Donegal 2-14
Cork 1-7

Donegal are setting a blistering early pace in Division 1 as they followed up their first round drubbing of Down with another emphatic win over Cork at Ballyshannon.

A week is a long time in football and the Rebels found that to their cost as they were made look a pale shadow of the team that put Mayo to the sword in Pairc Ui Rinn. They went 40 minutes without scoring, despite having wind advantage in the second half, and were given a footballing lesson by Donegal for whom Odhran MacNiallais bagged 1-4 from midfield.

MacNiallais was the outstanding player on view, while newcomer Ciaran Thompson and Eoin McHugh also impressed for the terrific Tir Chonnaill men.

Donegal dominated the early stages to lead by 1-4 to 0-0 after 15 minutes. Paddy McBrearty and Ciaran Thompson had points inside the first five minutes before Michael Murphy added a third and Marty O'Reilly rattled the net after taking a return pass from Eoin McHugh. O'Reilly added a quick point and Cork had to wait until the 17th minute for their opening score from a Daniel Goulding free.

The Rebels got themselves back into contention when Donal Og Hodnett goaled in the 20th minute after latching onto a Peter Kelleher knock-down. Goulding's second and third frees left the minimum in it, 1-3 to 1-4, before the hosts then upped the ante to reassert their authority.

MacNiallais got them motoring again before McBrearty kicked a brace of frees. Anthony Thompson, MacNiallais and McBrearty tagged on further scores to leave six between the sides, 1-9 to 1-3, at the break.

There was no respite for the visitors after the restart when they were hit for a further 1-4 without reply, with MacNiallais grabbing Donegal's second goal in the 54th minute.

That gave the home side a massive 2-13 to 1-3 lead and ended the game as a contest. Peadar Healy's Rebels rallied in the closing stages, registering four of the last five scores, but there was no denying Donegal's superiority.

Donegal - P Boyle; E Doherty, N McGee, E McGee; P McGrath, A Thompson (0-2), R McHugh; H McFadden, M Murphy (0-1f); E McHugh, F McGlynn (0-1), C Thompson (0-1); O MacNiallais (1-4), P McBrearty (0-4, 2f), M O'Reilly (1-1). Subs: R Kavanagh for C Thompson (BC), L McLoone for M O'Reilly, M McElhinney for N McGee, E Gallagher for E Doherty, N Gallagher for H McFadden, M Carroll for E McHugh.

Cork - B O'Connell; C O'Driscoll, J O'Sullivan, K Crowley; M Collins (Castlehaven) (0-1), B O'Driscoll (0-1), T Clancy; I Maguire, A O'Sullivan; R Deane, D Og Hodnett (1-0), P Kerrigan; D Goulding (0-5, 3f), P Kelleher, B Hurley. Subs: B Daly for K Crowley, D O'Connor for R Deane, K O'Hanlon for D Og Hodnett, C O'Neill for B Hurley, D MacEoin for D Goulding.

Referee - J McQuillan.

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