Cork cruised to a 19-point quarter-final victory over Tipperary at Semple Stadium tonight, 3-21 to 1-8.

The superb Mark Cronin netted in either half for the winners, with their other corner forward Damien Gore tagging on the third three-pointer in the 43^rd minute.

Victory sees Cork progress to a provincial semi-final on May 10^th  (win that and they'll be involved in opening day at Pairc Ui Chaoimh!) while Tipp will get a second chance to seal a semi-final berth in a fortnight when they face the winners of the play-off between Clare and Waterford, who were beaten by Kerry and Limerick respectively tonight.

Seeking to win their first provincial minor title in seven years, the Rebels effectively sealed their progression to the last four with a solid first-half display as they built up a commanding 1-9 to 0-4 interval advantage despite playing into the breeze.

With 1,158 in attendance, Cronin and Gore popped over two simple Cork frees off their left and right respectively inside the first six minutes and Ryan Lambe opened Tipp's account with a terrific score in the ninth minute. Full forward Cathail O'Mahony from Mitchelstown fired a brace of Rebels frees into the breeze to give the visitors a three-point advantage with a quarter of the match played, 0-4 to 0-1.

The Leesiders - whose full forward line contributed 3-13 between them - worked a great team move which culminated in Nemo Rangers clubman Cronin rattling the Tipp net with a first-time effort in the 16^th minute and points were traded before wing back Conall Kennedy thumped over a nice Tipp score to keep them in touch, 1-5 to 0-3.

Cronin tacked on a nice Cork point to leave six between the teams with as many minutes left before the break and O'Mahony flashed a shot over the bar before corner back Dylan Ward got in on the act, too - 1-8 to 0-3 after 26 minutes. Lambe grabbed his second point at the town end but the winners floated over another score in stoppage time to lead by eight at the short whistle.

Cronin (free) stretched the gap upon the restart and Shane Ryan replied with his second pointed free of the night on 32 minutes only for centre forward Evan Murphy to quickly restore the nine-point margin. Gore's free left ten between the teams with 34 minutes played…

The game was well and truly over when Cronin hammered his and Cork's second goal to the net in the 35^th minute and O'Mahony followed up with a quick point to make it 2-13 to 0-5 with 23 minutes still left to play.

Clonmel Commercials' Lambe intervened with his third point but the impressive Cronin retorted by bringing his tally for the night to 2-3.

Gore then gathered possession and turned to drill a third Rebels major to the net, leaving 17 between the teams, 3-14 to 0-6, approaching the three-quarters stage. Substitute Colm Barrett and Gore added to the winners' tally before sub Adam McGrath pulled back a consolation goal for the hosts. Another replacement, Mark Stokes, pointed for the losers seven minutes from the end.

Captain Colm O'Callaghan (0-3) made it 3-19 to 1-7 with three minutes to go; Ríain Quigley replied off his left boot; but the dominant Rebels (who could afford the luxury of 15 wides) reeled off two more points, with the excellent Cronin closing the scoring in injury time.

Cork - K McMahon; L Finn, W Ronan, D Ward (0-1); J Harrington, P O'Driscoll, J McCarthy (0-1); R Walsh, M Keane; J Murphy, E Murphy (0-1), C O'Callaghan (0-3); M Cronin (2-4, 0-2f), C O'Mahony (0-4, 2f), D Gore (1-5, 0-2f). Subs: C Barrett (0-1) for J Murphy, C Myers Murray (0-1) for C O'Mahony, S Meehan for J Harrington, D O'Mahony for W Ronan, J Corcoran for L Finn, D Moynihan for E Murphy.

Tipperary - J Dolan; J Ryan, S Grogan, J Harney; R Quigley (0-1), P Devlin, E McBride; C Kennedy (0-1), J Flannery; D Mulcahy, S Ryan (0-2f), C Boland; M Stokes (0-1), R Lambe (0-3), D Tynan. Subs: D Bolger for C Boland, C O'Sullivan for E McBride, A McGrath (1-0) for D Tynan, D O'Leary for P Devlin, C McKenna for J Ryan, L Cleary for J Harney.

Referee - R Moloney.

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