Kilkenny face Offaly in Nowlan Park while Carlow travel to Portlaoise to take on Laois in the opening games of the Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21 hurling championship.

Kilkenny v Offaly, Nowlan Park, 7.30pm - Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC quarter-final

Just three points separated these two sides when they met at semi final stage in the 2009 Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U21 Leinster Championship at Nowlan Park when Kilkenny edged out Offaly by a score of 0-18 to 0-15.

It was a very close contest with Colin McGrath making a terrific save in injury time to deny Offaly an equalising goal and had Offaly's shooting been a bit sharper over the course of the game, they could well have made it to the Leinster final.

Kilkenny open their 2010 Championship with a full panel to choose from and seven of the players who started against The Faithful last year do so again on Wednesday night. Many will be surprised to learn that the current Kilkenny U21 panel does not boast any senior players and with the likes of Richie Hogan, who scored 0-6 in this meeting last year, having graduated from this level, the team looks weaker on paper.

Offaly field nine of last year's starting fifteen, including goalkeeper James Dempsey, five of the six backs and Daniel Currams who notched up four points in the last meeting.

It's another mouth-watering provincial opener and a very close one to call. Dublin await the winners in the semi final.

Kilkenny: C. McGrath, A. Cuddihy, C. Fogarty, R. Doyle, PJ Rowe, K. Mooney, D. Langton, P. Murphy, C. Fennelly, M. Bergin, JJ Dunphy, L. Ryan, E. Murphy, W. Walsh, J. Nolan

Offaly: J. Dempsey, C. Guinan, E. Murphy, B. Coughlan, C. Egan, S. Wynne, B. Harding, D. Morkan, B. Lonergan, J. Mulrooney, D. Currams, D. Gath, T. Carroll, M. Egan, T. Spain


Laois v Carlow, Portlaoise, 7.30pm - Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC quarter-final

Coming less than three weeks after their meeting in the senior championship, this match is sure to carry an extra bit of bite as Carlow once again head to Portlaoise in search of a win.

In the senior encounter Laois triumphed by six points over a highly fancied Carlow side but Carlow saw it as an opportunity lost. With a number of those senior players at manager Kevin Ryan's disposal, they will be keen not to leave Portlaoise empty handed once again.

Laois meanwhile will be hoping for better fortunes at this level having exited the 2009 Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U-21 Leinster Championship at this stage, losing to eventual provincial winners, Kilkenny, by eleven points.

They will be boosted by the fact that a number of senior panellists line up, including full forward Neil Foyle, while senior goalkeeper and Leinster poc fada champion Eoin Reilly will be hoping to drop balls behind the Carlow half back line.

While a tough match to call, home advantage and the additional experience that John Gaughan, David O'Mahoney, Andrew Collier and Chris Murray have at this level may just tilt this one in their favour.

The teams play for a semi final meeting with Wexford on 23rd June.

Laois: E. Reilly, B. Smith, B. Galvin, P. Flynn, B. Guilfoyle, T. Burke (capt.), L. Broderick, A. Collier, B. Glynn, C. Murray, J. Gaughan, J. O'Loughlin, T. J. Lalor, N. Foyle, D. O'Mahoney

Carlow: TBC Tweet

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