Waterford Crystal Cup: Tipperary and Cork progress

The hurlers of Tipperary and Cork will enjoy an early-season duel in the Waterford Crystal Cup semi-finals next weekend after both sides progressed through to the last-four of the competition.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy's Cork side showed little mercy to neighbours Kerry today as they thumped them 5-18 to 1-14 in a one-sided quarter-final clash at Pairc Ui Rinn.

Brian Corry finished with a 2-0 tally for the Rebels, with the hosts' other goals shared out between Pat Horgan (1-3), Eoghan Murphy (1-3) and Ryan Clifford (1-1).

Kerry trailed by 1-10 to 0-7 at half-time before Cork stepped up their efforts in the second half, with Corry finding the net early on.

Clonmel will be the venue for the Tipperary-Cork encounter after the Premier County side knocked out UL with a 2-11 to 0-12 defeat in difficult conditions in Nenagh.

Tipp seized the early initiative to move 2-4 to 0-0 ahead after 18 minutes' play thanks to goals from Pa Bourke (free) and Brian O'Meara.

UL improved as half-time approached, closing the gap to 2-4 to 0-5, but with Brendan Maher, O'Meara and John O'Brien showing well, Tipp had a firm grip of the lead.

Clare's Conor McGrath scored 0-7 (0-6f) for UL just two days after his sharpshooting helped the Fitzgibbon Cup holders snatch a draw with LIT in the university competition.

Bourke finished with a personal haul of 1-3 (1-2f) for Tipp with Eoin Kelly (0-3) and Adrian Ryan, John O'Neill, Gearoid Ryan, O'Brien and James Woodlock (0-1 each) sharing out the rest of the winners' points.