Patrick Lacey nets hat-trick as Kilkenny Under 20's power past Offaly

Kilkenny emphatically booked their place in the Leinster Under-20 Hurling Championship semi-finals when running out 25 point winners over a disappointing Offaly outfit at UPMC Nowlan Park.

Patrick Lacey was the star of the show in this quarter-final clash as he scored 3-5 from play in the opening half but with the O'Loughlin Gaels pair of Ruarc Sweeney and Greg Kelly also netting goals, it was all one way traffic in the Cats favour.

Offaly did get a second half consolation goal via Andrew Hogan but it was an afternoon where they were much outclassed by Henry Shefflin's hosts.

It didn’t take long for Kilkenny to get going with Patrick Lacey grabbing the game’s first goal within 60 seconds and with the side in Black and Amber scoring 1-9 without reply, the game was very quickly done as a contest.

It took until the 20 th minute for Offaly to register on the scoreboard and they only scored two points in total during the opening 30 minutes as two more Lacey goals and a well placed Ruarc Sweeney strike gave Kilkenny a 4-16 to 0-2 lead.

Offaly improved in the second period but Kilkenny very much took their foot off the pedal even if sub Greg Kelly got in on the act with another goal.

Sean Carey led the Faithful challenge with four points from play and Hogan’s penalty which saw Kilkenny’s Josh Dowling given a black card did offer a bit of respectability.

Kilkenny now move on to a semi-final date with either Galway or Dublin and a much stiffer challenge is anticipated.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny: Patrick Lacey (3-5); Ruarc Sweeney (1-4, three 65's); Anthony Clifford (0-4); David Barcoe (0-3); Greg Kelly (1-0); Jake Mullen, Mikey Rohan (0-2 each); Jack Dollard, Ed Lauhoff, Kevin Buggy (0-1 each).

Offaly: Sean Carey (0-4); Andrew Hogan (1-0); Odhran Fletcher, Darragh Scully (0-2 each); Mark Mulrooney, Liam O’Riordan (0-1 each)

Kilkenny: Jake O’Doherty; Michael Ahern, Mikey Rohan, Darragh Vereker; Jim Conlon, Jack Dollard, Evan Murphy; David

Barcoe, Ben Nevin; Anthony Clifford, Ed McDermott, Ruarc Sweeney; Jake Mullen, Ed Lauhoff, Patrick Lacey.

Subs: Josh Dowling for Vereker (h-t), Greg Kelly for Lacey (h-t), Kevin Buggy for Barcoe (40 mins), Fionn Mahony for McDermott (40 mins), Louis Raggett for Mullen (60 mins).

Offaly: Matt Watkins; Sean Og Foley, Harry Sweeney, Joey McLoughney; Andrew Hogan, James O’Sullivan, Brian Guinan;

Sean Carey, Gearoid Maher; Mark Mulrooney, Liam O’Riordan, Ajay Cleary; Odhran Fletcher, Patrick Lyons, Darragh Scully.

Subs: Caelum Larkin for Og Foley (h-t), Michael Dooley for Guinan (40 mins), Oisin Carroll for O’Riordan (46 minsonor), C Berry for McLoughney (49 mins), Marc Ryan for Lyons (56 mins).

Referee: Colm McHale (Dublin)