Wexford delivered a dominant second-half display as they outstripped Cork to maintain their perfect return to Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League at a packed out Innovate Wexford Park.
Cork boss John Meyler would have been encouraged by his side's first-half exploits as they edged ahead by 1-9 to 0-10 at half-time.
But after a bright start to the second-half their threat was negated considerably, as Davy Fitzgerald's men staged a winning surge when reeling-off five unanswered points in the closing stages to embrace a richly-deserved victory.
In fact, Wexford could have won comfortably after firing 11 wides alone during their dominant second-half showing.
The wind-assisted Cork dwarfed an early Lee Chin point as they produced a promising start to lead by 1-2 to 0-1 after ten minutes, with Conor Lehane punishing a defensive slip as he burst in from the left to net in the fourth-minute. Wexford keeper Mark Fanning prevented further damage before the locals closed to within 1-2 to 0-4 through Chin, Aidan Nolan and Paul Morris.
But three scores from the returning Pa Horgan, including two frees, helped Cork maintain a slight advantage at the break (1-9 to 0-10).
Points on the resumption from Conor Lehane and Alan Cadogan offered Cork encouragement (1-11 to 0-11).
However, the Wexford defence grew in stature thereafter as they considerably nullified the threat of the Rebels before a crowd of 7,500, with raucous Wexford cheers greeting a series of scores from Fanning (free), Paul Morris and inspiring midfielder Kevin Foley, to propel Wexford back in front after 56 minutes (0-16 to 1-11).
Cork threatened a revival when Michael Cahalane, Conor Lehane and Shane Kingston transformed matters by 1-14 to 0-16 on 63 minutes.
Kingston might have had a goal but his effort sailed over the bar. Cahalane also threatened the Wexford net in the closing stages, but Wexford held strong as they increasingly grew in confidence.
Davy Fitzgerald's side then hit a succession of unanswered points from subs Jack Guiney (2) and Harry Kehoe, along with scores from Aidan Nolan and Diarmuid O'Keeffe to secure back-to-back wins for Wexford.
WEXFORD: M Fanning (0-01 f), S Donohoe, L Ryan, D Reck, P Foley, S Murphy, D O’Keeffe (0-01), K Foley (0-03), M O’Hanlon, J O’Connor, C McDonald (0-01), A Nolan (0-03), P Morris (0-03), C Dunbar, L Chin (0-06, 0-02 fs, 0-01 '65).
Subs: W Devereux for Reck, J Guiney (0-02, 0-01 f) for O'Connor, H Kehoe (0-01) for Dunbar.
CORK: P Collins, S O’Donoghue, E Cadogan, C O'Sullivan, C Joyce, T O’Mahony, M Ellis, D Fitzgibbon (0-01), D Kearney, R O’Flynn (0-01), C Lehane (1-02, 0-01 f), B Cooper (0-01), A Cadogan (0-02), P Horgan (0-04, 0-03 fs), S Harnedy (0-01).
Subs: L Meade for Harnedy, B Lawton for Fitzgibbon, S Kingston (0-01) for Cooper, D. Cahalane for Kearney (blood-sub), M Cahalane (0-01) for Horgan, J O'Connor (Sarsfields) for A Cadogan (68)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).
