Cork 3-15 Galway 5-08

Cork came from nine points behind in a Croke Park goal-fest to set up an All-Ireland MFC final meeting with Tyrone.

A thrilling semi-final produced a spectacle of attacking football, and in the end, it was corner forwards Kevin Hallisey and Brian Hurley who emerged as the match-winners.

Hallisey hit 2-02, while free-kicking specialists Hurley helped himself to a 1-05 tally.

Despite hitting five goals, including two each from Conor Rabbitte and Peadar O Griofa, Galway found themselves on the wrong side of a one-point margin, after getting themselves in the perfect position to win the game.

While this was a triumph for positive, offensive football, serious questions had to be asked of both teams' defensive approach, with attackers allowed acres of space in which to create and execute scores.

Galway struck an early blow when Peadar O Griofa belted in a sixth minute goal after Niall Walsh had made a penetrating run.

But Cork were the more enterprising team, and with Damian Cahalane impressing at midfield and John O'Rourke always willing to run at the Rebel rearguard, they mounted a series of attacks.

Cahalane and O'Rourke both hit the target, but many opportunities were squandered, with Kevin Hallisey just failing to take a goal chance created by wing back Jamie Wall's surging run.

Niall Walsh, Niall Quinn and Conor Rabbitte increased Galway's lead, and the Rebels had another goal chance, but goalkeeper James Keane pulled off a fine save to deny Brian Hurley.

Hurley and Daniel Fitzgerald narrowed the lead, and the Munster champions drew level in the 29th minute when Wall and O'Rourke combined for Hallisey to finish to the net from close range.

But less than two minutes later, O Griofa bagged his second goal, another close range finish to the roof of the net to round off excellent work by impressive substitutes Daithi Burke and Cathal O'Neill.

Galway led by 2-05 to 1-05 at the break, but the first three scores of the second half were goals.

The sides were level again within two minutes of the restart,

Brian Hurley collecting Cahalane's searching delivery to turn his man and slide home Cork's second goal.

Once again, Galway replied instantly with a goal of their own, this time Niall Walsh firing home past a helpless David Hanrahan.

And in the 38th minute, the young Tribesmen crafted another goal of true quality, Shane Maughan crafting the opening for Conor Rabbitte to execute a clinical finish.

O Griofa had a chance to complete his hat-trick, but dragged his shot wide, but Rabbitte made no mistake when taking Maughan's pass to smash home his second in the 44th minute.

Almost inevitably, there was another goal within a minute, with Hallisey firing home his second to keep the Rebels in contention.

They continued to go in search of three-pointers, and once again goalkeeper Keane came to Galway's rescue with a superb save from O'Rourke

Points from Wall and Hallisey reduced a nine points deficit down to three with 10 minutes to play as Cork continued to press forward relentlessly.

Galway went 15 minutes without scoring, before Maughan converted a free, but it was Cork who kept their cool, with Hurley knocking over two late frees, including the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, to set up a title showdown with Tyrone.

Cork: D Hanrahan, J Goggin, M O'Shea, D Murphy, D Lester, T Clancy, J Wall (0-01), J Burns, D Cahalane (0-02), J O'Rourke (0-01), D Fitzgerald (0-01, f), A Cronin, K Hallisey (2-02), M Sugrue (0-02), B Hurley (1-05, 0-05f).

Subs: D McEoin (0-01) for Fitzgerald, K Fulignati for Murphy, C O'Sullivan for Goggin, S O'Mahony for Sugrue, T Hegarty for Lester

Galway: J Keane, C MacDonnacha, J Shaughnessy, P Varley, M Loughnane, M Kelly, J Vaughan, E Commins, T Flynn, N Quinn (0-01), F O Curraoin, N Walsh (1-01), P O Griofa (2-01, 0-10f), C Rabbitte (2-01), S Maughan (0-03, 1f).

Subs: D Burke for Vaughan, C O'Neill (0-01) for Commins, F O Bearra for Quinn, A Varley for Walsh, D Black for Mac Donnacha

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).