Cork preserved their top-flight status, easing past 14-man Waterford at wintry Pairc Ui Rinn - 0-21 to 1-13.

Both sets of players emerged from the game with great credit after going toe to toe in poor conditions but it was Cork who put a worrying run of bad form behind them to stay up.

Daniel Kearney (2) and Colm Spillane closed out the scoring after the Suirsiders closed within two points courtesy of strikes from Stephen Bennett (two) and Jake Dillon - this despite the dismissal of substitute Maurice Shanahan within moments of entering the fray.

Midfielders Bill Cooper and Darragh Fitzgibbon notched seven points between them for the Rebels, who landed the first five points before Derek McGrath's depleted team - victors over Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh three weeks ago - opened their account when Patrick Curran netted a penalty.

John Meyler's men led by 0-10 to 1-4 at the interval and never looked back as Waterford now join their 2017 All-Ireland final opponents Galway in 1B for next Spring. Patrick Horgan finished a demanding contest as top scorer, with five points.

Cork - A Nash; S O'Donoghue, E Cadogan, C Spillane (0-1); C Joyce, T O'Mahony, M Coleman; D Fitzgibbon (0-3), B Cooper (0-4); S Harnedy, D Brosnan (0-3), C Lehane (0-1); A Cadogan (0-1), P Horgan (0-5, 3f), M Cahalane (0-1). Subs: L Meade for M Cahalane, D Browne for T O'Mahony, D Kearney (0-2) for D Brosnan, R O'Flynn for A Cadogan.

Waterford - S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; K Bennett, T De Burca (0-1), Philip Mahony; J Barron (0-1), C Dunford; Pauric Mahony (0-4, 2f), S Bennett (0-3), M Kearney (0-1); T Devine, P Curran (1-0pen), T Ryan (0-2). Subs: C Gleeson for K Bennett, M Shanahan for M Kearney, B O'Halloran for C Dunford, J Dillon (0-1) for P Curran, M Walsh for T Ryan.

Referee - J Keenan.

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