Donegal into quarter-finals after Tyrone beat Cork

Ben Cullen's second-half goal was the crucial score at Tullamore as Tyrone edged a victory over Cork which enabled Donegal to top Group 3 after they hammered Clare

Donegal's 2-23 to 0-5 hammering of Clare in Castlebar secured them direct progression to the All-Ireland Football quarter-finals after Tyrone edged out Cork 1-18 to 0-17 in Tullamore.

Ben Cullen's second-half goal proved the key moment in deciding the Group 3 positions as the Red Hands took victory over the Rebels despite Conn Kilpatrick's 60th-minute red card.

Tyrone will have home advantage for their preliminary quarter-final next weekend as their victory left them second in the table with Cork, who headed the group going into the round-three fixtures, dropping to third spot on scoring difference after the leading trio finished on four points.

Cavan's hopes of reaching next weekend's preliminary quarter-finals were ended as they were beaten 3-20 to 1-20 by Roscommon in Longford.

Cork deservedly led 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time in Tullamore after missing several other scoring opportunities but Tyrone punished Chris Og Jones' black card as Cullen squeezed his low shot past Chris Kelly when the Rebels were down to 14 men.

Ryan McHugh's early goal helped Donegal lead 1-11 to 0-1 at half-time in Castlebar and Oisin Gallen netted their second major shortly after the resumption as Clare wilted after notching the opening score of the contest.

Donegal's win means they have a vital week's break before their last-eight clash while the Red Hands and Cork must play again next weekend after missing out on top spot.

Donegal put the Castlebar contest to bed by half-time as the led Clare 1-11 to 0-1 at half-time

In Castlebar, Ryan McHugh and Oisin Gallen both registered 1-4 apiece as the Tir Chonaill men finished with 12 different scorers.

Captain Patrick McBrearty also chipped in with four points of his own.

It was more like a training session than a championship game for Jim McGuinness' side who cruised into a 1-11 to 0-1 lead by the break after Clare had notched the opening score.

Emmet McMahon put Clare ahead after two minutes but, it was one way traffic as Donegal registered 1-11 without reply during the remainder of the opening period.

McHugh rattled the net after five minutes with McBrearty, Gallen and Ciaran Thompson three of Donegal's eight first-half scorers.

As expected the second-half was a pedestrian affair as Gallen fired home a fine individual goal on 42 minutes while McMahon tried to restore some respectability to the Banner scoreboard.

Substitutes Conor O'Donnell and Daire O Baoill registered late scores to put their hands up for selection for the last eight in two week’s time.

Donnelly hugely influential for Tyrone

At Tullamore, Cullen's goal was crucial in securing Tyrone a home preliminary quarter-final but the Red Hands will be without midfielder Kilpatrick, who was shown a straight red for an off-the-ball incident 10 minutes from the end of an eventful, high-scoring contest.

The Rebels, roared on by a huge support including Tanaiste Micheal Martin, put a lot of effort and intensity into the first half and led 0-10 to 0-9 at half time.

Paul Walsh had a glorious goal chance to extend Cork's advantage just after the resumption but under pressure from man of the match Mattie Donnelly, sliced his shot wide.

And when Jones was then given a black card for tripping Niall Morgan a couple of minutes later, Tyrone sensed their opportunity and raised their game, outscoring Cork by 1-2 to 0-1 during the 10 minutes.

Cullen’s 48th minute goal was all-important, cutting inside and rolling the ball low inside Cork ‘keeper Kelly’s near post in an impressive third-quarter display by Tyrone.

Steven Sherlock hit 0-8 for Cork while Tyrone had a great spread of scores with 10 different players on the scoresheet including Darragh Canavan who finished with 0-5, four from play.

The sides were level 10 times, the last time at 0-12 apiece until Cullen’s goal put clear daylight between the teams.

Cork ran out of steam, unable to reproduce their first-half efforts after the break, and Tyrone managed the game out with Donnelly hugely influential for the Red Hands.

Enda Smith's second-half goal ended Cavan's hopes after Dara McVeety had netted at the other end seconds earlier

Goals from Diarmuid Murtagh, Brian Stack and Enda Smith helped Roscommon end Cavan's season as Davy Burke's side secured a 3-20 to 1-20 in Longford.

Murtagh hit 1-6 as the Rossies secured a first championship win of the season, while Cavan's summer ends with four straight defeats.

Roscommon advance to next weekend's preliminary quarter-finals where they will be away from home after finishing third seeds behind All-Ireland champions Dublin and Mayo, who will battle to win Group 2 at Dr Hyde Park on Sunday.

Murtagh's goal midway through the first half proved to the difference at the break, as his apparent effort for a point caught out Cavan keeper Gary O'Rourke as the ball dropped into the top right hand corner of the net.

Both sides had a real go in the second half, the Breffni men kicking the first three scores of the half to cut Roscommon's lead to 1-11 to 0-13.

But Roscommon stopped the rot in fine fashion, the driving run of Enda Smith parting the Cavan defence before the Boyle man slipped the ball to Stack who punched into the empty net.

Cavan thought they were back in the game when Dara McVeety cut the gap to one with a well-taken goal entering the final quarter.

But, from the very next play the Rossies had their third goal with Smith producing another trademark lung-busting run before finishing to the net.