Friday, 1 July 2022 | 14.4°C Dublin

K ilkenny 1-13, Wexford 0-15

Kilkenny captain Padraig Moylan holds the cup aloft as he celebrates with team-mates after their side's victory in the oneills.com Leinster GAA Hurling U20 Championship Final. Photo by: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

A goal from sub Jack Doyle in the 36th minute proved decisive as Kilkenny held off a late Wexford surge to emerge with a single-point victory at Netwatch Cullen Park.

T he Cats looked comfortable when they surged into a 1-9 to 0-5 lead after 36 minutes, but Wexford, with Cian Byrne showing immense accuracy from frees, gradually reduced the deficit. However, five minutes into additional time, full-forward Jack Redmond was inches wide with a point attempt that would have brought extra-time.

Kilkenny were more composed during the early stages as Billy Drennan got the Cats off the mark with a 50-metre free but they had to wait until the fifth minute for their second point from Denis Walsh.

The Model County got their opening score through a Cian Byrne pointed free in the 12th minute, but the Kilkenny response was swift and they built up a 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead.

Doyle’s all-important goal came after the break but Wexford responded with six unanswered points through Byrne (4fs), Jack Redmond and Richie Lawlor to leave just two points separating the sides, 1-10 to 0-11, with ten minutes remaining. However, Redmond missed the chance to force extra-time with the last play of the game leaving Kilkenny to go forward to an All-Ireland final meeting with Limerick.

Scorers – Kilkenny: B Drennan 0-8fs; J Doyle 1-0; D Walsh 0-3; A Hickey, T Clifford 0-1 each. Wexford: C Byrne 0-10 (9fs), J Redmond 0-2; C Molloy, R Lawlor, T Kinsella 0-1 each.

Kilkenny – A Tallis; N Rowe, S Purcell, P Lennon; J Fitzpatrick, P Moylan, P Langton; K Doyle, D Walsh; A Hickey, T Clifford, P McDonald; B Drennan, G Dunne, T Dunne. Subs: J Doyle for T Dunne (h-t), I Byrne for McDonald (h-t), J Walsh for G Dunne (41), I Byrne for Walsh (54), E O’Brien for Hickey (55).

Wexford – C Byrne; E Ryan, C Foley, A J Redmond; J Barrett, C Molloy, K Scallan; D Carley, L Kavanagh; R Lawlor, C Byrne-Dunbar, S O’Hagan; C Browne, J Redmond, C Byrne. Subs: D Codd for Byrne-Dunbar (43),T Kinsella for O’Hagan (inj. 43), J J Twamley for Carley (51), J Shiel for Browne (56), L Cassin for Kavanagh (56).

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