Ireland 50 Scotland 0

UL 2-30 WIT 1-20

Mount Sion 2-22 Tallow 1-07

Mount Sion 1-16 Dungarvan 0-16

Clare 2-17 Kilkenny 2-11

Kilkenny 4-16 Galway 2-15

The sun shone and the rain fell in intermittent waves but there was no sign of lightning striking twice in Portlaoise last night as Kilkenny made short work of an outclassed Laois side in this Bord Gáis Leinster U21 final.

Laois may have accounted for initial favourites Dublin in the first round, but very few outside their own camp are giving them any chance of overcoming Kilkenny.

Kilkenny slowly but surely ran through the gears, and when they did they simply motored to victory over Wexford on their way to a provincial final showdown against Laois.

Star performer John Power produced four points during the closing five minutes, and boosted by another from Ger Aylward, 14-man Kilkenny cobbled together a battling victory over Westmeath yesterday.

It may have been a senior development squad team on duty, but the New Year began as the old one finished for Kilkenny — a victory, albeit a hard-earned one.

TO the wider hurling public Darren McCarthy has carved a reputation as an excellent goalkeeper with Cork underage teams but for his club Ballymartle he will forever be associated with his contributions outfield after the stunning conclusion to yesterday’s All-Ireland club IHC final in Croke Park.

UCC thwarted Cork IT’s three-in-a-row ambitions with a decisive seven-point success in yesterday’s HE Freshers Hurling Championship final at the Mardyke.

Galway 2-15 Kilkenny 2-11

THE ability to react to danger is an innate characteristic of a Kilkenny hurler – no matter how young.

Kilkenny 1-21 Tipperary 2-16

Kilkenny CBS1-15 St Peter’s College (Wexford) 1-6

It is not just the senior hurlers of Cork and Waterford that are preparing to do battle this week - the rival counties will also contest tonight's Munster Under-21 hurling final at Walsh Park (throw-in 7pm).

Mount Sion 4-13 Kilmaley 0-9

Abbeyside 1-11 Mount Sion 1-9

St Patrick’s, Navan 1-11, St Patrick’s, Dungannon 1-10