Wexford are on the way as under-20s gear up for action

The Kilkenny under-20 hurlers will begin their Leinster championship campaign this Saturday afternoon when they play host to Wexford in UPMC Nowlan Park (throw-in 2pm).

As well as this weekend’s clash, the Cats will also face Laois a week later during the group stages in what is sure to be a competitive few weeks of hurling.

The Leinster under-20 grade is split into two tiers with six teams in each and the other group in Tier 1 includes Dublin, Galway and defending champions Offaly.

As a result of being in the top tier, none of the three teams in Kilkenny’s group will be eliminated after the group phase with the team in top spot straight into a semi-final, second spot into a quarter-final and third place into the first knockout round.

Dicksboro’s Mark Dowling is in charge of the team for his second season with Robert Shortall, Liam Egan, Cian Treacy, Brian Lannon and Tom Aylward alongside him as selectors. A win on Saturday will be high on the agenda after Wexford defeated Kilkenny in last year’s Leinster semi-final.

One big change for this year is that it will be a lot easier for senior panelists to represent the under-20 team after Congress recently passed a motion to redefine the eligibility of under-20 players to line out for senior teams by relaxing the seven-day gap between matches to a 60-hour window.

Timmy Clifford, Gearoid Dunne and Billy Drennan were caught in the crossfire of last year’s rule so at least the likes of Dunne, who is underage again and Harry Shine who started two league games, will be able to breathe a little easier when it comes to squad selection.

The panel which was officially named by Mark Dowling earlier this week is 35-strong with Dicksboro, Graigue-Ballycallan and James Stephens having the most representation with four players each.

It’s a squad that has plenty of county experience and the vast majority of the players involved have also came through the last two All-Ireland Senior Colleges wins in St Kieran’s.

The All-Ireland junior club winners Tullogher-Rosbercon have been rewarded for their stellar season with brothers Lar and Marty Murphy getting called up. On paper, this looks like a very strong Kilkenny team.

Three years ago in the under-17 competition, this Kilkenny panel beat Saturday’s opponents Wexford by two points in the Leinster final at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow.

The Cats were then well beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final in Thurles but there’s been a big change in personnel in the intervening years.

The team will be captained by Dicksboro’s Cillian Hackett. His position will be an interesting footnote as he’s played most of his underage hurling with Kilkenny in the forwards but he was a revelation in midfield for his club during last year’s senior championship.

The Cats have played a number of challenge games in recent weeks but with St Kieran’s only winning the All-Ireland in the last week or so, it’s only now that they have a full squad of players to choose from.

The first step takes place in UPMC Nowlan Park at 2pm on Saturday.

Kilkenny Under 20 Squad - Bill Hughes (Bennettsbridge), Sean Moore (Carrickshock), James Hughes (Bennettsbridge), Rory Glynn (Clara), Timmy Kelly (Bennettsbridge), Ben Whitty (Danesfort), Cillian Hackett (Dicksboro, captain), Joe Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin), Tom McPhillips (Dicksboro), Killian Doyle (Emeralds), Evan Murphy (Dicksboro), Darragh Queally (Emeralds), Harry Shine (Dicksboro), Michael Brennan (Erin’s Own), Padraig O’Grady (Fenians), Ivan Bolger (Graignamanagh), Ryan Corcoran (Graigue-Ballycallan), Ted Dunne (Graignamanagh), Aaron McEvoy (Graigue-Ballycallan), Sean Bergin (James Stephens), Billy O’Neill (Graigue-Ballycallan), Stephen Manogue (James Stephens), Jeff Neary (Graigue-Ballycallan), James Walsh (Kilmacow), Ed McDermott (James Stephens), Greg Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), Eoghan Lyng (Rower-Inistioge), Daniel Power (James Stephens), Killian Corcoran (Shamrocks), Gearoid Dunne (Tullaroan), Lar Murphy (Tullogher-Rosbercon), Niall Shortall (Shamrocks), Bobby Brennan (Young Irelands), Niall Holland (Tullaroan), Marty Murphy (Tullogher-Rosbercon), Paddy Langton (Young Irelands).

Management: Mark Dowling, Robert Shortall, Liam Egan, Cian Treacy, Brian Lannon and Tom Aylward.