Cork were made to fight for their second straight NFL Division Two win as Westmeath put up a stubborn resistance at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight.
Cork looked to be cruising when turning around with a 0-08 to 0-03 buffer – Michael Cussen, John Miskella, Kevin O’Sullivan and Daniel Goulding hit some good scores.
But the hosts stalled at 0-10 and despite losing Martin Flanagan to a second yellow card, four second half points from Denis Glennon inspired a Westmeath comeback that saw them fall just short.
This was the Rebels' first home match since the ending of their players' strike and despite the very wet conditions, Conor Counihan's men were determined to put on a show for a crowd of 1,882 spectators.
Owen Sexton and Kevin McMahon were brought into the Cork team for this game, while attackers Cussen and Pearse O'Neill started despite doubts over their fitness.
Having beaten Armagh and Meath recently, Westmeath travelled south with confidence although their team captain Dessie Dolan started on the bench due to a hamstring injury.
The hosts, who, at times, overworked their tactic of playing ball in towards towering full-forward Cussen, moved into an early 0-03 to 0-00 lead.
Cussen, Miskella and Goulding, who sent over a '45', all pointed within six minutes of the throw-in. Alan Mangan replied for Westmeath before Kevin O'Sullivan adding his name to Cork's list of scorers.
A Kieran O'Connor error - the corner-back was whistled up for touching the ball on the ground - allowed Denis Glennon to point a close range free for Westmeath's second score.
After Miskella had fired over at the other end, the Lake County got back on the attack and a Glennon pass was chipped up into his hands and pointed by industrious midfielder Flanagan.
However, Cork responed by landing unanswered points from O'Sullivan and Goulding to leave them leading by five points at the break.
Cork goalkeeper Alan Quirke had to be on his toes to deny Glennon a goal at the start of the second half, and Cork's Donncha O'Connor should have done better when getting a sight of goal himself.
He blasted to the right and wide of Gary Connaughton's goal, but Cork regrouped to fire over two good points from McMahon and captain Graham Canty, who started and ended the move for his score.
However, Cork then incredibly went through a scoreless period that lasted 30 minutes in all. Even Flanagan's dismissal in the 50th-minute - he earned his second yellow for clashing with Canty - failed to stop Westmeath from mounting a comeback.
They got through an amount of work and turned chances in points, with top scorer Glennon thriving.
They whittled Cork's lead down to 0-10 and 0-09 and were presented with a great chance to level. Four minutes into injury-time, the midlanders won a free that Dessie Dolan, who was sprung from the bench, stepped up to take.
His effort looked like it went over. One umpire felt it had, while the other disagreed and referee Aidan Mangan stepped in to rule that the point had not been scored.
Dolan was clearly convinced that he had scored and was livid with the decision. He was booked for his protests and the night further soured for Westmeath when substitute Conor McCarthy pointed off Cork's next attack for what was the last score of a hard-fought game.
Thanks to this win, Cork still have a chance of gaining promotion into the top flight but they have a difficult final stretch in the league with games to come against Ulster trio Cavan, Monaghan and Armagh.
CORK: A Quirke; D Duggan, G Canty (0-01), K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, E Sexton; N Murphy, A O'Connor; J Miskella (0-02), K O'Sullivan (0-02), K McMahon (0-01); D Goulding (0-03, 0-01f, 0-01 '45'), M Cussen (0-01), D O’Connor.
Subs used: P Kelly for Cussen (55 mins), S O'Donoghue for O'Leary (61), M Harrington for O'Sullivan (63), C McCarthy (0-01) for Miskella (70).
WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy; D Duffy, M Flanagan (0-01); D Kelly, A Mangan (0-02), D O'Donoghue; M Greene, T Cleary, D Glennon (0-06, 0-04f).
Subs used: G Dolan for Green (28 mins), P Bannon for Cleary (44), D Bannon for Kelly (46), D Dolan for P Bannon (65).
Referee: Aidan Mangan (Kerry).
