Clinical Lacey fires Shefflin's Cats into Leinster U-20 semis

Kilkenny accounted for Offaly at Nowlan Park.

TOP CAT: Kilkenny U-20 boss Henry Shefflin. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

Patrick Lacey gained nods of approval from boss Henry Shefflin after striking 3-5 to propel Kilkenny through to a Fulfil Leinster U-20 HC semi-final.

After a third-place finish in their group, Shefflin's young Cats had to overcome a quarter-final and duly took care of Offaly by 5-23 to 1-10 at UPMC Nowlan Park.

With Wexford similarly dominant against Laois in Portlaoise, winning their quarter-final by 5-16 to 0-10, the two counties will go into Pot 1 of Tuesday's semi-final draw while group winners Galway and Dublin will be in Pot 2.

Lacey wasted no time getting on the scoring trail and raised the first green flag of the day in the opening minute.

Kilkenny were entirely dominant and when senior star David Barcoe pointed in the 17th minute, they led by 1-9 to no score.

Sean Carey finally got Offaly off the mark, and finished as their top scorer with four points, but Kilkenny's immediate response was another Lacey goal.

Ruarc Sweeney scored their third goal in the 24th minute to leave Kilkenny 3-11 to 0-1 ahead at that stage.

Lacey completed his hat-trick of goals close to half time and another point from Barcoe, a Croke Cup winner with St Kieran's College on St Patrick's Day, left them with a giant 4-16 to 0-2 half time lead.

Placed ball expert Sweeney finished with an impressive 1-4 for Kilkenny while Anthony Clifford and Barcoe shared seven points from play between them. Jake Mullen, younger brother of senior star Adrian, added two points.

Greg Kelly registered Kilkenny's fifth goal early in the second half meaning Offaly at least scored the last goal of the afternoon when Andrew Hogan converted from a penalty, won by Darragh Scully, 10 minutes from time.

Sean O'Brien was Wexford's chief goal threat with two from him, and 2-3 in total, in their 21-point defeat of hosts Laois.

It was tight for 20 minutes or so with Charlie Mooney's point for Wexford leaving them 0-5 to 0-2 clear at that stage.

Then came O'Brien's first goal in the 22nd minute, quickly followed by a kicked Tom Dempsey goal to leave the Model County cruising at the interval, 2-8 to 0-4.

Ronan Shannon nailed their third goal and O'Brien doubled his goals tally with the team's fourth in the 53rd minute.

Podge Doyle was influential for Wexford with a series of points and Jack Dunne completed the goal-scoring with their fifth in the closing minutes.

Cormac Byrne top scored for Laois with five points and was joined by Ross Deegan, Eoghan Murphy and Donnchadh Carroll on the scoresheet.