Cork will meet champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final following their nine-point win over Antrim at Croke Park.
Manager Denis Walsh will, however, be looking for a vast improvement ahead of the clash with the Cats.
The Rebels often struggled against an eager but limited Saffron side which chalked up a big scoring tally.
Niall McCarthy’s goal just before halftime provided a platform for the Munster men, but they failed to convince in a second half that saw them struggle to get on top of the Ulster champions.
Cork laid down a marker in the opening six minutes, flashing over four points through Paudie O’Sullivan, Cathal Naughton. Aisake Ó hAilpín and Ben O’Connor.
But once full back Cormac Donnelly began to play with assurance, twice denying Ó hAilpín with well timed blocks, the Ulster men grew in confidence.
Neil McManus and Karl McKeegan found the target to reduce the deficit to a point, and full forward Liam Watson knocked over a couple of excellent scores.
Cork’s opening eight points all came from frees, and by the 25th minute, they had moved into a 0-11 to 0-6 lead.
But the Saffrons continued to battle bravely, and McManus and Watson added to their tallies.
However, gaps started to open up in the Antrim defence late in the half, allowing Tom Kenny and Kieran Murphy to take advantage and add points.
It was in the 35th minute that Ó hAilpín slipped the ball to Niall McCarthy, and he found the net from close range.
O’Connor tagged on a couple of frees, and the Rebels went in at the break with a 1-16 to 0-11 lead.
Ray Ryan and Eoin Cadogan had to be alert to snuff out a couple of Antrim raids early in the second half, but the Saffrons did narrow the gap through Watson and McManus.
Cork regained their composure for John Gardiner to drive over two long range frees, but once gain, Antrim were able to pose a threat, and goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack had to scramble to deny the combined effort of McManus and Karl Stewart.
O’Connor converted two more frees to bring his tally to six, while McManus continued to strike accurately on his way to a nine-point tally at the other end.
The Saffrons finished with 14 men after Watson was sent off for a second booking, and Cork finished the job with a late salvo of scores from Murphy, Cathal Naughton and substitute William Egan.
Cork: D Og Cusack, S Murphy, E Cadogan, B Murphy, J Gardiner (0-3), R Curran, R Ryan, T Kenny (0-3), C Naughton (0-2), B O’Connor (0-6), M Cussen, N McCarthy (1-2), P O’Sullivan (0-3), A O’hAilpin (0-1), K Murphy (0-4).
Subs: P Horgan for O hAilpin, P Cronin for Cussen, W Egan (0-1) for McCarthy
Antrim: C O’Connell, K McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargey, P Shiels, J Campbell (0-1), C Herron, S McNaughton (0-1), K Stewart, S McCrory, N McManus (0-9), T McCann, PJ O’Connell, L Watson (0-6), K McKeegan (0-1).
Subs: J McKeague for Shiels, B McFall for McCann, M Herron (0-1) for McKeigue, D Hamill for PJ O’Connell, E McCloskey for McNaughton
Referee: M Wadding, Waterford.
