O'Neill's.com Leinster U-20 Hurling Championship results

GALWAY 1-20 WEXFORD 1-17

OFFALY 2-20 KILDARE 1-10

LAOIS 1-19 WESTMEATH 0-22

(Westmeath win on penalties, 3-2)

With one game left to play in the group stages of the O'Neill's.com Leinster U-20 Hurling Championship - tomorrow's clash between Kilkenny and Dublin at UPMC Nowlan Park - the picture is a lot clearer after tonight's games, with Galway putting a first win of the year on the board while neighbours Westmeath and Offaly won their knockout battles.

Netwatch Cullen Park was the venue for the clash of Galway and Wexford, where the Model County started strongly with some excellent points from Shamey O'Hagan and Corey Byrne Dunbar.

Galway scored six of the next seven points, four of them from Rory Byrne frees and two from Colm Molloy, to take a three-point lead by the midway point of the first half, but Wexford then hit a purple patch with O'Hagan, Darragh Carley, Seán Rowley and Darragh Farrell (two) knocking over five points in six minutes, really helping the contest to explode into life and draw the supporters into the game.

Now it was time for Galway to go on a run, scoring 1-5 without reply, including a goal from Oranmore-Maree attacker Ruben Davitt. Three points from Burke helped them to move eight points clear early in the second half, but 1-3 from Jack Redmond, his goal set up by a wonderful Luke Murphy run, left the contest delicately poised at 1-17 to 1-14 going into the last quarter.

In a tense finish, Wexford couldn't get any closer however, and so they are almost certain to finish bottom of tier one, meaning that they will take on Westmeath in the quarter-finals.

Westmeath came through a remarkable contest with Laois at Laois Hire O'Moore Park, eventually edging through on penalties to secure a measure of revenge for the last time these sides met, a memorable 4-33 to 4-27 extra time win for the home side at the same venue two years ago.

Laois made the stronger start here too with Cillian Dunne knocking over three frees and five different players getting on the scoresheet from play as they took an 0-8 to 0-4 lead. A run of scores from David O'Reilly, Peter Clarke and Peter Murphy left just a point between the teams at half-time however, and the contest stayed like that until three in succession from David Williams put the Lake County four up going into stoppage time.

An incredible finish saw Cillian Dunne knock over a free and then find the net with the last puck, sending the contest into overtime at 1-14 to 0-17. That was how it stayed at the end of extra time too, with Westmeath's greater accuracy from penalties, scoring three out of four attempts, pushing them through.

It was all much more plain sailing for Offaly in Tullamore, as they beat Kildare by double scores at Glenisk O'Connor Park.

A fiercely strong breeze blew at Kildare’s backs in the first half and the visitor’s started well through good scores from Conn Kehoe and Killian Harrington, with Daniel O’Meara and Daire Guerin hurling a lot of ball in deeper positions for the Lily Whites.

However a defensive error allowed Adam Screeney to play in Shane Rigney for Offaly’s opening goal after six minutes, and the Faithful County managed the game much better up to half time. 2022 minor hurler of the year Screeney struck five excellent frees into the wind and also whipped in their second goal after good approach play from Rigney, and 2-8 to 0-6 was an excellent position for the home side, who shot just two wides in that opening period.

Offaly never looked to be in trouble, but their shooting in the second half was appalling, as they racked up 11 wides and could easily have added two or three more goals at least. Liam O’Reilly did well to block one Joe Hoctor effort while Ben Loughlin produced superb saves to deny Conor Doyle and Rigney, while six missed frees will also be a source of concern. However Kildare never looked like posing any real threat up front, with Fionn Maher’s goal arriving far too late to make any meaningful difference.

Barring a big win for Dublin over Kilkenny in tomorrow’s game at UPMC Nowlan Park, Offaly will now play Galway in the quarter-finals, due to be played next weekend.