Round-up: Electric Ireland Leinster MHC action

Electric Ireland Leinster MHC, Phase 2, Round 3

Wexford 1-19 Kilkenny 1-17

Dublin 3-15 Galway 1-21

Westmeath 0-26 Laois 0-13

By Paul Keane

Dublin and Galway are through to the Electric Ireland Leinster MHC semi-finals as table toppers after playing out a dramatic draw at Parnell Park.

With six teams split across two three-team groups, and each team playing the three from the other group, a stalemate was ultimately enough for Dublin to top Group 1 and for unbeaten Galway to finish at the head of Group 2.

As a result, the two teams advanced to next Saturday's semi-finals as seeded group winners with Kilkenny and Wexford also making it through after finishing second in their respective groups.

Holders Kilkenny will play Dublin in the last four while Wexford will take on Galway.

Galway hit three of the first four points in their clash with Dublin but Dan Ward's eighth minute goal, followed by another from the same player in the 25th minute, propelled Dublin to a 2-6 to 0-11 interval lead.

Richie Hession, who struck 0-7 overall, was also on the mark again with important scores for Dublin who took a three-point lead in the 44th minute when Brian Farrell registered the team's third goal, 3-10 to 0-16.

Galway's goal from substitute Cillian Power with five minutes to go helped them to regain the lead but the young Dubs held on for an important draw to lock down top spot in the table.

Kilkenny had the opportunity to leapfrog Dublin into top spot in Group 1 but were unable to overcome Wexford at Chadwicks Wexford Park and slipped to their second defeat.

Kilkenny will kick themselves for letting victory slip away as they led for a huge chunk of the game having nailed a fourth minute goal from a penalty.

Joe Dowling struck that one and finished with 1-11, 1-9 of which came from placed balls.

Mattie Corr, Brion Walsh and Jack Bolger grabbed the other points on the day for a Kilkenny side that led 1-10 to 0-7 at half time and by 1-13 to 0-8 with 35 minutes on the clock.

But Wexford's goal, following good work by Rory Durack and Robbie Kehoe to set up goal-scorer Joey Tobin, gave them a vital foothold.

Cathal Whelan, Bobby Murray and Bryan Kennedy added immediate points for Wexford and suddenly it was down to a two-point game.

Kilkenny kept their noses in front until the 70th minute when Wexford eventually drew level at 1-17 apiece thanks to a point from Robbie Kehoe.

Eoghan Kehoe nudged Wexford ahead with a 71st minute point and the excellent Jamie Downey supplied the insurance score for the Model County right at the death.

Westmeath will feel desperately unfortunate not to have advanced to the province's last four despite beating Laois by double scores to record back-to-back wins.

Conor Raleigh, just like last weekend against Dublin, top scored for Westmeath who hit the hosts hard and early at Laois Hire O'Moore Park and led by 0-17 to 0-5 at half time.

All six of the Westmeath forwards got onto the scoresheet by the end of the opening quarter and there were eye-catching scores from Conor Williams too.

But having finished Group 2 tied on four points with Wexford, Westmeath were ultimately pushed down into third position by virtue of Wexford's superior scoring difference.