Late scoring burst wins it for Kilkenny intermediates

Kilkenny 3-14 Wexford 2-14: Kilkenny turned in a storming closing 10 minutes to wipe out a six point deficit before emerging with a three-point win over Wexford in their Leinster IHC final clash at Innovate Wexford Park.

Through the opening 30 minutes very little separated the sides. After Tommy Dwyer, long free, and Jack Langton exchanged points in the opening two minutes, it was Dwyer and Nicky Cleere who added on further points. Kilkenny struck for the only goal of the opening 30 minutes as centre-forward Mark Bergin found the net from close in giving his side 1-2 to 0-2 lead after nine minutes.

The sides continued to play flowing hurling with Jack Pettitt and Cleere exchanging points, before Wexford responded with three unanswered points through Nicky Kirwan, Danny Martin-Carroll and Ryan Mahon to tie the scores 0-6 to 1-3 after 18 minutes. With Dwyer continuing to hit long range points it took efforts from John Walsh, Jack Langton and Mark Bergin to keep the sides deadlocked, with Dwyer pointing an 80m free to give Wexford a 0-10 to 1-6 interval lead.