Cork are top of Division Two after beating Louth by 2-11 to 0-10 at bitterly-cold Pairc Ui Rinn.

The Rebels had both Kevin O'Driscoll and substitute Peter Kelleher dismissed in the 47th and 67th minutes respectively but - although the visitors made most of the second-half running - the game was over as a contest at the break.

Ronan McCarthy's men led by 1-9 to 0-4 at the interval, with Sean White netting in the 20th minute and Colm O'Neill and Mark Collins bagging a brace apiece.

Ryan Burns was outstanding for the Wee County and he was one of three Louth men to extract excellent saves from home custodian Ryan Price during the opening period, but it was Ballincollig's Cian Kiely who got forward to plant the game's second major in the fifth minute of added time. The visitors had strung together four unanswered points from substitutes William Wood (three) and Ger McSorley to edge within four going into added time, and could have been closer if the latter's looping effort had found the net rather than the crossbar,

With Meath and Cavan not playing this weekend, Cork - who went 25 minutes without a score as they lost their way in the second half - share top spot on the table with Down. Pete McGrath's charges are bottom after three straight defeats.

Cork - R Price; S Ryan, J O'Sullivan, S Wilson; T Clancy, C Dorman, C Kiely (1-1); I Maguire, R Deane (0-1); S White (1-1), M Hurley (0-1), K O'Driscoll; M Collins (0-3, 2f), C O'Neill (0-4, 3f), S Sherlock. Subs: M Taylor for S Sherlock, D O'Callaghan for S White, D Quinn for C Dorman, P Kelleher for M Hurley, C Dorgan for I Maguire, P Clancy for S Wilson.

Louth - C Lynch; J Bingham, E Carolan, F Donohoe; D Marks, J Stewart, A Williams; C Early, B Duffy (0-1); C Downey, A McDonnell (0-1), J McEneaney; D Maguire, C Grimes, R Burns (0-4, 3f, 1'45). Subs: E Lafferty for D Marks, T Durnin for J McEneaney, G McSorley (0-1) for C Early, W Woods (0-3f) for R Burns, J Craven for J Bingham, T McEneaney for C Grimes.

Referee - M McNally.

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