The Cloyne clubman goaled either side of half-time and they were crucial as Galway came with a late surge that Anthony Nash and his Cork defenders managed to repel.

Cork started well and led 1-10 to 0-10 at the break despite playing against the breeze in the first-half.

They hit the first three points as well, Aidan Walsh, Brian Lawton and Pat Horgan were on target inside seven minutes.

A sumptuous sideline from Joe Canning opened the Galway account one minute later and despite Seamus Harnedy’s reply the Tribesmen were starting to play.

Cathal Mannion, Joseph Cooney (two) and Joe Canning found the target to tie the game at 0-5 to 0-5 with 13 minutes played.

But then Cork hit back with an unanswered 1-3 – O’Sullivan’s goal came when he latched onto a Stephen Moylan pass and finished low past Colm Callanan.

Cathal Mannion got two back but O’Sullivan added a point and Cork led by five with ten minutes left in the first-half.

Jason Flynn (two) and Canning combined to bring Galway within two but a Horgan 65 gave Cork a 1-10 to 0-10 interval lead.

A free from Flynn got Galway going in the second-half but Horgan replied with one of his own.

Cathal Mannion and Horgan exchanged scores before Galway substitute Aidan Harte hit two in a row.

Lehane got one back but Galway hit the next four – Flynn, Harte, Cooney and Dean Higgins all scored from long range and Galway were back in it.

But Lehane stopped the rot before O’Sullivan struck his second – he profited from an over hit hand-pass from Greg Lally, Horgan pounced and offloaded to the O’Sullivan who made no mistake.

That meant Cork led 2-14 to 0-18 with five minutes left – Canning’s fourth and Flynn’s fifth came either side of another free from Horgan.

Horgan and Rob O’Shea pushed Cork three points clear and the game looked done.

But to their credit Galway stuck at it, Canning’s first 20-metre free was stopped on the line by a combination of Nash and Stephen McDonnell and then Flynn had a goal disallowed for a square ball.

Scorers – Galway: J Flynn 0-5 (4f), C Mannion 0-4, J Canning 0-4 (1 sl), J Cooney 0-3, A Harte 0-3, D Higgins 0-1.

Cork: P Horgan 0-8 (2f, 3 '65), P O'Sullivan 2-1, C Lehane 0-3, D Kearney 0-1, A Walsh 0-1, B Lawton 0-1, S Harnedy 0-1, R O'Shea 0-1.

Galway: C Callanan; P Mannion, J Hanbury, J Coen; G McInerney, G Lally, D Collins; I Tannian (A Harte 43), A Smith; J Cooney, J Canning, J Flynn; C Mannion (K Hynes 67), J Glynn, J Regan (P Brehony 27) (D Higgins 35).

Cork: A Nash; W Kearney, S McDonnell, S O’Neill; L McLoughlin, M Ellis, C Murphy; D Kearney, A Walsh (R O’Shea 61); S Harnedy (J Coughlan 70), P Horgan, B Lawton (A Cadogan 51); P O’Sullivan, C Lehane, S Moylan (L O’Farrell 51).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)