Cork's hurlers restored pride to the county in spades this afternoon with a resounding 1-18 to 0-10 win over Clare in the Munster hurling championship.
After the disappointment of the footballers bowing out of the football championship yesterday, Donal O'Grady's side blew Clare out of the water with a power-packed performance at Semple Stadium.
Having disposed of Tipperary in the last round, Clare came into today's match as favourites but Cork stamped their authority all over the contest from the throw-in, scrapping for every ball and closing down the Clare forward line doggedly.
Such was the effort on display that it took Clare fully 20 minutes to register a score and they could only manage a further point in the first half. Cork, on the other hand, were piling the pressure on Davy Fitzgeralds goal and went into the break leading 1-6 to 0-2, a Joe Deane goal the highlight.
After the break, Cyril Lyons side did make more of a contest of it but the Leesiders refused to lie down, keeping their opponents at arms length throughout. A missed Cork penalty had little bearing on the result and minutes from the end, Clare's Colin Lynch received his marching orders for an apparent strike on Mickey O'Connell.
Cork will meet Waterford, who defeated the young guns of Limerick yesterday, in the final.
Meanwhile, at Nowlan Park Wexford reached the final of the Leinster Championship with a thrilling 0-16 to 1-12 win over an Offaly team in transition.
Offaly had led by seven points at the interval (1-10 to 0-6) but Wexford came charging back at them after the break and after Paul Codd had levelled scores with three minutes to go, substitute Michael Jacob notched the winning point with virtually the last act of a memorable semi-final.
Wexford meet All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in the final.