Roscommon have made a swift return to Division 1 of the Allianz football league.

Four unanswered points between the 57th and 61st minute proved crucial - Diarmuid Murtagh (0-2, one free), Niall Daly and Cathal Cregg the providers - in taking Roscommon three clear of their opponents, 0-16 to 1-10.

That was an advantage they took with them to the finish line, both sides missing a spate of scoring opportunities in the closing stretches.

The winners finished with 13 men as Ultan Harney was dismissed in second-half stoppage, Cathal Cregg following him to the line on a black card.

The three-point victory represented Roscommon’s fifth of the campaign. They have a Division 2 final to look forward to and will be back in Division 1 next spring having been relegated from the top tier in 2017.

Cork were doing well to have themselves level with their hosts at the break, considering Ronan McCarthy’s charges found themselves 0-7 to 0-2 behind after 16 minutes.

The Roscommon full-forward line were causing plenty of trouble for the Cork rearguard, with their inside trio of Donie Smith, Ciaran Lennon and Diarmuid Murtagh finishing the half with seven points.

Cork put a significant dent in that early Roscommon lead when Peter Kelleher fielded a high ball, turned and finished to the net on 20 minutes - Cork’s first score from play.

It was tit for tat thereafter, Cork getting back on level terms by the break thanks to three points from Colm O’Neill (two frees) and John O’Rourke.

Mark Collins’ 55th-minute point put them in front for the first and only time. This is their fourth defeat of the spring.

Scorers for Roscommon: D Murtagh (0-5, 0-3 frees); C Murtagh (0-2 frees), D Smith, C Lennon (0-3 each); C Daly, N Daly, C Cregg (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: C O’Neill (0-5, 0-3 frees); C O’Neill (0-3); P Kelleher (1-0); M Taylor, M Hurley, J O’Rourke (0-1 each).

Roscommon: C Lavin; D Murray, F Lennon, P Domican; C Daly, U Harney, B Stack; T O’Rourke, C Compton; C Murtagh, N Kilroy, C Devaney; D Smith, C Lennon, D Murtagh.

Subs: N Daly for Murray (44 mins); E Smith for D Smith (47); C Cregg for O’Rourke (53); S McDermott for Devaney (67).

Cork: R Price; K Crowley, J O’Sullivan, K Flahive; M Taylor, S Wilson, T Clancy; I Maguire, C O’Hanlon; R O’Toole, M Collins, J O’Rourke; C O’Neill, P Kelleher, S Sherlock.

Subs: M Hurley for Sherlock (48); D Quinn for Clancy (51); P Clancy for Taylor (58); D O’Connor for Kelleher (59); C Vaughan for Maguire (61); D O’Callaghan for O’Toole (65); F Cregg for Lennon (68); I KIlbride for C Daly (70)

Referee: P Hughes (Armagh).