Kilkenny's bid for record 21st Walsh Cup over without pucking a ball 

Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng after walking the grass pitch that was deemed playable, but unavailable, before the cancelled Dioralyte Walsh Cup First Round match between Westmeath and Kilkenny. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Kilkenny's bid for a record 21st Dioralyte Walsh Cup title is over - without even pucking a ball.

The Leinster champions, along with Davy Fitzgerald's Antrim and Joe McDonagh Cup holders Kildare all exited at the Round 1 stage following coin tosses.

Freezing conditions over the weekend forced the cancellation of three Walsh Cup fixtures.

The tie between Antrim and Offaly in Tullamore was first to be called off following an inspection of the Glenisk O'Connor Park pitch on Sunday morning.

Cedral St Conleth's Park in Newbridge, where Kildare were meant to host Galway, was similarly deemed unplayable despite the throw-in time being shoved back to 2pm.

The Kilkenny versus Westmeath game, having been moved from The Downs GAA club to an all-weather pitch at St Loman's, in Mullingar, was pushed back even further to 2.30pm.

There was confusion then around whether the game would be played on a grass pitch at the venue, or on the all-weather surface, before it was eventually cancelled altogether.

It was initially announced that Kilkenny had forfeited the game but a subsequent statement from the Leinster Council confirmed that 'following a further pitch inspection, today's Dioralyte Walsh Cup game between Westmeath and Kilkenny has also been deemed unplayable'.

With no opportunity for refixtures in the tight pre-season schedule, the coin tosses went the way of Westmeath, Offaly and Galway, with all three teams advancing in the Walsh Cup proper.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny, Antrim and Kildare will enter the Walsh Shield competition at the semi-final stage next weekend. Kilkenny will meet Laois or Carlow and Kildare will play Antrim.

Just two Walsh Cup games did take place with both Dublin and Wexford advancing to face eachother in a midweek quarter-final.

Last season's All-Ireland semi-finalists Dublin overcame Carlow by 0-23 to 0-17 at the SETU Carlow campus.

Diarmuid O'Dulaing led the scoring for Dublin with 11 points as Niall O Ceallachain went with a mixture of rookie and seasoned talent.

O Dulaing delivered six of his scores in the first-half to help the visitors lead by 0-13 to 0-11 at the break. David Purcell chipped in with three first-half points for Dublin.

Marty Kavanagh registered eight points for Carlow before making way and there were well taken scores from Fiachra Fitzpatrick and Kevin McDonald too.

A strong third quarter put Dublin at their ease and O Ceallachain emptied his bench with sub Liam Mostyn and Sean Gallagher among the scorers.

Meanwhile, Wexford came from behind against Laois to run out 1-20 to 0-17 winners in Rathdowney.

Laois twice led by four points in the opening quarter and hit the interval with a 0-9 to 0-7 advantage.

The margin was out to three points after the restart but Ciaran Regan's goal for Wexford from close range tied it up after 37 minutes.

Simon Roche and Ross Banville were Wexford's key men in attack and they continued to supply the scores to nudge the visitors ahead. Eamon Wickham got in on the scoring late on too.

The winners of the midweek fixture between Wexford and Dublin will take on Westmeath in the semi-final next weekend with Galway meeting Offaly in the other last four game.