Dublin overcame a dreadful first-half in Croke Park this evening to maintain their unbeaten run in the top tier of this season’s Allianz League.

Cork, routed at home by Roscommon last weekend, kept the reigning league and All-Ireland champions scoreless for the first 22 minutes and held a seven-point lead at the interval.

Yet they still found themselves steamrolled for most of the second-half.

Both teams will harbour mixed emotions.

Colm O’Neill, starting his first game of the campaign, was integral to Cork’s unexpected drive in the opening period, claiming 1-3 of their 2-7 total and having a hand in other scores.

His goal came from the penalty spot after Philly McMahon pulled Peter Kelleher back by the jersey.

Dublin had already found the net by then, Diarmuid Connolly bursting on to a Bernard Brogan fist pass to smash low past the Cork goalkeeper. It was their first score, but it took a lot longer for the home side to really find their stride.

When they did it was impressive.

Nine points on the trot went the way of the Dubs between the 39th and 60th minutes, but the dismissal for a second yellow card of Johnny Cooper sparked a change of momentum with Brian Hurley’s free shortly after giving Cork a first score in almost half an hour.

The pair went tit-for-tat thereafter, Cormac Costello’s ninth point – all coming in the second-half and eight of them from frees – put Dublin ahead for the last time before wing-back James McCarthy found the space to finish under the Cork keeper for his side’s second goal.

Predictable result, surprisingly engaging fare though.

Scorers for Dublin: C Costello (0-9, 7f); D Connolly (1-3, 1f, 1 ‘45’); J McCarthy (1-0); P Andrews (0-2).

Scorers for Cork: C O’Neill (1-3, 0-2f); P Kelleher (1-0); B Hurley (0-2, 1f); C O’Driscoll, P Kerrigan, M Collins, R Deane (all 0-1). L Connolly (0-1f).

Dublin: M Savage; J Cooper, P McMahon, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, E Lowndes; B Fenton, E O Conghaile; P Flynn, D Connolly, C Kilkenny; C Costello, P Andrews, B Brogan. Subs: J Small for Lowndes and M Fitzsimons for Fenton (both HT); S Carthy for O Conghaile (48); D Rock for Brogan (49); K McManamon for Andrews (65); SB Carthy for Flynn (71).

Cork: M Aodh Martin; J O’Sullivan, E Cadogan, K Crowley; T Clancy, C O’Driscoll, K O’Driscoll; S Kiely, I Maguire; M Collins, L Connolly, B O’Driscoll; C O’Neill, P Kelleher, M Collins. Subs: B Hurley for Kerrigan (31-35) and for K O’Driscoll (54); K O’Hanlon for Kiely (50); R Deane for Connolly (57); A O’Sullivan for Kelleher (67); M Collins for Kerrigan (70).

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).