Paddy Kelly claimed a hat-trick of goals as Cork coasted to their first Division 1 win against Down at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
A promising start by Down was ruined by loose defending as two quick-fire Kelly goals shot Cork into a 2-04 to 0-03 lead.
Conor Laverty and Aidan Brannigan replied for Down but Donncha O’Connor’s injury-time penalty made it 3-05 to 0-05 at the break.
Ballincollig clubman Kelly added a 49th minute goal which wrapped up a facile victory.
The Rebels received a pre-match boost with Paul Kerrigan included on the bench. He was cleared to play having had his red card from the Armagh match rescinded at a Friday night hearing.
Down coped well early on playing into the wind with Aidan Carr landing a brace of points, the first from a free and the second coming from Laverty’s neat lay-off.
Centre-back Liam Doyle nudged them 0-03 to 0-00 ahead, following a foul on Benny Coulter as he made headway towards the goal.
But Cork gradually found their rhythm, a free from O’Connor and Mark Collins’ point from play, set up by O’Connor, getting them off the mark.
Michael Shields levelled with a tremendous long range score and worse followed for the visitors when they leaked 2-1 within a two-minute spell, with Kelly helping himself to goals in the 26th and 27th minutes.
With Kerrigan introduced, Cork carried more of a threat up front and Kelly got the better of goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh for a well-taken first.
Barry O’Driscoll followed up with a point and then a loose Down pass gave Kelly the time and space to slot home past McVeigh and put seven points between the sides.
Down hit back with a productive spell on the half hour mark, Dan Gordon and Danny Hughes combining for Laverty to point and Brannigan also converted after a string of hand passes.
Cork re-opened a two-goal lead with an effort from Fintan Goold before Collins was brought down for a late penalty which O’Connor tucked away into the bottom corner.
O’Connor and Carr both tapped over frees in the opening minutes of the second half, with Down boss James McCartan introducing Anton McArdle and Kevin McKernan who is back from Australia.
But Cork were simply too strong for the visitors. Their slick movement and ability to convert scoring chances had Down struggling, and Kelly notched his third goal from close range.
Just moments earlier, Collins had been denied by a McVeigh save. Kelly was in the right place at the right time, tapping home after a ‘45’ had been broken down into his path.
Although Doyle and Carr, who scored 0-07 between them, replied in the closing stages for Down, they were clearly out for the count.
Cork’s final tally was supplemented by scores from O’Connor and the 22-year-old O’Driscoll, who has the makings of an excellent forward.
CORK: A Quirke; R Carey, E Cadogan, M Shields (0-01); G Canty, P Kissane, N O’Leary; A O’Connor (0-01), P O’Neill (0-01); F Goold (0-01), M Collins (0-01), P Kelly (3-00); B O’Driscoll (0-02), D O’Connor (1-04, 1-00 pen, 0-03f), F Lynch.
Subs used: P Kerrigan for Lynch (26 mins), E Cotter for Cadogan (half-time), S Kiely for O’Leary (54), L Shorten for Goold, N Murphy for A O’Connor (both 65).
DOWN: B McVeigh; D Turley, D McCartan, O Costello; G McCartan, L Doyle (0-02, 0-02f), K Quinn; P Turley, D Gordon (0-01); D Hughes, A Carr (0-05, 0-04f), A Brannigan (0-01); B Coulter, C Laverty (0-01), M Poland.
Subs used: C Garvey for D McCartan (32 mins), C Maginn for Poland (half-time), K McKernan for G McCartan, A McArdle for P Turley (both 42), B McArdle for Costello (52), G McCartan for Brannigan (69, blood sub).
Referee: Rory Hickey (Clare)
