Cork score at will to secure final spot

Cork 1-27 Wexford 0-12

Cork cut loose at Croke Park to set up an All-Ireland Hurling Championship final clash with champions Kilkenny.

Wexford were simply no match for the attacking power of the rampant Rebels, who scored at will from start to finish.

And but for a wonderful goalkeeping display from Damien Fitzhenry, the 18-point winning margin would have been much greater.

Fitzhenry pulled off three memorable saves, but his outfield colleagues were outsmarted and outplayed in every sector.

Cork established a dominance in the central diamond, with Ronan Curran marshalling the defence with authority from centre back and midfield pair Jerry O'Connor and Tom Kenny always on top.

Wexford struggled to get any momentum going, and their two early sores from Owen Quigley and Tomas Mahon were quickly cancelled out by a rampant Rebel side.

Twin brothers Jerry and Ben O'Connor swept over points, and the Leinster men needed two superb saves from Damien Fitzhenry to prevent Cork from running out of sight.

Brian Corcoran sent Timmy McCarthy through, but Fitzhenry brilliantly deflected his shot over the bar, and moments later the goalkeeper again tipped over the bar from Ben O'Connor's screaming shot.

Both midfielders powered through to score, and two Ben O'Connor frees made it 0-9 to 0-3 with 27 minutes played.

And when Kenny scythed through for a wonderful individual goal five minutes before the break, the advantage grew to 10 points.

There was no way past Curran and Sean Óg O Hailpín, the Wexford attack squeezed out of the game, and when Jerry O'Connor confidently steered over his fourth score, Cork led by 1-13 to 0-3 at half-time.

Donal O'Grady's men piled on the agony after the restart, Jerry O'Connor bringing his tally to six from six attempts.

Joe Deane and McCarthy tagged on scores, Wexford still restricted to occasional raids, two of which were converted into points from Paul Codd and corner back Malachy Travers.

It was a dismal day for Wexford hurling, but goalkeeper Fitzhenry continued to shine brightly, pulling off yet another magnificent save, this time from Deane.

His opposite number Donal Og Cusack had little to do, but dealt competently with a Mitch Jordan effort on a rare occasion when Wexford managed to craft a goal chance.

Cork eased off in the closing stages, allowing their opponents to peg back points through Jordan and Paul Codd.

The O'Connor twins rounded off their combined total to 13 when Ben converted another free and added one from play, and substitute Mickey O'Connell also got in on the scoring act as the Rebels finished with a flourish.