Double scores was a fairly accurate indicator of the gap between the teams in this All -Ireland under-21 hurling semi-final at sunny Fraher Field in Dungarvan yesterday before an attendance of around 9,000.

It was a match of contrasting halves with Wexford leading by a point at the interval but thereafter Cork took charge and drilled the Leinster champions 1-8 to a single point over the course of the second half.

It was never a particularly free-flowing game but it was exciting up until the final quarter, most particularly in the first half.

The 10 minutes after half-time were a critical phase of the match. Cork had equalised, 1-5 apiece, through a 65 from Michael O'Connell within a couple of minutes of the restart but there followed a scoreless spell which concluded only in the 40th minute when O'Connell converted a second 65.

The winners' consequent comfort would have appeared unlikely at half-time. With the assistance of the breeze, Wexford had scrapped their way back into a match that began to go against them in the 13th minute when John O'Boyle tipped Michael O'Connell's dropping ball into the net for a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.

Two enormous frees from around 80 metres by Paul Codd sandwiched a goal by Eddie Cullen to help Wexford back into the match and give them the lead.

In retrospect, though, Cork were always more likely to take command. Their central defensive pair of Diarmuid O'Sullivan and captain Dan Murphy - who had much the better of his dealings with Wexford counterpart Michael O'Leary - had always looked solid and their forwards, although well held for much of the match, had too much craft and strength to be shut out indefinitely.

Wexford had a chance early in the second half when Jason Lawlor scythed through the Cork defence but nothing came of the incision and the ball was cleared. Around this time right wing forward Brian O'Driscoll went to centre-field in a switch with Austin Walsh.

From then on, the Munster champions began to turn the screw and the ball became a scarce commodity in the Wexford attack. Under constant bombardment, the team's defence responded bravely with the full-back line in particular soaking up a good deal of pressure.

The pressure was unrelenting and furthermore, their clearances, which needed to be economical and precise, were too often hurried - merely inviting renewal of the onslaught.

Up front, the supply was inadequate and what little came through was frequently wasted or eaten up by Derek Barrett and Sean Og O hAilpin on the wings and two substitutions, including the introduction of Hopper McGrath's son Chris, failed to improve matters.

All the heroics were at the back. Michael J Cooper was soundness personified in the Wexford goal, demonstrating that the nightmare trend in the county's goalkeepers which Damien Fitzhenry halted shows no sign of returning to haunt them.

As well as his competence under a variety of high balls, he survived a poor 43rd-minute attempt on goal by Munster final winner Timmy McCarthy and went on to pull off a top-class save from John O'Flynn's kicked effort four minutes later.

Pressure was, however, telling. Little by little, further points from O'Connell and full forward Sean O'Farrell had put distance between the teams on the scoreboard. Eventually the dam burst.

It was hard luck on Darren Caulfield, who had enjoyed a fine afternoon's work on corner forward Joe Deane, restricting the influence of the Cork senior to a creative period in the first half. Caulfield's blocking and hooking were effective in keeping Deane's scoring returns to a point in the first half.

In the 51st minute, O'Driscoll played a penetrating pass into the full forward position where Deane, tightly marked by Caulfield, had switched. Having caught the ball cleanly at chest height, he turned his marker and left him to move in on goal at an angle. The finish was emphatic and with it, the match was over.

Cork: D Og Cusack; J Browne, D O'Sullivan, W Sherlock; D Barrett, D Murphy (capt), S Og O hAilpin; P Ryan, A Walsh (0-1); B O'Driscoll, T McCarthy, M O'Connell (0-6, two frees, two 65s); J O'Flynn (1-1), S O'Farrell (0-2), J Deane (1-2).

Wexford: MJ Cooper; D Caulfield, D Berry, C Power; N Shiel, D Ruth, L O'Brien; J Purcell (0-1), D O'Reilly (0-1); P Codd (0-3, two frees, one 65), M O'Leary, J Lawlor; PJ Carley, C Byrne (0-1), E Cullen (0-1). Subs: D Kent for Carley (47 minutes); C McGrath for Lawlor (58 mins).

Referee: W Barrett (Tipperary).