A beautiful, sunny afternoon at Pairc Ui Siochain, Gorey, and a crowd of around 6,000 weren't sufficient to entice more than a desultory response from Cork and Wexford in their last match in the Church & General National Hurling League Division One B.
Cork won with a late goal from substitute Ben O'Connor, but neither side had anything to play for with semi-final places beyond Wexford and available to Cork only on the basis of unlikely permutations.
The match had been evenly contested, with only a point separating the teams for three-quarters of the hour. Some nice points were struck during the match, but an air of unreality pervaded. Both managers were less than overwhelmed by the afternoon, although naturally Jimmy Barry-Murphy was the happier.
"We were pleased to win away from home," he said, "and it's not easy to come to Wexford and do it. I thought we showed great character when it was put up to us. We asked for a big effort at half-time and got it.
"Our league form has been topsyturvy and we're probably a bit to blame for all the chopping and changing we've done with team selections. We wanted to have a look at players this league, but I'd say there's still championship places up for grabs."
Barry-Murphy's counterpart, Rory Kinsella, was more downbeat.
"Both teams were lacklustre and have a lot of work to do before the summer. If they play like that, it won't be a long championship. We have to knuckle down and get back to training. There's serious preparation in terms of sharpness and speed.
"Liam Dunne, Gary Laffan and Rod Guiney haven't played for the county since 1997 and need more matches under their belt. The workrate in the forwards needs to be greater. Cork defenders were coming out very easily."
So they were - and generally without much hindrance from the Wexford attack. That was only one worrying aspect of the whole forward display. There are still no signs that Martin Storey or Tom Dempsey are settling into anything like their top form.
Dempsey scavenged a goal after Paul Codd dropped a long free into the square in the eighth minute, but otherwise was well contained by John Browne and failed to make any deeper impression when moved to the 40 and the company of the excellent Brian Corcoran.
Otherwise, things weren't a lot better. Codd, as usual, was excellent from the placed ball and added a well-crafted point from play, but he was also subdued after a fine start by Mark Landers who came storming into the game at right wing back for Cork.
Laffan showed good touches and got two points but was under severe pressure from the muscular and exuberant play of Diarmuid O'Sullivan. Chris McGrath was disappointing in the light of the great expectations he has aroused, but he had a cut from time to time when an irregular service gave him the opportunity. But he found it very hard to get around his marker, Fergal Ryan.
During their ascendancy - they led 1-2 to 0-1 after eight minutes and held the lead until a few minutes from the interval - Wexford created chances which weren't taken.
As anticipated, Cork's full forward Sean O'Farrell got little return from his wrestling with Ger Cushe and, on the one occasion he was turned, Sean Flood came zooming in to clear the danger.
Unfortunately for the Cloughbawn man, who had replaced Colm Kehoe before the throw-in, his clearance was returned over the bar by the waiting Joe Deane.
The episode was emblematic of Flood's afternoon. His covering work was excellent, he instinctively read trouble and was frequently the player relieving the siege for Wexford. But, not for the first time, his duel with his marker told a less flattering story.
The danger from Cork's corner forwards was constant with Sean McGrath in the other corner a chronic menace for Eugene Furlong.
Alan Browne was a late addition to Cork's side, coming in at centre forward for Fergal McCormack. He exploited Liam Dunne's ring-rustiness and dislike of big opponents.
Midfield remains a problem for Cork, and although Pat Ryan and Dan Murphy worked hard, they didn't look the championship part in the same way the experienced Adrian Fenlon and his promising clubmate Ryan Quigley did for Wexford.
CORK: D Cusack; F Ryan, D O'Sullivan, J Browne; M Landers (0-1), B Corcoran (0-1), S O hAilpin; P Ryan (0-1), D Murphy (0-1); T McCarthy, A Browne (0-1), B Coleman (0-1); S McGrath (0-2), S O'Farrell, J Deane (0-10, seven frees). Subs: B O'Connor (1-0) for Coleman (38 mins); K Murray for O'Farrell (48 mins).
WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; S Flood, G Cushe, E Furlong; L O'Gorman, L Dunne (0-1), R Guiney; A Fenlon, R Quigley (0-1); L Murphy (0-2), M Storey, P Codd (0-8, seven frees); T Dempsey (1-0), G Laffan (0-2), C McGrath. Subs: R McCarthy for Storey (45 mins).
Referee: A MacSuibhne (Dublin).
