Tipp set up final date with win over Wexford

Tipperary 1-10 Wexford 2-5, Nowlan Park, 2.25pm

Scorers: Tipperary: D Hughes 1-0, C Grogan 0-4 (3f), J Horan 0-03, C Gaynor (1f), S Nealon, E McDonnell 0-1 each

Wexford: K Kelly 1-5 (1-4f), M Hearne 1-0

All-Ireland champions Tipperary set up a Croke Park final meeting with Munster rivals Cork for the third successive year as they fought off a late Wexford comeback in Nowlan Park, for a 1-10 to 2-5 victory.

Tipp manager Raymie Ryan masterminded another semi-final win, despite a stern challenge from the Yellowbellies, who were looking for their first final appearance since 1994.

The twin-pronged attack of Michelle Hearne and Kate Kelly did all the Wexford damage, especially in the first half as they held a surprise 1-3 to 0-5 lead at the break.

Ciara Gaynor, Clare Grogan (both frees) and Sinead Nealon had all pointed for the champions before Hearne raced in from the right wing to crash past Tipp 'keeper Jovita Delaney on 12 minutes.

Emer McDonnell and a sky-scraper Grogan point on the quarter-hour saw Tipp re-assume the lead but after Hearne had lashed a 29th minute goal shot off the Premier crossbar, St Ivors' team mate Kelly came into her own with three late frees.

She continued that trend after the restart and with Grogan stroking a free wide on 41 minutes, Tipp were scoreless for almost half-an-hour.

Three minutes later however, a stalwart of Tipp's four recent All-Irelands, Deirdre Hughes latched onto a long ball from Gaynor to fire past Margaret Darcy.

A point in front, Crogan (0-2) and three flighty scores off the stick of corner forward Jill Horan put the necessary distance between the sides at 1-10 to 1-5.

Kelly saw her rasping injury time free deflect off Suzanne Kelly's stick and into the Tipp net, but it proved too little too late for the Leinster side.