THIS was convincing. If Offaly came away from Thurles last week a tad unlucky to be on the wrong end of a four-point game, there were no arguments or anything remotely misleading about the scoreline here . . . Cork were 19 points better than the losers in every area imaginable, first to every ball and running up goal and point chances at will, this wasn't really competitive for any stretch of time.

Even if bigger and better tests await, Cork will come away purring. A Diarmuid O'Sullivan back towards imperiousness under any sort of ball at full-back. A midfield that was as functional as they needed to be, keeping the ball moving whenever necessary. A halfforward line that contributed 11 scores . . . nine from play . . .

with Ben O'Connor enjoying himself as the fulcrum in the centre. A Joe Deane who won every single ball that went into his corner, jinked and tormented a couple of markers and tacked on scores whenever the chance cropped up.

And a new modus operandi for creating scores that's working a treat right now . . .

trying to get someone in space around the middle and then whipping balls low in front of a lively inside line as early and often as possible, and then runners coming at pace. And this was all done at a speed Offaly couldn't live with . . . indeed plenty others wouldn't either.

Offaly could have done without the jitters in defence but fact was every time the ball went anywhere in the general direction of their fullback line they came over all shaky. Five times in the first half Offaly had ball in hand but couldn't clear, Cork made off with 1-4 in their pockets.

The goal set the tone. Eight minutes in, Kieran Murphy (Sars) sent a ball across the area, the Offaly full-back grabbed it, made to burst clear but left the ball behind.

Neil Ronan didn't need to be asked twice, picking and swivelling before hitting the net for 1-2 to 0-1.

Twice they passed a loose ball across goal and were punished, another time they were hooked and Cork snapped a point. There was simply no sharpness, the touch was a few seconds off what's needed at the top level.

The starting forward line scored a point from play.

They were beaten every which way.

It's not like Cork needed help mind. Some of the movement of ball and men was pretty special, some of the scores on the exhibition end of the scale. Not long after the goal there was a freeflowing move . . . O'Connor to Murphy to Hartnett at speed to Ronan . . . that was denied at the last minute. Joe Deane and Ben O'Connor tapped a couple of placed balls each as Cork ticked over before Deane sent a glorious ball crossfield for Pa Cronin to lob a wonder point on 24 minutes.

There was more than an inkling of toying with the opposition about it already.

When Ben O'Connor smacked two beauties between the posts . . . both setup care of passes back from Cork's full-forward line . . . for 1-11 to 0-6 at the break, you didn't get the sense a comeback was on any cards. It got worse if anything.

Ben O'Connor picked off another couple of lovely uncomplicated scores to go with two frees from Damien Murray, Joe Deane got a typical Joe Deane point from the corner as if he was at training and then Cork pulled off into the sunset. Ten scores in a row unanswered as the Rebels basically did what they pleased.

CORK D Og Cusack; S Murphy, D O'Sullivan, C O'Connor; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Og O ANTRIM S McGreevey; C McGoldrick, P Doherty, G Bell; P Close, J Loughery, E O'Neill;

M McCann (1-2), S McVeigh; M Rea, K Niblock, K Brady; M Dougan (0-1), C Close (0-7), C McGourty (3-1) Subs D Martin for Rea; S Kelly for Bell; M Magill for Niblock LONDON B McBrearty; V O'Sullivan, C Beirne (0-1), R Walsh; P Morgan (0-1), P O'Donoghue, P McDermott (0-1); E Brennan, D Meehan (01); D Davey (0-1), P Hehir (0-2, 0-1 free), F Cleary (0-1); C Donnellan (1-0), D Kinneavey (0-1 free), N Clinton (0-1) Subs D Mulholland for Donnellan; J McShane for O'Sullivan; D Gallagher for Brennan Referee M Duffy (Sligo) hAilpin; K Hartnett, J O'Connor; K Murphy (Erin's Own) (0-2), B O'Connor (0-7, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65), P Cronin (0-2); N Ronan (1-5, 0-2 frees), K Murphy (Sars"elds), J Deane (0-8, 05 frees) Subs K Canty for B O'Connor, 54 mins;

T McCarthy (0-1) for J O'Connor, 57 mins; C Naughton (0-1) for Cronin, 59 mins; E Murphy (0-1) for Deane, 62 mins; P Kelly for S Murphy, 65 mins.

OFFALY B Mullins; C Hernon, P Cleary, D Franks; K Brady, D Kenny, G Oakley; S Ryan, B Murphy (0-1); M Cordial (0-1), G Hannify, C Parlon; B Carroll, R Hannify, D Murray (0-8, 06 frees, 0-1 65) Subs J Bergin for Carroll, halftime; D Molloy for Parlon, half-time; E Bevans for Murray, 50 mins; T Corcoran for Franks, 51 mins; S Dooley for R Hannify, 60 mins.

Referee E Morris (Dublin).