Gaelic Games

Kilkenny minors recover from nightmare start to overcome Wexford

Two goals from Anthony Ireland Wall help Cats register a 2-17 to 2-12 victory

Kilkenny face Dublin in their final group game and victory will assure them of a place in the Leinster semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Kilkenny face Dublin in their final group game and victory will assure them of a place in the Leinster semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Sun Apr 10 2022 - 14:40

Leinster MHC Round-up

Kilkenny opened their Leinster minor hurling championship campaign with a hugely impressive 2-17 to 2-12 victory over Wexford at Bellefield.

Wexford enjoyed a blistering start to the game racing into a 2-3 to 0-1 lead inside the opening seven minutes through two excellent goals from corner-forward Cillian Byrne.

But Kilkenny soon found their rhythm and, with a three-minute scoring blitz bringing two splendid goals from corner-forward Anthony Ireland Wall, they were level at 2-3 apiece by the 11th minute.

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As Aaron McEvoy showed real accuracy from frees along with Matthew Murphy’s impressive free-taking the sides went in level 2-7 apiece at the interval.

Kilkenny asserted their authority on the resumption with two long-range points from substitute Edward McDermott to establish a lead they were never going to relinquish. They outscored the opposition 2-16 to 0-9 from the seventh minute.

Kilkenny are now level on two points with Wexford and will play Dublin next Saturday in their final round game, when a victory would put them through to the semi-final along with Wexford. Dublin seek a victory to keep their slim hopes alive having lost to Wexford in their opening game.

Carlow maintained their winning start, having defeated Antrim in their opening game, they had an impressive 2-18 to 0-8 victory over Down, and a victory over Westmeath in their final round game will put them through to the quarter-finals.

Goals from Alex Delaney and Shane Kelly set them up with a 2-12 to 0-3 interval lead, and they maintained that dominance through the second period.

Westmeath with goals from Peter Murphy (2), Joe Mulvaney, Johnny Martin, Brian McCabe and Conor Leech recorded a runaway 6-26 to 0-2 victory over a very disappointing Derry outfit.

Laois blitzed Kildare with a 4-22 to 0-9 victory, as Ben Deegan struck 1-7, 1-0 penalty, along with five frees, while with other telling contributions from Jer Quiinlan (1-4) and Cormac Byrne (1-3) helped them totally dominate the opposition through the 60 minutes.

Antrim took their first brace of points with a comfortable 3-16 to 1-9 victory over Meath to keep their hopes of a quarter-final spot alive.