REIGNING CHAMPIONS CLARE put their Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling crown on the line tonight when they take on Limerick in the Munster quarter-final.
There’s also plenty action in Leinster with Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow and Westmeath featuring. We’re going to follow the action all the way.
As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to fintan@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
Midweek in early June and it’s time to get stuck in to the Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling championship. It’s a big night of provincial action and we’ve got some big teams lining out.
Here’s what’s in store:
Munster quarter-final
Limerick v Clare, Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm
Leinster quarter-finals
Kilkenny v Wexford, Nowlan Park, 7.30pm
Westmeath v Carlow, Mullingar, 7.30pm
Some team news then.
Leinster champions Wexford have eight of last year’s team back in action.
WEXFORD
1. Oliver O’Leary – Buffers Alley
2. Garrett Foley – Fethard
3. Liam Ryan – Rapparees
4. Eoin Conroy – Naomh Eanna
5. Andrew Kenny – Buffers Alley
6. Shane O Gorman – Adamstown ( Capt)
7. Jack O Connor – St. Martin’s
8. Aidan Nolan – HWH Bunclody
9. Conor Devitt – Ballyfad
10. Jack Guiney – Rathnure
11. Padraig Doyle – Naomh Eanna
12. Kevin Foley – Rapparees
13. Rhys Clarke – Faythe Harriers
14. Conor McDonald – Naomh Eanna
15. Gary Moore – Glynn-Barntown
Not too many famous names in the Kilkenny team but there’s a few survivors from last year’s Leinster final while Ger Teehan won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal this year with WIT. Injury rules out Kevin Kelly, Simon Aylward and Jack Langton.
KILKENNY
1. Aaron Duggan (Dicksboro)
2. Luke Hickey (James Stephens)
3. Tom Aylward (Mullinavat)
4. Ger Teehan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
5. Conor O’Shea (Clara)
6. Robert Lennon (Bennettsbridge)
7. Enda Morrissey (Bennettsbridge)
8. Mark Mansfield (Mullinavat)
9. Owen McGrath (John Lockes)
10. Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
11. Hugh O’Neill (Bennettsbridge)
12. Aidan Cleere (Bennettsbridge)
13. Tommy Hanrahan (Thomastown)
14. Johnny Hayes (Kilmacow)
15. Conor Martin (Emeralds)
Shane Dowling’s the big name in the Limerick U21 side after firing home 2-9 for the county senior side last Wednesday. Watch out for senior panellists Mark Carmody and Dan Morrissey as well while midfielder Cian Lynch is still eligible for the minor ranks. Great prospect.
LIMERICK
1. Darragh Stapleton (Doon)
2. Mark Callaghan (Knockaderry)
3. Richie English (Doon)
4. Shane Irwin (Bruff)
5. Mark Carmody (Patrickswell)
6. Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
10. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh) – captain
11. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh)
12. Mike Fitzgibbon (Feohanagh)
13. Liam O’Sullivan (Knockaderry)
14. Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell)
15. Pat Ryan (Doon)
No Shane O’Donnell in the Clare team – he’s out injured – but Tony Kelly, Colm Galvin, Jack Browne and Seadna Morey ensure there’s plenty quality in the Banner side.
CLARE
1. Keith Hogan (Clooney-Quin)
2. Jarlath Colleran (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)
3. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
4. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
5. Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge)
6. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley)
7. Gearoid O’Connell (Ballyea)
8. Eoin Enright (Kilmaley)
9. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
10. Shane Gleeson (Cratloe)
11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
12. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
13. Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones)
14. David Reidy (Eire Og)
15. Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle)
Just half an hour to go now, we’re looking forward to a night of potentially cracking action.
Throw in delayed at the Gaelic Grounds by 15 minutes for Clare against Limerick. Big crowd gathering there.
The action is underway in tonight’s two games in Leinster.
Wexford 0-1 Kilkenny 0-0: 6 mins – Padraig Doyle knocks over a point to send Wexford ahead in Nowlan Park.
Wexford 0-3 Kilkenny 0-0: 13 mins – The reigning champions moving well.
Westmeath 0-3 Carlow 0-2: The home side narrowly ahead in the early stages at Cusack Park.
We’re under way in the Gaelic Grounds. Davy Fitzgerald and Louis Mulqueen amongst the interested spectators.
Early yellow card for Clare’s Eoin Enright.
Limerick 0-1 Clare 0-0: 2 mins – Shane Dowling knocks over a free for Limerick.
Westmeath 1-3 Carlow 0-3: Boost for Westmeath as Robbie Greville finds the net in Mullingar.
Clare 0-2 Limerick 0-1: 4 mins – Clare bounce back and hit the front. Points from Jamie Shanahan and Shane Gleeson.
Limerick 0-2 Clare 0-2: 4 mins – Dowling knocks over another free after Kevin O’Brien is fouled.
Wexford 0-4 Kilkenny 0-0: 17 mins – The home side can’t be happy with that start. Wexford in control.
Clare 0-3 Limerick 0-2: 5 mins – Bobby Duggan’s free sends Clare back in front.
Westmeath 2-3 Carlow 0-5: 22 mins – Westmeath’s second goal of the night has arrived and it’s courtesy of David Lynch.
Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-3: 8 mins – Points being traded. Seadna Morey with a terrific long-range effort from play before the relentlessly accurate Dowling converts a placed ball for Limerick.
Limerick 0-4 Clare 0-4: 11 mins – Half a chance of a Limerick goal. Kevin O’Brien lobs the ball across but Pat Ryan is satisfied to tap over a point to tie the teams.
Wexford 0-5 Kilkenny 0-1: 25 mins – It’s approaching half-time in Nowlan Park and finally Kilkenny have got off the mark. Richie Reid bangs over a free.
Tough night for hurling in Nowlan Park.
Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-4: 15 mins – Clare moving into their stride with Tony Kelly and Aaron Cunningham grabbing quality points.
Half-Time: Westmeath 2-5 Carlow 0-7
Clare 0-7 Limerick 0-5: 17 mins – Cian Lynch started his Leaving Cert today. It hasn’t stopped him hurling tonight and he’s just pointed for Limerick. Bobby Duggan replies with a Clare free.
Half-Time: Wexford 0-6 Kilkenny 0-3
Clare 0-10 Limerick 0-5: 23 mins – Bobby Duggan’s showing his talent from play and frees. He’s hit three points, including two placed balls, to edge Clare further in front.
Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-6: 24 mins – Limerick keeping in touch but it’s largely through Dowling frees. His latest score has been cancelled out by another Duggan score.
Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-8: 27 mins – Better from Limerick. Mark Carmody moves forward from wing-back with purpose to land a point before Dowling smashes a 20-yard free over the bar.
Clare 0-12 Limerick 0-9: 29 mins – Point swapped again. Senior men Galvin (Clare) and Dowling (Limerick) on the mark.
Second-half under way in Nowlan Park.
Wexford 0-7 Kilkenny 0-3: 31 mins – Jack Guiney gets Wexford off to a fine start in the second-half.
Halff-Time: Clare 0-12 Limerick 0-10: Mike Fitzgibbon rounds off the half on a positive note for Limerick with a fine point.
Wexford 0-8 Kilkenny 0-5: 35 mins – Hugh O’Neill cuts the gap that Kilkenny face with a point.
6,063 the attendance tonight in the Gaelic Grounds.
Delicately poised at the Gaelic Grounds at half-time of tonight’s big U21 match. Thoughts on how this will tranpsire?
Wexford 0-9 Kilkenny 0-7: 42 mins – Kilkenny fighting back. Richie Reid clips over a ’65 and they’re only two down now.
Wexford 0-11 Kilkenny 0-7: 30 mins – Wexford reasserting their dominance. They’re four ahead now.
Westmeath 2-12 Carlow 0-8: 45 mins – Looks like Westmeath are on course for a semi-final meeting with Dublin.
We’re back underway for the second-half at the Gaelic Grounds.
Clare 0-13 Limerick 0-10: 32 mins – Fine point from distance by Jamie Shanahan for Clare.
Clare 0-14 Limerick 0-10: 34 mins – Clever pass by Aaron Cunningham to Tony Kelly and he unleashes a powerful drive that goes over the bar.
That’s a big setback for Limerick. They create a great goal chance but Kevin O’Brien’s show is underhit with Keith Hogan able to block and clear. The resultant point opportunity is struck wide by William O’Donoghue.
Wexford 1-12 Kilkenny 0-9: 52 mins – Big goal for Wexford as Peter Sutton fires to the net.
Clare 0-14 Limerick 0-11: 38 mins – A point to settle Limerick there from Dan Morrissey.
Wexford 2-12 Kilkenny 0-9: 57 mins – Wexford’s second goal of the night arrives through Rhys Clarke. They’re on the road to the semi-final stage.
Clare 0-15 Limerick 0-12: 40 mins – Substitute Darragh O’Donovan on the mark for Limerick with Bobby Duggan cancelling that out with a point for Clare from a free.
Full-Time: Wexford 2-14 Kilkenny 0-10
That’s a huge win for Wexford as they’ve ten points to spare over Kilkenny.
Clare 0-17 limerick 0-12: 46 mins – Clare pulling clear now. Galvin and Gleeson have both raised white flags.
Result: Westmeath 3-19 Carlow 0-10
Clare 0-17 Limerick 0-13: 48 mins – Dowling points a free for Limerick after earlier hitting the net but the strike was disallowed.
Clare 0-19 Limerick 0-13: 49 mins – Clare showing their class now. Duggan and Kelly with some excellent scores.
Goal for Clare!
Clare 1-19 Limerick 0-13: 50 mins – That looks to be that now. Bobby Duggan draws the defence and sends a handpass inside to the waiting Cunningham who flicks the ball to the net past the advancing Limerick goalkeeper.
A second yellow card for Limerick’s Diarmuid Byrnes and he’s been sent off.
Clare 2-19 Limerick 0-14: 55 mins – Peter Duggan bangs home Clare’s second goal of the night.
Clare 2-20 Limerick 1-14: 62 mins – Late goal for Limerick as Kevin O’Brien rifles the ball to the net.
Full-Time: Clare 2-20 Limerick 1-14
So it’s a great night on the hurling front for Clare, Wexford and Westmeath while Limerick, Kilkenny and Carlow all bow out of the U21 hurling race. Thanks for joining us this evening.
Results
Munster U21HC quarter-final
Clare 2-20 Limerick 1-14
Leinster U21HC quarter-finals
Westmeath 3-19 Carlow 0-10
Wexford 2-14 Kilkenny 1-10
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