Kilkenny set up a quarter-final date with Offaly when beating understrength Wexford by 0-22 to 0-19 at Nowlan Park.

The Model County were already through to the last eight before a ball was pucked, although defeat has still come at a cost as their slide down the final standings on the 1A table has left them on a collision course with holders Galway in next weekend's quarter-finals.

TJ Reid registered twelve times for the Noresiders as they sealed a third straight victory, while wing back Paudie Foley and Rory O'Connor were Wexford's joint top scorers with 0-6 each.

With the mercurial Richie Leahy on target three times from centrefield, the Cats carried a five-point advantage into the break, 0-14 to 0-9, Foley, O'Connor, Cathal Dunbar and Kevin Foley all raising white flags for the visitors.

Foley's final point had the Model back within two points seven minutes after the restart, 0-15 to 0-13, with Diarmuid O'Keeffe and Conor McDonald also prominent, and it was still a two-point game going into injury time, but Walter Walsh posted the final score and - despite the closeness of the contest - there was no real sign of a fourth straight Wexford win over their illustrious neighbours.

Kilkenny - D Brennan; J Holden, P Walsh, P Deegan; C Delaney, C Buckley (0-1), E Morrissey; J Maher (0-2), R Leahy (0-3); M Keoghan, TJ Reid (0-12, 9f, 1'65), P Lyng; J Donnelly (0-1), W Walsh (0-2), G Aylward (0-1). Subs: L Scanlon for P Lyng, L Blanchfield for M Keoghan, L Ryan for J Maher, A Murphy for J Donnelly, O Walsh for R Leahy.

Wexford - C O'Leary; W Devereux, L Ryan, C Firman; P Foley (0-6, 5f), M O'Hanlon, D O'Keeffe (0-1); K Foley (0-3), S Murphy; A Maddock, H Kehoe, J O'Connor; C Dunbar (0-2), C McDonald (0-1), R O'Connor (0-6, 3f, 1'65). Subs: P Morris for H Kehoe, D Reck for A Maddock, A Nolan for D O'Keeffe, E Martin for J O'Connor, M O'Regan for C Dunbar. 

Referee - J McGrath.

Tweet

Most Read Stories