Roscommon travel to Pairc Ui Choamih after a last day mess-up in Tullamore.
The Rossies were buoyant by an opening round draw with Dublin in Croke Park. Victory over Sligo in round two set Roscommon up to win the group.
However, Davy Burke’s home county came back to haunt him, with a last gasp Kevin Feely free sealing a Kildare victory.
The draw, with all due respect could have been worse for Roscommon. It could have seen them travel to Pearse Stadium to face Galway.
While, Cork away is a tough day for anyone, Cork themselves are bit of an unknown. A lacklustre Allianz league campaign. A surprise exit to Clare in the Munster championship.
Routine defeat to Kerry and with Mayo winning their opening two games, Cork were written off. However two things we should know by now! 1. Never write off the rebels. 2. Mayo often leave their bottle behind them.
And so it came to be, a spectacular final-quarter Cork comeback, not only saw them down Mayo, but claw back the score difference. At the end of the day, Mayo finished third in the group.
Roscommon on the other hand, put in their weakest performance of the championship in the last gasp defeat to Kildare. However, defeat or not Enda Smith claimed man-of-the-match.
In the aftermath, Burke announced he would ring the changes after a defeat. However, Ciaran Lennon for Donnie Smith is the only change.
The Rossies looked leggy last week, but were always due another game. Is it just jet lag that caught them out? Cork needed a fight back, has that taken it out of them?
Time will, the longer still one stays close, the more we’ll know.
Cork: Míchéal Aodh Martin, Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Tommy Walsh, Luke Fahy, Daniel O Mahony, Matty Taylor, Colm O'Callaghan, Ian Maguire, Brian O' Driscoll, Ruairi Deane, Killian O' Hanlon, Sean Powter, Brian Hurley, Eoghan McSweeney.
Roscommon: Conor Carroll, Colin Walsh, Brian Stack, David Murray, Niall Daly, Conor Daly, Eoin McCormack, Eddie Nolan, Dylan Ruane, Ciaráin Murtagh, Enda Smith, Cian McKeon, Ciarán Lennon, Ben O'Carroll, Diarmuid Murtagh.
