Cork have been relegated to Division Two after losing to arch rivals Kerry by 0-20 to 1-12 at Austin Stack Park.
Results elsewhere today meant that the Rebels finished level on the final table with Donegal, Mayo and Monaghan, all on six points, but they go down as they have the worst scoring average of the four tied sides.
As for in-form Kerry, this was their fifth successive victory and they march into the league semi-finals as runners-up in Division One. They will face Roscommon for a place in the final.
The Kingdom led by three points at the break, 0-11 to 1-5, with Colm O'Neill's injury-time penalty goal handing the Rebels a potential lifeline. The gap had been at eight when Johnny Buckley pointed in the 21st minute - 0-10 to 0-2 - but the Leesiders finished the half strongest with four scores from placed balls - two frees and the penalty from O'Neill and a free from Brian Hurley, while the Kingdom managed to add just a converted Alan Fitzgerald free to their tally before the break.
Donnchadh Walsh, O'Neill (free), Fitzgerald (free) and Hurley (free) traded the first four points before the hosts took command with a run of eight consecutive points courtesy of Kieran Donaghy, Stephen O'Brien, Colm Cooper (3), Mark Griffin, Fitzgerald and Buckley. But a decent 15-minute spell from Cork left it all to play for in the second half.
A Hurley brace was sandwiched between two Fitzgerald frees as the second half began impressively; Hurley's ninth-minute free had the gap back to two; Cooper's free was cancelled out by Paul Kerrigan as we moved into the final quarter at 0-14 to 1-9.
Brian O'Driscoll left the minimum between them and Hurley (free) equalised approaching the hour mark as the visitors sensed survival as a real possibility only for Marc O Se to edge the Munster champions back in front. It was a lead that they would not relinquish as Cooper doubled the gap before Cork's Michael Shields was dismissed three minutes from the end.
Fionn Fitzgerald, David Moran ('45') and Cooper (free) registered as the winners landed five successive points and Daniel Goulding's late consolation was cancelled out by Brendan O'Sullivan as Eamon Fitzmaurice's men claimed a five-point win.
For the Rebel County, being relegated is a major blow; being relegated by Kerry is even worse!
Kerry - B Kealy; M O Se (0-1), M Griffin (0-1), S Enright; P Crowley, K Young, P O'Connor; K Donaghy (0-1), D Moran (0-1'45); J Buckley (0-1), P Murphy, D Walsh (0-1); S O'Brien (0-1), C Cooper (0-6, 3f), A Fitzgerald (0-5f). Subs: F Fitzgerald (0-1) for P Crowley (BC), B O'Sullivan (0-1) for J Buckley, BJ Keane for A Fitzgerald, J Lyne for M Griffin, M Geaney for D Walsh, T Walsh for S O'Brien.
Cork - R Price; C O'Driscoll, E Cadogan, K Crowley; D Hazel, T Clancy, B O'Driscoll (0-1); K O'Driscoll, I Maguire; S Kiely, P Kerrigan (0-1), M Collins; R Deane, C O'Neill (1-3, 1-0pen, 0-3f), B Hurley (0-6, 3f). Subs: J O'Sullivan for D Hazel, L Connolly for R Deane, D Goulding (0-1f) for C O'Neill, M Shields for E Cadogan, F Goold for C O'Driscoll.
Referee - D Gough.
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