Offaly hurlers Liam Hoare, left, and Shane Rigney celebrate after their side's victory in the oneills.com Leinster GAA Hurling U20 Championship semi-final match between Offaly and Kilkenny at Glenisk O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
O'Neills.com Leinster U-20 hurling championship semi-finals
DUBLIN 4-17 GALWAY 0-20
OFFALY 2-17 KILKENNY 2-16
By Paul Keane
Goal hungry Dublin, led superby by Man of the Match Diarmaid O Dulaing, turned the tables on Galway in dramatic fashion to surge through to the oneills.com Leinster U-20 HC final.
Dublin's nine-point defeat of Galway and holders Offaly's 2-17 to 2-16 win over Kilkenny means the counties will meet in the final for the first time since 2016.
Whilst Offaly overcame Kilkenny by the minimum in a Tullamore thriller, Dublin's win was arguably even more impressive as they'd leaked four goals to Galway just last month and been beaten by 16 points on that occasion.
Dublin also lost to Offaly in the round robin stage though both sides will fancy their chances when they meet again next Wednesday evening with provincial glory and an All-Ireland final place at stake.
Galway, who hadn't played since that win over Dublin, ran into a Dublin side who had beaten Westmeath and Wexford in the meantime and the young Tribesmen looked stunned by the speed and ferocity of the rejuvenated Sky Blues.
Dublin senior O Dulaing, who finished with 1-6, sniped his goal after just 14 seconds.
David Purcell then got the first of his two goals in Portlaoise in the seventh minute, latching onto a ball up the right wing by the influential Conor Dolan and beating both Conor Lawless and Rory Burke before slamming the ball in the net.
That left Dublin 2-1 to 0-1 ahead and they continued to go for goals with Neil Hogan and O Dulaing both drawing saves from goalkeeper Darragh Walsh.
Galway, with Joe Canning and James Skehill forming part of Fergal Healy's management team, eventually got to the pace of the game in the second quarter and reeled off points from Matthew Tarpey, free-taker Conor Dolphin and Cullen Killeen.
But Dublin closed out the half with points from Hogan, Fionn Murphy and the excellent Conal O Riain to lead by 2-10 to 0-10 at half-time.
Jack Behan of Dublin in action against Rory Burke of Galway during the oneills.com Leinster GAA Hurling U20 Championship semi-final match between Dublin and Galway at Laois Hire O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, Laois. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.
Dublin's midfield of O Riain and Jack Behan provided a strong platform and while Galway improved after the break, getting the margin down to three points after 55 minutes, 2-15 to 0-18, that was as close as it got.
Conor Newton added craft and speed when he came on for Dublin and struck 1-1, his 59th minute goal coming after collecting the ball 30 metres out and surging clear.
Purcell, who'd earlier curled over a beautiful point from a line ball, added Dublin's fourth goal in stoppage time when he advanced on goal, shortened the hurl and batted beyond goalkeeper Walsh.
It was tighter in Tullamore where Offaly edged out Kilkenny by a solitary point thanks in part to 2-3 from Shane Rigney and 10 points from senior star Adam Screeney.
Rigney's 23rd minute goal helped Offaly to open up a 1-9 to 0-11 lead at half-time but Kilkenny enjoyed their best form either side of half-time and eventually took the lead.
With eight unanswered points between the 28th and 38th minutes, the last of which came for Kilkenny senior Gearoid Dunne, the Cats led 0-15 to 1-9.
The final 20 minutes or so belonged to Offaly as Rigney buried his second goal in the 41st minute and Screeney followed up with four points from frees.
Offaly led by five approaching the hour mark but needed late points from Screeney and Alex Kavanagh as Kilkenny clawed back 58th and 61st minute goals from Niall Shortall and Shine to cut the deficit to just one.
Time ran out on Kilkenny who had eight different scorers on the evening including Shine who finished with 1-10.
