Power play: Cork crush Wexford in All-Ireland semi-final

RAMPANT Cork set up a tantalising All-Ireland hurling final against champions Kilkenny yesterday with an emphatic 18-point defeat of Wexford.

The meeting of hurling’s aristocrats is a repeat of last year’s decider and is the first final to feature two counties who progressed through the qualifiers.

Yesterday’s 1-27 to 0-12 rout of the Leinster champions was described by Wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry as “one of the best displays I have witnessed in my sporting career”.

There was also Irish success at the Olympics in Athens as Fermoy’s Gearoid Towey partnered Sam Lynch to victory in the heats of the men’s lightweight double sculls.

Success on the water continued as the lightweight coxless four crew of Paul Griffin, Niall O'Toole, Eugene Coakley and Richard Archibald qualified for the semis.

Meanwhile, Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will fight any decision to kick them out of the Olympics for missing a drug test.