The sides were level at 0-2 each after 14 minutes, Meath’s wasteful chances coupled with Cork’s scoring brilliance ensured a 0-5 to 0-2 five minutes later.

Although Meath were shading dominance in the possession stakes at this stage, Cork were performing excellently in attack with Donnacha O’Connor in fine form scoring three first-half points while John Miskella and Nicholas Murphy were also on target with fine points.

Cork were also performing very strongly in defence with Rebels goalkeeper Alan Quirke pulling off a fine save in the 24th minute following a good combined attacking movement involving Peadar Byrne and Brian Farrell.

Meath corner-forward Farrell’s goal kick was met with a superb save from Quirke, however.

Cork were leading by three points at this stage but soon had that lead wiped out thanks to brilliant attacking play by the Meath forwards who showed no mercy to the Cork defence.

Brian Farrell’s second point of the contest was Meath’s first score in 17 minutes but they quickly tagged on further points from Caoimhin King and Shane O’Rourke to level the contest with less than three minutes remaining until the interval.

But Cork again found their early form, and points from Donnacha O’Connor, Daniel Goulding and Kevin McMahon saw the Rebels retain their three point advantage in injury-time. Although Brian Farrell did reduce the gap to two points by the interval with his third score of the contest.

After holding an 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead, Cork showed no mercy on the restart and man of the match Donnacha O’Connor was in outstanding form as he quickly extended Cork’s lead to four points.

Cork opened up an eight points gap with 20 minutes remaining thanks to good points from Kevin McMahon and a fisted Kieran O’Connor score along with a 51st minute McMahon goal.

The Rebels showed no mercy until the end and although Brian Farrell and Stephen Bray took late points for Meath, it was certainly a case of to little too late for the Royals as Cork advanced to the September showpiece.

CORK: A Quirke; M Shields, G Canty, K O’Connor; N O’Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh (0-1), N Murphy (0-1); J Miskella (0-1), P O’Neill (0-1), K McMahon (1-2); D Goulding (0-2), M Cussen, D O’Connor (0-7, 3f). Subs: D Hurley for Kavanagh (BS 36-HT); C McCarthy for Miskella (HT); D Duggan for Shields (63); K O’Sullivan for Goulding (64); E Cadogan for O’Leary (69); A Cronin for O’Neill (70).

MEATH: B Murphy; C McGuinness, D Fay, N McKeigue; S Kenny, K Reilly, C King (0-1); M Ward, N Crawford; G Geraghty, J Donegan, P Byrne; S Bray (0-2), S O’Rourke (0-2), B Farrell (0-4, 3f). Subs: C Ward for Donegan (31); C O’Connor for McGuinness (48); C McCarthy for Byrne (52); N McLoughlin for O’Rourke (60).

REFEREE: Brian Crowe (Cavan).