Kilkenny Cats on song in big Under 20 victory over Offaly

The Kilkenny Under 20 Hurlers got their championship campaign off to the ideal start after they ran out convincing winners over Offaly in UPMC Nowlan Park.

Harry Shine, Billy Drennan and Jack Doyle all found the net in a game where Kilkenny were rarely troubled as they put up a fine score of 3-21 with 3-14 of that coming from play over the 60 minutes.

Shine and Drennan were a big threat in the Kilkenny forward line throughout and their first half goals left the Cats 2-9 to 0-9 leaders at the halfway point with the likes of Billy Reid, Timmy Clifford and Gearoid Dunne also having big showings.

Derek Lyng's side then hit five successive points at the start of the second half to go 11 points clear on the scoreboard and despite being gallant throughout, that was a margin Offaly could never really recover from with Luke Nolan and Lochlann Quinn leading their challenge in defeat.

Jack Doyle and Luke Nolan exchanged goals late on but in a game that never really sprung to life, it's Kilkenny that left the happier as they set up a third successive Leinster semi-final clash with Galway and after losing heavily on the previous two occasions the side in Black and Amber will be aiming for a change of fortunes when they meet on the May Bank Holiday Monday.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny- Billy Drennan 1-7 (7f), Harry Shine 1-3, Billy Reid and Gearoid Dunne 0-3 each, Jack Doyle 1-0, Timmy Clifford 0-2, Paddy Langton, Peter McDonald and Andy Hickey 0-1 each.

Offaly- Lochlann Quinn 0-6 (6f), Luke Nolan 1-2, DJ McLoughlin and Luke Carey (2f) 0-2 each, Shane Ryan, Dan Bourke, Charlie Mitchell and Daire Tierney 0-1 each.

Kilkenny- Aidan Tallis (Lisdowney); Niall Rowe (Dicksboro), Sean Purcell (Windgap), Padraic Moylan (Dicksboro); Paddy Langton (Young Irelands), Joe Fitzpatrick (Dunnamaggin), Billy Reid (Glenmore); Killian Doyle (Emeralds), Peter McDonald (Thomastown); Andy Hickey (Dunnamaggin), Timmy Clifford (Dicksboro), Ian Byrne (Glenmore); Billy Drennan (Galmoy), Gearoid Dunne (Tullaroan), Harry Shine (Dicksboro).

Subs:Denis Walsh for Doyle (40mins) Padraig Lennon for Purcell (42mins), Jack Doyle for Byrne (47mins), Ted Dunne for Hickey (48mins), Martin Gannon for Clifford (54mins).

Offaly- Mark Troy; Cathal King, Conor Hardiman, Joseph Hoctor; Shane Ryan, Sam Bourke, Luke Watkins; Jack Screeney, Dan Bourke; Ronan Cleary, Luke Nolan, DJ McLoughlin; Lochlann Quinn, Charlie Mitchell, Cian Burke.

Subs: Luke Carey for Mitchell (HT), Joe Ryan  for Cleary (HT), Niall Lyons for Quinn (46mins), Ruari Dunne for Dan Bourke (47mins), Daire Tierney for Watkins (55mins).

Referee- Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)