutes of the half as Westmeath reeled off the final five points, including a Danny McCartan two-pointer.
They had goal chances too. Brandon Kelly handpassed over the first opportunity. Then, a superb Doyle double save from Brían Cooney and Whittaker kept Cork ahead by the minimum at the break.
Cork stretched three ahead with points from Jones and Colm O’Callaghan but Westmeath would soon establish their first lead.
After Lorcan Dolan’s third point, Sam McCartan played a brilliant one-two with Whittaker before rolling the ball to the net.
When his brother Danny landed his second two-pointer, the scoreboard read 2-12 to 1-12.
They would trade the lead a couple more times in quick succession. Jones’ second goal, after being fed by Matty Taylor, moved Cork back ahead by the minimum with 18 minutes to play.
From the next attack, the McCartans combined for Danny to launch his third two-pointer with the outside of his boot before Stephen Smith and Kieran Martin were denied by another double save.
Sam McCartan arrowed over the Lake County’s fourth two-pointer but the Rebels responded with the next three from McDonnell, O’Driscoll, and Cathail O’Mahony.
Conor Dillon equalised for a fourth time, but then came Cork’s decisive move.
After a Colm O’Callaghan point, Tommy Walsh supplied Jones’ hat-trick goal as music suddenly blared over the public address.
They had to wait three more nervy minutes for the hooter to ring out as Westmeath came straight back into it with Whittaker lofting across the square for Wallace to palm in.
Scorers for Cork: Chris Óg Jones 3-4, Brian O’Driscoll 0-4 (1 2pt), Seán McDonnell 0-3 (1 2pt), Colm O’Callaghan, Eoghan McSweeney (1 2pt), Mark Cronin (1f) 0-2 each, Cathail O’Mahony 0-1.
Scorers for Westmeath: Sam McCartan 1-3 (1 2pt), Danny McCartan 0-6 (3 2pt), Ronan Wallace 1-1; Matthew Whittaker 1-0; Lorcan Dolan 0-3, Conor Dillon, Luke Loughlin (f), Robbie Forde, Brandon Kelly 0-1 each.
Cork: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Daniel O’Mahony, Neil Lordan; Tommy Walsh, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Seán Walsh, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Eoghan McSweeney, Brian O’Driscoll; Mark Cronin, Chris Óg Jones, Seán McDonnell.
Subs: Seán Brady for Shanley (32, inj), Ruairí Deane for P Walsh (42), Ian Maguire for S Walsh (43), Brian Hurley for McSweeney (46), Seán Walsh for O’Callaghan (58-61, temp), Cathail O’Mahony for McDonnell (61).
Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Conor Dillon, Charlie Drumm; Matthew Whittaker, Jack Geoghegan, Ronan Wallace; Kevin O’Sullivan, Robbie Forde; Danny McCartan, Brían Cooney, Sam McCartan; Brandon Kelly, Luke Loughlin, Lorcan Dolan.
Subs: Enda Gaffney for Geoghegan (8-10, temp), Stephen Smith for Kelly (47), Kieran Martin for Cooney (52), Gaffney for Forde (55), Andrew Kilmartin for Dolan (61), Daniel Scahill for O’Sullivan (67).
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).
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