Wexford ease to Leinster U21 decider

Offaly 1-12 Wexford 2-16: Wexford will get the chance to gain some modicum of revenge for their heavy senior defeat to Kilkenny last weekend after their under-21 hurlers easily disposed of Offaly at O’Connor Park and set up a final clash with the Cats in a fortnight’s time.

The contest never really caught fire in the opening half as Cillian Kiely appeared to get to grips with Conor McDonald at the edge of the square, blunting what appeared on paper to be Wexford’s main attacking threat, while at the other end of the field Emmet Nolan helped Offaly into an early three point lead with an array of attractive scores.

All bar one of Offaly’s first half points were either scored or assisted by the Birr player, but a sequence of errors from their defenders, most notably in the area of striking the sliothar without any clear idea of the ball’s destination, allowed Wexford to stay in contention. The visitors trailed by just a point at the interval, 0-8 to 0-7, despite being awarded just two frees in the entire opening half.