Repeat of last year's Leinster U20HC final pairing as Dublin and Galway hold on

Offaly's Niall Lyons scores a point despite the effort of Séamus Fenton of Dublin. ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy.

Reigning champions Dublin will take on Jeffrey Lynskey's Galway in a repeat of last year's final in next Tuesday's Leinster U20 hurling championship decider.

The sides only met in the 2020 provincial showpiece last month when the Dubs edged Galway 1-20 to 1-18 in a breathtaking contest at Tullamore.

A large contingent of players across both teams from that day are still eligible for this grade.

Dublin had to withstand a strong second-half comeback from Offaly before advancing with a 2-15 to 1-15 win at Parnell Park.

The hosts raced into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead with just four minutes on, Dara Purcell pouncing for the game's opening goal.

They then took a seven-point lead into the half-time break, 2-9 to 0-8 after Ciarán Foley netted from the penalty spot.

A 49th minute goal by Charlie Mitchell hauled the Faithfuls backed into the game as they hit 1-4 without replay to narrow the gap to a point.

But a couple of late injury-time points from Cian Boyle and Foley saw Dublin over the line.

Action between Galway and Kilkenny. ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy.

At Bord na Mona O'Connor Park, Galway laid the foundation for victory in the opening half as they enjoyed a sizeable lead over Kilkenny at the break (1-13 to 0-3).

Lynskey's charges had pulled 0-8 to 0-1 clear by the first-half water-break, with Donal O’Shea landing four points.

However, the Cats proved an entirely different proposition in the second-half.

A Tomas Dunne goal from a penalty rebound helped cut the deficit to five points with eight minutes remaining.

But Galway hung on.

Elsewhere, in the All-Ireland U20HC B semi-finals, Meath defeated Down 3-16 to 2-12 at the Clan na Gael grounds in Dundalk and Derry came away from Markievicz Park with a 2-19 to 1-15 win against Sligo.