Not even a hat-trick of goals from full forward Sean Daly could prevent Cork from reaching the Munster intermediate hurling championship final against Clare at Pairc Ui Chaoimh yesterday.

Waterford played against the strong wind in the first half and were well placed at the interval, trailing by 2-5 to 0-13, but they never raised a gallop on the resumption as Cork picked off their points despite shooting 16 wides overall.

Daly scored his third goal two minutes from the end, blasting in a free to reduce the margin to four points. A minute later he tried his luck again from a free in front of the posts, but the Cork defence managed to block his effort.

CORK: B Rochford; D Lynch, L Hayes, B Lombard; J Hughes (0-2), J O'Mahony, J Barrett; P Barry capt, M Daly; S Hayes (0-1), T O'Mahony (0-1), N McCarthy (0-5); W Deasy (0-1), J O'Callaghan (0-7), D Moher (0-4). Subs: R Dwane for Deasy, P Sexton for O'Mahony, A O'Connor for Barry, T Kenny for S Hayes.

WATERFORD: R Barry; A Kirwan, G Harris, V O'Shea; D Howard, J Coffey, J O'Leary; P Fitzgerald (0-5), S Barron; R Walsh, M Molumphy (0-1), P Prendergast; N Curran (0-1), S Daly (3-1), B Hannon. Subs: W Hennessy for Prendergast, S Walsh for Hannon, D Power for Coffey, M Gater for Barron.

Referee: D Richardson (Limerick).