MUCH as it sticks in the craw to admit it, sometimes the hurling snobs have a point.

Gaelic football really can be a dog of a game when it wants to be. With the best will in the world this was an atrocious match, one Cork got out of because they weren't nearly as poor as Sligo were.

Billy Morgan's side made an All Ireland semi-final having produced only one performance of real note, that in defeat against Kerry. For a side with notions of itself, this is hardly the stuff of glory.

They might like to tell themselves they were dragged down to the level of this game but the truth is they were as culpable for the fare as Sligo were. Without wishing to be too hard on those involved, this was . . . how to put this delicately . . . root canal for the eyes. There were only six scores in the whole of the first half as opposed to 11 wides. The second was marginally better but only because it would have been hard to see how it could have been worse.

You know how sometimes in a snooker match, a frame will become so dreary with neither player willing to take a risk that all concerned will club together and decide on a rerack? Well, there wouldn't have been a soul in the stadium who could have objected if after 20 minutes Pat McEnanay had called everyone together, sent them back into the dressing rooms to think about what they hadn't done and told them to start again from scratch. After all, this wasn't some Friday night junior C game; it was an All Ireland quarter-final. This pair were still singing after 24 teams had tripped off the stage.

We'll get to Cork's part in it in two shakes but first Sligo.

They must have gone back down the road last night with heads full of regrets for rarely can a team have come to Croke Park freighted with such a reluctance to shoot.

Eight points in 70 minutes is nobody's idea of a run for their money but when you turn up as full of nerves and devoid of belief as Sligo appeared yesterday, it's about all you can expect. Three times in the opening five minutes they managed to work what could conceivably have been goal chances but looked scared of their lives to have a go. John McPartland got the opening point of the game but it was a fisted effort from right in front of goal and just eight yards out. It put Sligo ahead but really, it was a spurt of blood leaked into the water.

Cork took their time about sniffing it out, though. They played can't shoot to Sligo's won't shoot. They kicked wide and into Philip Greene's arms in the Sligo goal and when they weren't doing that, they were still trying and failing to work out how best to use Michael Cussen.

For the second game in a row, they made his skyscraping height almost redundant, playing ball to him in positions where he would have been much better off being a nippy titch of a corner-forward who could turn his man and sprint.

They have much work to do before this day fortnight.

To the scores then, the hens' teeth, needle-inhaystack scores. James Masters finished the day with most against his name . . . four points . . . which was fitting as he was easily the cutest forward on show. He scored 0-2 of Cork's first-half 1-3 and not only set up John Miskella's goal by launching a fine high ball in on top of Cussen on the 13-yard line but laid on a lovely pass for Kevin McMahon to score four minutes from the break.

Cork went in at that break 1-3 to 0-2 ahead . . . Sean Davey's point right on the stroke ending a full 30-minute spell without a Sligo score.

And although the Munster finallists came out with more intent at the beginning of the second period, clipping over three quick points to effectively burn Sligo off, there was no opening of the shoulders, no sprinting clear. The rip-roaring Tommy Murphy Cup final that Wicklow and Antrim had served up earlier was but a fond memory by now.

Sligo shook themselves in fits and starts but still suffered from not getting enough men forward when they had the ball. Eamonn O'Hara was predictably diligent but he looked off the pace at times and though he was the sole Sligo man who didn't looked cowed by the occasion, he couldn't do it all by himself.

Cork progress, then. Not much further though unless there's a big improvement.

CORK A Quirke; M Shields, G Canty, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; J Miskella (1-0), P O'Neill (0-1), K McMahon (0-1); J Masters (04, 0-2 frees), M Cussen; D O'Connor (0-3, 0-2 frees) Subs B Collins for Murphy 49-53 mins; C McCarthy (0-1) for Miskella, 65 mins; F Gould for McMahon, 65 mins; K O'Sullivan (01) for Masters, 70 mins; Collins for Murphy, 71 mins SLIGO P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; P McGovern, M McNamara, J Davey; E O'Hara (0-1), K Quinn; B Curran, M Breheny (0-3, 0-1 free), B Egan; D Kelly, S Davey (0-2), J McPartland (0-1) Subs P Doohan for O'Hara 17-20 mins; K Sweeney for McPartland, 54 mins; Doohan for Curran, 56 mins; G McGowan for S Davey, 63 mins; P Gallagher (0-1) for J Davey, 70 mins Referee P McEnaney (Monaghan)