Kilkenny are your 2021 Leinster minor hurling champions.
In a sun-soaked Netwatch Cullen Park on Wednesday evening, captain Harry Shine lifted the Leinster crown, the Cats having two points to spare.
The game ended Kilkenny 1-15, Wexford 2-10.
Kilkenny lined out as selected on Wednesday evening, a Harry Shine free opening the scoring for the Cats inside the two minutes. Killian Doyle doubled Kilkenny’s lead five minutes later before Wexford opened their account from a dead ball.
Both sides traded points before Ted Dunne struck the back of the net for Kilkenny to make it a four point game heading towards halftime.
Digging deep, Wexford, playing with the wind at their backs, struck back with a goal of their own on the stroke of half time to close out proceedings 1-8 apiece.
Showing their determination, Wexford struck first in the second half, a near carbon-copy buildup to a second goal to go 2-5 to 1-5 ahead.
Harry Shine and Jeff Neary chipped away at the lead, Killian Carey adding another, all inside the first ten minutes of the second including the first point from play for the game from Wexford.
Hitting the water break in the second half, Kilkenny were trailing 2-8 to 1-10 but the break seemed to come at just the right time.
Danny Glennon levelled for Kilkenny with Harry Shine giving the Cats a lead two minutes later.
A Wexford free tied up proceedings again, before Kilkenny pulled away through Danny Glennon, Harry Shine and Ted Dunne, the Cats fighting all the way to the end to close out the win and claim the Leinster crown once more.
Kilkenny will now play Galway on the weekend of 14/15 August in the All-Ireland minor hurling championship semi-final.
This year’s final is scheduled for Saturday 21 August.
