Kilkenny 0-17 NUI Galway 0-15:Late, late points from from John Power and Mark Bergin helped a youthful Kilkenny beat NUI Galway at weather-beaten St John's Park on Saturday.

It looked like curtains for the Cats, who didn’t use any of their All-Ireland-winning team, when Niall Burke pointed a free to push NUIG two points ahead nine minutes from the end. However Kilkenny regrouped and grabbed the final four scores, securing a tie against Wexford in the next round.

NUI were the better team during the opening half and took a 0-10 to 0-8 lead in with them at the break, Burke shooting four of those scores. They stayed on top for large parts of the second half – twice they were four points clear.

“The players dug out a good win,” said Kilkenny under-21 manager Richie Mulrooney, who took charge for the clash.

KILKENNY: A Duggan; J Corcoran, P Keating, B Kennedy; C Martin, J Holden, O McGrath; T Breen, R Reid (0-3, 0-1 free); M Bergin (0-1), M Kelly (0-1), R Hickey; M Ruth (0-1), S Maher (0-1), J Power (0-8, 0-7 frees). Subs: M Power (0-1) for Hickey (13 mins); G Teehan for Holden (h-t); S Donnelly (0-1) for Maher (41 mins).

NUIG: D Touhy; D Magner, E Fahy, K Moynihan; L Markham, B Flaherty, S McCormack; J Cooney (0-1), E Glynn; D Higgins (0-2), N Burke (0-9, 0-8 frees), K Downes (0-2); A Cunningham (0-1), G O’Donoghue, N Deasy. Sub: E Teagle for O’Donoghue (58 mins). Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).