The Electric Ireland Leinster MHC continued on Saturday. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship
Tier 1, Round 2
Kilkenny 2-22 Galway 2-18
Wexford 2-15 Dublin 0-12
Tier 2, Group 1, Round 5
Westmeath 4-15 Offaly 2-17
Antrim 3-23 Meath 1-19
Tier 2, Group 2, Round 3
Carlow 3-13 Kildare 0-12
Laois 6-16 Kerry 1-9
By Paul Keane
Jake Mullen did the famous family name proud with a terrific solo goal as Kilkenny powered to the head of the Electric Ireland Leinster MHC Tier 1 table.
Full-forward Mullen, younger brother of senior star Adrian, caught a long delivery in the fifth minute, turned and blasted to the Galway net.
That goal put Kilkenny into the lead for the first time at UPMC Nowlan Park and the hosts remained in pole position from there until full-time.
Fresh off their big win over Wexford in Round 1, this was another show of Kilkenny's strength at the grade with Eoin Brennan grabbing their other goal.
Ben Nevin, Kevin Buggy, Diarmuid Behan and Ollie O'Donovan were on the mark with points too as Kilkenny hit the interval with a 2-11 to 0-10 lead.
Galway, who beat Dublin in Round 1, came roaring back in the third quarter to their credit, thanks in the main to two goals from Jack Shaughnessy.
Shaughnessy's first goal in the 32nd minute was a superb effort as he slalomed through the Kilkenny defence before rifling to the net.
The same player then converted from the penalty spot three minutes later to leave just two points between them at that stage, 2-13 to 2-11.
Shaughnessy finished with 2-4 for Galway and Ronan Cahalan struck seven points though they couldn't reel in Kilkenny who kept their noses just about in front.
Second-half Kilkenny points from Mullen, Brian Hickey and O'Donovan were enough to win it for Kilkenny.
Wexford came good with a strong second-half performance in the other Tier 1 game to win with nine points to spare.
Wexford were just 0-7 to 0-6 ahead at half-time at Chadwicks Wexford Park and they were tied at 0-10 apiece when Rory Flannery pointed from a 39th minute free for Dublin.
But it was all Wexford in the closing 20 minutes or so with 48th and 54th minute goals from Sean O'Brien and Rhys Wickham killing off the visitors.
O'Brien followed up on Jamie Downey's blocked shot for Wexford's first goal and Wickham's major left eight points between them.
It leaves Kilkenny top of the Tier 1 group on four points, with Galway and Wexford next on two each and Dublin at the foot of the table.
Dublin will host Kilkenny next weekend in the final group game while Galway will be at home to Wexford. The top two teams will advance to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the preliminary quarter-final lineup has been established following the final round of Tier 2 games.
Westmeath will play Carlow next weekend while Laois will take on Offaly.
Westmeath finished as Tier 2, Group 1 winners as they came from behind with three second-half goals to defeat Offaly in Raharney. Antrim were comfortable 10-point winners against Meath.
In Tier 2, Group 2, Laois were the big winners with six goals, four of which arrived in a terrific first-half to see off the Kingdom. Laois led 4-11 to 0-3 at half-time, effectively wrapping up their third win of the campaign at that stage.
Carlow locked down second position with their win over Kildare in Newbridge, building on a 2-7 to 0-8 half-time lead to win by 10.
