Kilkenny collect Leinster U-21 title

Kilkenny 2-21 Offaly 2-9

A 6,000-strong crowd watched a sizzling Kilkenny display in tonight's Leinster U-21 hurling final at O'Connor Park in Tullamore.

Second-half goals from half-forwards Nickey Cleere and TJ Reid powered the Cats to a 2-21 to 2-9 victory.

In a free-flowing opening half, which saw just nine frees awarded, the sides were level on six occasions including at the interval, when Richie Hogan converted his third point of the hour to leave the score at 0-9 to 1-6 at the break.

A 26th-minute penalty from Joe Bergin had propelled Offaly into a 1-6 to 0-7 lead, but the Cats finished strongly as John Mulhall and Hogan both converted scores.

Despite scoring 2-1 - with his goals coming in either half - senior star Bergin was well marshalled.

Offaly's chances became limited in the second half, with just three second-half frees.

Offaly were simply mesmerised by Kilkenny's slick hurling on the restart.

The hosts were chasing their first provincial success in this grade since 2000, but they could only manage a goal and three points in the second half.

A Colm Coughlan point opened the second half scoring for Offaly, but with the Kilkenny half-forward line of Colin Fennelly, Nickey Cleere and TJ Reid in superb form - they converted 1-5 between them in the closing 30 minutes - and Richie Hogan adding four second half points, there was no let-up from the Cats.

A 62nd-minute Bergin goal from a free was mere consolation for the Faithfuls as the Kilkenny attack showed no mercy, helping their side to a 22nd provincial success.