Ciarán Whelan: Beating Mayo a massive shot in the arm for Cork

Cork's victory over Mayo will lift the Rebels as they look to reach the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals this weekend, according to RTÉ GAA analyst Ciarán Whelan.

The Green and Red came into the game with full points from two games, and they led by six points with just over 10 minutes left in the game.

But a goal for the Rebels from a penalty - which immediately followed Mayo's goal - shifted the momentum in the tie, and the Munster men scored 1-06 without reply to sneak into second place in the group.

Next up for them is a home meeting with Roscommon this weekend.

"It was a massive shot in the arm for Cork," former Dublin star Whelan told the RTÉ GAA podcast.

"It's a much-maligned Cork. We're 10 years criticising them, and wondering about Cork football and the direction it was taking.

"[The view was] there was plenty of talent there but the underage success wasn't flowing to the senior team. [There were] many changes of management.

"You kind of sensed that it was coming, to a certain degree, because they were resilient against Kerry. That performance was better from a Cork point of view, rather than Kerry being poor.

"They put it up to Mayo, you could definitely see the Kevin Walsh factor. He had them very well organised defensively. Mayo were expecting that and it was something they worked on.

"They struggled again yesterday and Cork turned them over in the first half numerous times. They tried to play with width but didn't penetrate the Cork defence.

"Cork's running game was excellent on the counter attack."

Whelan added that the penalty for Cork was "very soft" but suggested that the Rebels built impressively on it.

"Mayo go six up and you're thinking they should close it out," he continued.

"But the goal gave Cork that impetus and