Two second-half goals inside a minute for Cork saw them record a deserved two point victory over a Donegal side whose unbeaten season to date comes to an end.
Both sides battled evenly from the off with Paddy McBrearty's five first-half points for Donegal ensuring the visitors led by two at the break.
Cork showed their devastating pace on the counter attack on 18 minutes with the electric Matty Taylor accelerating from midfield towards goal before burying past goalkeeper Shaun Patton and putting Cork two to the good.
The pace from Cork was a sign of things to come over the course of the afternoon. Corks turnovers in defence under pressure and counter-attacking play devastated Donegal and was the difference in the end.
Two further Cork goals with the second half barely under way put Cork into a healthy four-point lead which stretched to five at stages with the Donegal fightback inevitable as the half progressed.
A purple patch from the Ulster champions in the last quarter of the game ensured a grandstand finish as they got themselves back level with just injury time to play, but with a rousing home crowd behind them, Cork finished strongly with the last two scores of the game to record a huge and well deserved victory in the round robin series.
It was a patient start from both sides with the two teams happy to familiarise themselves with the ball and settle into the very warm conditions on Leeside.
Scores were few and far between with just one point a piece after 10 minutes of play. McBrearty opened the scoring with an easy free in front of the posts after three minutes of play with Brian Hurley pointing also from a free on 10 minutes.
Donegal showed just what they were capable of on 12 minutes and should have had a goal with two gilt edged goal chances inside just a minute for McBrearty.
A neat one-two between Gallen and McBrearty left the Kilcar man through on Chris Kelly in the Cork goal. The Eire Og did well to narrow the angles for the Donegal forward leaving McBrearty happy to take his second point of the game.
A third from McBrearty before a first point from Chris Og Jones left the visitors leading 0-3 to 0-2 midway through the first half.
Cork's defence and ability to turn the ball over under pressure was impressive and the pace from Brian O’Driscoll and Matty Taylor on the counter attack from Cork was a stark warning sign for Donegal.
Donegal failed to take heed of those warning signs and another brilliant turnover from Daniel O’Mahony concluded with a goal for Cork as the Rebels showed dangerous pace on the counter attack causing all sorts of panic for the Donegal defence.
The dangerous Taylor gladly received the ball after Cork stole the ball back on halfway and accelerated towards goal. He had the chance to attempt a speculative chip over the onrushing Patton, but decided against it and surged forward. His decision was rewarded with Taylor making no mistake and burying his first championship goal for Cork to leave the Rebels leading by two.
Donegal's response after conceding the goal was excellent as points from McBrearty, Niall’O Donnell and a superb score from distance by Oisin Gallen brought the sides level on the half hour mark in an enthralling first half.
Donegal, to their credit finished the first half with intent and composure under pressure. A fifth point of the day for McBrearty, his third from play and Ciaran Moore’s second gave Donegal a two-point cushion at the break.
Hurley and O’Callaghan both had big chances on the stroke of half time for Cork’s second goal of the afternoon, but a last ditch save at full-stretch from Oisin Langan following a goalmouth scramble kept Donegal’s goal intact.
Cork didn't take long to display that confidence with a blistering start to the second half.
Goals from Sean Powter and Rory Maguire in the opening three second-half minutes put the men in red four points to the good.
Powter’s the pick of them with the Douglas man linking up well with Brian O’Driscoll. O’Driscoll sucked in the Donegal pressure before laying it off for Powter who had the support of Hurley to his left but went himself with a classy finish past Patton
It took Donegal 10 minutes of the second half to add to their half time tally as they looked towards their talisman McBrearty for inspiration.
Similar to the first half, Donegal didn’t panic with the goal concessions and two points from McBrearty and Gallen narrowed Corks lead to three again with 20 minutes to play.
Donegal plugged away as the second half progressed and four consecutive points from the Ulster side levelled the game into the dying minutes of a brilliant game.
Substitute Steven Sherlock edged the home side back in front in the last minute of regular time to the roars of the Pairc Ui Rinn crowd as Cork deservedly led into injury time by the narrowest of margins.
Into the dying seconds and trailing by one, Donegal probed desperately for a levelling score.
Ryan McHugh chose the wrong option though as his attempt for a score dropped short leaving Cork to break as they had done so well all afternoon with Colm O’Callaghan’s second point sealing the victory for Cork in front of a buzzing bank holiday crowd in the sun
Cork: Christopher Flynn; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O’Mahony, Maurice Shanley; Rory Maguire (1-0), Tommy Walsh, Matty Taylor (1-0); Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan (0-2); Paul Walsh (0-1), Sean Powter (1-0), Brian O’Driscoll; Chris Og Jones (0-2), Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley (0-3,2f)
Subs: Conor Corbett for Sean Powter [45], Stephen Sherlock (0-1)for Chris Og Jones [47], Thomas Clancy for Tommy Walsh [55], Ruari Deane for Mark Cronin [65], Eoghan McSweeney for Brian Hurley [68], Sean Meehan for Paul Walsh [70+3]
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore (0-2); Ryan McHugh (0-1), Caolan McGonagle (0-1), Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Daire O’Baoill; Patrick McBrearty (0-7, 3f), Oisin Gallen (0-3, 2f) Niall O’Donnell (0-1)
Subs: Aaron Doherty for Daire O’Baoill [36], Odhran Doherty (0-1) for Jason McGee [39], Jamie Brennan for Niall O’Donnell [53], Jeaic MacCeallabhui for Shane O’Donnell [63]
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)
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