A general view of Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Photo by Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
oneills.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship
Tier 1, Group 1, Round 1
Galway 1-28 Laois 0-8
Tier 1, Group 2, Round 1
Kilkenny 1-13 Wexford 1-6
Tier 2, Group 1, Round 1
Kerry 2-23 Carlow 2-12
Tier 2, Group 2, Round 1
Antrim 2-23 Westmeath 1-15
By Paul Keane
A storming final 20 minutes or so did the trick for Kilkenny who came from behind at Chadwicks Wexford Park to get their provincial U-20 HC campaign off to a winning start.
It wasn't the young Cats at their free-flowing best over the hour but in cool and squally conditions borrowed from winter, they were happy to take the win on their travels.
Level with 40 minutes on the clock, Kilkenny moved up a gear to outscore their opponents by 1-5 to a single point in the closing period.
Aaron McEvoy finished with six points for Kilkenny though the clear turning point was substitute Sean Bergin's goal in the 44th minute, shortly after he'd come on.
Rory Glynn, Cathal Hickey and Ryan Corcoran were also on the mark for Kilkenny with points during that final quarter blitz of scoring.
It was an insight into just how good this group of Kilkenny players can be when they get going though Wexford will kick themselves for finishing the game empty handed.
Charlie Roark was solid for Wexford in defence behind prominent midfielder David McCarthy while Simon Roche supplied the 28th minute goal from a free that left the Model County in a great position at half-time.
They led by 1-4 to 0-5 at that stage with Jack Dunne, McCarthy and Jack Nolan also contributing points in a low scoring arm wrestle.
Kilkenny were the superior force in the second-half though, limiting Wexford to just two more points and only one from open play, a Dylan Purcell score in the 63rd minute.
And when the need was greatest, in those closing 20 minutes, Kilkenny dug deep with a series of impressive cameos yielding those match-winning scores.
Rory Burke netted a goal from a penalty as Galway cruised to an emphatic win over Laois at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.
Galway started brightly with Cullen Killeen, Conor Lawless, Jason Rabbitte and Brian Callanan rifling over points, and the visitors were always in control.
Meanwhile, in Tier 2, goals in either half from Fiontan Bradley and Aodhan McGarry helped Antrim to secure their nine-point win over hosts Westmeath.
Bradley struck 1-9 in total and was terrific, along with Jack McCloskey who contributed 0-7.
Liam Og O Connor and Eoin O'Flaherty were the goalscorers for Kerry who also had nine points to spare in their defeat of hosts Carlow.
