Kilkenny Minor Hurlers off to winning start in Leinster Championship

Composure and a refusal to panic saw the Kilkenny minor hurlers prevail as they opened their 2022 Leinster campaign with a comeback win over Wexford.

The reigning champs looked to be in real trouble when the Model County scorched into an early lead in Enniscorthy, but a scoring burst settled their nerves and sent them on their way.

Keen to build on their first round win over Dublin, Wexford took the game to the Cats on Saturday - and how. Within eight minutes they had raced into an eight-point lead (2-3 to 0-1).

The hosts were the sharper side in the early exchanges, highlighted by goals from Cillian Byrne and James Murray and Kilkenny struggled to handle the early pressure from the home side, conceding the first goal inside three minutes when Byrne reacted quickest to finish a breaking ball to the net.

When Murray added the second big score after good work from Sean Rowley and Matthew Murphy Kilkenny looked to be in a bit of bother - their only score in that early period was a pointed free from Aaron McEvoy - but they refused to panic.

Working hard to clear their heads, Kilkenny rode out the Wexford storm and hit back. A 65 from the outstanding Eoghan Lyng helped to turn the tide. The Cats were most impressive in their purple patch, as they rattled off 2-1 inside four minutes to level the game.

Lyng got them motoring, unleashing a long drive which was gathered by Anthony Ireland-Wall - his low shot ended in the back of the Wexford net. Mikey Stynes tacked on a long-range point before Rory Glynn, who sparkled in attack all afternoon, cleverly read a breaking ball to pick off Kilkenny’s second goal.

The momentum was with Kilkenny, who took the lead for the first time through Aaron McEvoy’s pointed 14th minute free. They were never behind again.

While both sides enjoyed scoring bursts in the first quarter they were slightly more subdued in the closing stages of the half. Ireland-Wall and Aaron McEvoy added further points for Kilkenny before the interval while Sean Rowley and free-taker Matthew Murphy were on target for Wexford.

That left the sides all-square at the interval (2-7 to 2-7) - Wexford could have led at the break but for a brilliant reflex save by Kilkenny goalie Stephen Manogue to deny Matthew Murphy.

Kilkenny introduced Ed McDermott at half-time and he made an immediate impact, scoring a brace of points in the opening two minutes. The winners might have grabbed another goal at that stage but were thwarted by some solid Wexford defending.

Further Kilkenny points from Anthony Ireland-Wall, after a great run by Billy O’Neill, and Rory Glynn edged Kilkenny four points ahead. The young Cats were now in control. Wexford needed a strong response, and it came with two pointed frees from Matthew Murphy and another from midfielder Paidí Doyle to bring the margin back to the minimum.

Although Kilkenny were the better team in the closing quarter, Wexford were guilty of missing some scoring chances, especially from close-in frees.

Eoghan Lyng continued to drive Kilkenny forward with his accuracy from placed balls, adding three points to Kilkenny’s tally.

Team captain Tom McPhillips and Jeff Neary added further points for the winners as the home side struggled to make headway against a solid Kilkenny defence in the closing 10 minutes.

This was a good win for Kilkenny, especially after that slow start. The Cats should be sharper when they play Dublin in the next round in UPMC Nowlan Park next Saturday at noon, where victory would see Niall Bergin’s side into the semi-finals.

Evan Murphy and Eoghan Lyng manned the key central positions impressively for Kilkenny with Tom McPhillips and Jeff Neary giving the winners a midfield edge after the first quarter.

Corner-forwards Rory Glynn and Anthony Ireland-Wall were the key players in the Kilkenny attack and that duo were a constant threat to the home side all through the game.

Best for the home side were Charlie Roark, Ben Apple, Simon Roche, Cillian Byrne and Matthew Murphy.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny - Anthony Ireland-Wall (1-2); Rory Glynn (1-1); Aaron McEvoy (0-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65); Eoghan Lyng (0-4, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ’65); Ed McDermott (0-2); Mikey Stynes, Tom McPhillips, Jeff Neary (0-1 each).

Wexford - Matthew Murphy (0-8, 0-7 frees, 0-1 65); Cillian Byrne, James Murray (1-0 each); Paidí Doyle, David McCarthy, Simon Roche, Dean Rowley (0-1 each).

Kilkenny - Stephen Manogue (James Stephens); Mikey Stynes (Dicksboro), Evan Murphy (Dicksboro), Billy O’Neill (Graigue-Ballycallan); Timmy Kelly (Bennettsbridge), Eoghan Lyng (Rower-Inistioge), Ivan Bolger (Graignamanagh); Tom McPhillips (Dicksboro, captain), Jeff Neary (Graigue-Ballycallan); Greg Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), Micheál Ahern (Emeralds), Marty Murphy (Tullogher-Rosbercon); Rory Glynn (Clara), Aaron McEvoy (Graigue-Ballycallan), Anthony Ireland-Wall (Danesfort).

Subs: Ed McDermott (James Stephens) for Ahern, Sean Hunt (St Martin’s) for G Kelly, Rory Garrett (Fenians) for T Kelly, Ben Phelan (Young Irelands) for M Murphy.

Wexford - Jason Rossiter; Robbie Chapman, Charlie Roark, Danny Fitzhenry; Eugene Clarke, Ben Apple, Dylan Purcell; Jack Hennessy, Paidí Doyle; David McCarthy, Simon Roche, Sean Rowley; Cillian Byrne, Matthew Murphy, James Murray.

Subs: Ben Kelley for Chapman, Ciaran Doyle for Fitzhenry, Evan Quigley for Murray.

Referee - Mark Ryan (Dublin).