Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Final

WEXFORD 3-14 KILKENNY 3-10

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Wexford are Electric Ireland Leinster minor hurling champions for the first time since 1985 after edging a cracking contest at Croke Park thanks to a late surge of scoring.

James Sheil's side were tied with Kilkenny four times throughout a highly entertaining second-half and trailed the 2018 All-Ireland finalists by 2-10 to 2-9 with five minutes to go.

But a brilliant 1-5 without reply from the Model County propelled them seven points clear deep into injury-time, securing their eighth provincial win at the grade.

Kilkenny did pinch a third goal at the death through Liam Blanchfield when he flicked in from close range but it was mere consolation at that stage.

Richie Mulrooney's Kilkenny will have the opportunity to bounce back in the All-Ireland quarter-final group stage though Wexford will march confidently on to the last four in the Championship.

They have a rising star in AJ Redmond who struck a brilliant 1-11 over the hour including five late converted frees in a row as Wexford punished Kilkenny's indiscipline at the back.

Redmond also opened the scoring for Wexford with three points in a row to nudge them clear early on though this one always looked likely to be a tight and tense contest.

There was just a point between the teams when Kilkenny emerged victorious in the group stage in early May.

Wexford led 1-4 to 0-2 after 17 minutes this time thanks partly to David Cantwell's goal but they were back on level terms at 1-5 apiece in the run up to half-time when Jack Doyle netted for Kilkenny.

Back to back Redmond frees gave Wexford a 1-7 to 1-5 advantage at half-time but they were level again five minutes into the second-half.

It continued in that score-for-score pattern with both sides holding the lead on different occasions during the second-half.

Kilkenny looked to have put themselves in a winning position when they led by one with 55 minutes on the clock but Wexford clearly had other ideas and Redmond's five points in a row allied to a fine 63rd minute Cian Byrne goal would decide a memorable contest.

Scorers for Wexford: AJ Redmond 1-11 (9fs), David Cantwell 1-1, Cian Byrne 1-0, Paddy Whitty 0-1, Jack Kirwan 0-1.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Billy Drennan 0-5 (5fs), Timmy Clifford 1-1, Jack Doyle 1-1, Pierce Blanchfield 1-1, Liam Moore 0-1, Ian Byrne 0-1.

WEXFORD: Cian Byrne; Joe Conroy, Kyle Scallan, Dylan Whelan; Justin Moran, Cian Molloy, David Codd; Jack Kirwan, Luke Kavanagh; Dylan O'Neill, Richie Lawlor, Josh Sheil; AJ Redmond, David Cantwell, Paddy Whitty.

Subs: Diarmuid O'Leary for O'Neill (39), Conor Foley for Whitty (39), Cian Byrne for Cantwell (51), Oisin Pepper for Sheil (62), Emmet Cullen for Lawlor (64).

KILKENNY: Aidan Tallis; Peter McDonald, William Halpin, Tristan Roche; Billy Reid, Padraic Moylan, James Aylward; Andy Hickey, Denis Walsh; Colman O'Sullivan, Liam Moore, Pierce Blanchfield; Billy Drennan, Timmy Clifford, Jack Doyle.

Subs: Ian Byrne for O'Sullivan (44), Aran Murphy for Hickey (58), Zach Bay Hammond for Aylward (64).

REFEREE: Chris Mooney (Dublin).