AFTER the ferocity that went before, it felt like the air was sucked out of Croke Park by the time this one got underway but thankfully there were fireworks and late heroics at the death.

All week we wondered if the miserly six-day break was going to play on Donegal, whether they'd struggle from the throw in. We needn't have bothered. It was Cork who started like they had just gone through a tough training session in the Phoenix Park a few hours before.

One quick stat paints the picture of the Munster champion's early woes. It took Cork all of 24 minutes to register a point and at half-time they only had two scores from play.

Donnacha O'Connor had an early chance to settle their nerves and maybe put to bed those Croke Park nightmares from last year, but he topped a simple free kick from 21yards and the ball rolled harmlessly into the arms of Paul Durcan.

Donegal pushed on. By now, they had a goal and a point on the scoreboard. Michael Doherty, who started at fullforward, lobbed a long free into the square, the ball broke and Christy Toye batted it to the net.

It looked like the Ulster men were going to grow in confidence and carve out a sizeable lead before the break.

That was before Nicholas Murphy was taken to ground by Barry Monaghan and Cork's subsequent penalty.

John Hayes put a tame effort to Paul Durcan's left but the keeper just failed to keep it out.

Another 13 minutes passed before that Cork point and they were struggling all over the field. The loss of Graham Canty was immense, of course.

Billy Morgan patched his defence by moving Derek Kavanagh to full-back but if Canty's absence was felt in front of the Cork goal, then so too was Kavanagh's exclusion from the middle.

Though Cork were visibly struggling to find momentum, Donegal were still lacking any creativity that could have opened up a lead. Just like they did against Fermanagh last Saturday, they failed to convert possession into scores.

Still, Leon Thompson was causing Cork different kinds of trouble up front and Doherty was accurate as always from the ground. Thompson had a couple of scores in the first half and at the break Morgan decided to haul off Michael Prout and shuffle his back line once more with the introduction of Gary Murphy who sat behind the midfielders.

At half-time we pondered on the fact that these two counties share no championship history and concluded it would be better if they didn't share any championship future either. It was a dull, listless opening half but finally the game's spark was half-lit.

Within four minutes of the second half Cork had equalled their points tally for the previous 35; Ger Spillane pounced first and then Pearse O'Neill fed Nicholas Murphy for a well-crafted score. When James Masters tapped over a close-range free, Donegal's two-point interval lead had been pegged back.

Better was to come from Donegal as well. They moved the ball at pace into the full-forward line and drew Cork's wrath. Doherty fired over a couple of placed balls and Colin Kelly hit a scorching score from distance. Ten minutes remained when Masters picked up a loose ball 30 yards out and his point left one between them. Seconds later, Sean O'Brien broke through a crowded midfield and levelled the game.

Now, we were waiting for the defining moment to present itself. For Cork, the prize was the opportunity to see off Kerry twice in one season and make amends for last year's defeat to their neighbours on the big stage. Donegal, simply, were in this to continue a championship journey that up to yesterday was filled with Ulster opposition.

A fruitless 10 minutes passed for both teams. They were glued together on the scoreboard until finally, with the life almost gone from the game, Nicholas Murphy danced towards the clouds and flicked the ball to Ger Spillane. At last some light, but it looked short lived.

Doherty had a free from long range and it looked like his return would have a dreamy end. The ball fell short and but found it's way to Ciaran Bonner. He fired for the sticks and for one glorious second Donegal's voice echoed around the stadium. Again, the ball dropped short and was gathered by Alan Quirke.

Donegal failed when it mattered and perhaps the six-day turnaround did count.

The Munster champions advanced by the skin of their teeth. Kerry lie in wait and the carrot still dangles on the stick. For both counties.

CORK A Quirke; M Prout, D Kavanagh, K O'Connor; M Shields, G Spillane (0-2), A Lynch; P O'Neill (0-1), N Murphy; S O'Brien (01), F Gould (0-1), K McMahon (0-1); J Masters (0-3, two frees), D O'Connor (0-1, free), J Hayes (1-1, 1-0 pen) Subs G Murphy for Prout, h-t; C McCarthy for Gould, 51 mins; K O'Sullivan for Hayes, 55 mins; D Goulding for McMahon, 69 mins

DONEGAL P Durcan; K Lacey, E McGee, N McGee; T Donoghue, B Monaghan, B Dunnion (0-1); N Gallagher, B Boyle (0-1); C Toye (1-0), M Hegarty, C Bonner (0-1); R Kavanagh (0-1), M Doherty (0-4, three frees, 45), L Thompson (0-2) Subs C Kelly (0-1) for Hegarty, 43 mins; S McHugh for Kavanagh, 53 mins; S McDermott for Boyle, 60 mins; A Sweeney for Thompson, 66 mins Referee T Quigley (Dublin)