U21 Hurling Championship.

[Exiled in Connacht]

TG4 is showing the final quarter final on Wednesday next 1st June, Wexford v Dublin.

Chance to see what the standard is like in this years championship with the winners playing Westmeath in the semi final.

For what it's worth both Leinster minor finalists from 3 years ago, Kilkenny and Laois are gone.

[SearingDrive]

TG4 is showing the final quarter final on Wednesday next 1st June, Wexford v Dublin.

Chance to see what the standard is like in this years championship with the winners playing Westmeath in the semi final.

For what it's worth both Leinster minor finalists from 3 years ago, Kilkenny and Laois are gone.

You mean the first quarter final. Wexfordand Dublin arethefavourites I imagine. Maybe the Noreside talent line is drying up, nice to see if a new team can win Leinster in 2016.

[frankthetank]

I think there's a general misconception about the so called conveyor belt of talent that exists in Kilkenny. In the last 13 years Klkenny have won 3 All Ireland minor titles and two All Ireland under 21 crowns. Considering the amount of senior All Irelands they have won in the same period this is not a huge amount. For the last three years Kilkennys U21 teams have pretty poor to say the least. Destroyed by Wexford in 2014 and beaten by Westmeath this year. I firmly believe when Cody goes this monopoly they have on hurling will come to an end and we'll enter a period where All Irelands are more spread out.

[Exiled in Connacht]

Searing Drive - Dublin V Wexford IS the last quarter final ( and not the first as you said !! ).

Winners of this game play Westmeath in first semi final and we play Carlow in second semi final

[Toxicity234]

I firmly believe when Cody goes this monopoly they have on hurling will come to an end and we'll enter a period where All Irelands are more spread out.

Doesn't it show just how good a manager he is. Kilkenny have been OK at under-age but still he brings through winning teams at senior level.

But funny enough. Kilkenny lads are complaining that Cody has to much say over the U21 Team.

[SearingDrive]

Searing Drive - Dublin V Wexford IS the last quarter final ( and not the first as you said !! ).

Winners of this game play Westmeath in first semi final and we play Carlow in second semi final

Yes, you are correct, thanks for clarification.

[first_touch]

I think there's a general misconception about the so called conveyor belt of talent that exists in Kilkenny. In the last 13 years Klkenny have won 3 All Ireland minor titles and two All Ireland under 21 crowns. Considering the amount of senior All Irelands they have won in the same period this is not a huge amount. For the last three years Kilkennys U21 teams have pretty poor to say the least. Destroyed by Wexford in 2014 and beaten by Westmeath this year. I firmly believe when Cody goes this monopoly they have on hurling will come to an end and we'll enter a period where All Irelands are more spread out.

Frank, I agree totally. Since Kilkenny won their first All-Ireland under Cody in 2000, they have won ten further senior titles. That's eleven titles in sixteen seasons. How many did Kilkenny win in the sixteen seasons before that? Two! That's a measure of the phenomenon that is Cody. Granted he has had some exceptional hurlers over that time and, under a half-decent manager, Kilkenny might have been expected to win five or six or, at a stretch, seven titles. But definitely not eleven!

How many All-Irelands Kilkenny win over the next few years will depend more on how long Cody stays at the helm rather than on the level of underage titles.

[Exiled in Connacht]

Good to see that the Leinster Council saw sense and our game v Carlow has now been rescheduled for Thursday 23 June to avoid clash with Ireland V Italy.

The Westmeath dream ended last night when they lost by six points to Dublin. I didn't get to see any of it on TG4 but newspaper reports show that Dublin's two goals in the second half were decisive.

Westmeath's season in senior and under 21 hurling has deflated after such a great start.

Saw some of Dublin's win v Wexford and was very impressed with their full back Eoghan O'Donnell who had Conor McDonald in his pocket for the whole game.

[kingscounty]

Good luck tonight boys , I'm heading down to cheer you on , let's get to the final , big push Offaly 3-12 Carlow 1-16

[Bord na Mona man]

Great win tonight! We have a Leinster final at home to look forward to.

[townman]

just in home great win some lovely worked goals, forward line full of pace, Nolan, Kelly, Kiely took their goals well, Dylan Murray was very good from play and frees. Johnny O'Toole/Greene is some man to catch a ball build like a tank to go with it. Cillian Kiely went off near the end with a shoulder injuried hope he will be ok for the final. the Dubs in tullamore a great chance to win the under 21 since 2000 god knows offaly hurling needs a title of some sort in hurling .

last but not least Eoghan Cahill was brillant in goals tonight stopped a pen and a great save from Carlows Conor Foley in the first half.

[kingscounty]

We were on top for most of the game apart from when the heavens opened , which slowed us down and suited Carlow , when it stopped we gained control again and ran out easy winners in the end. I was impressed with the attitude of all the players from start to finish , 6th of July in Tullamore against the sky blues , wonderful chance to win a badly needed Leinster title.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Of all the Offaly teams to hurl in the last week, the U21s were the ones under the most pressure to deliver. And deliver they did.

Not a traditional Offaly team per se, they are good in the air, they have pace, they are athletic, and are ruthless when they get a sniff of a goal. And yet they carry the traditional Offaly never-say-die spirit and work like beavers when the ball is on the ground.

Buoyed with enthusiasm that the Seniors’ run in Leinster, and the U17s’ great win in Kilkenny, has brought, Offaly hurled confidently throughout. It wasn’t perfect (far from it, but that’s for another day), and even when Carlow scores resulted from Offaly mistakes, they never dropped their heads and they carried on and fielded the resultant puckout. Colm Lyons came in for criticism last Sunday, but the fella who refereed this evening (James Heffernan from Wexford) was ten times worse with a succession of incorrect decisions in an appalling performance.

Eoghan Cahil is confident and competent in goals. Ben Conneely dominated the centre and was fierce impressive. Paddy Delaney did what Paddy Delaney does. Offaly toploaded the full-forward line which paid dividends. Ronan Hughes has pace, Wyer, Guinan and Murray foraged well. Conor Freeman impressed when he came on. And Offaly sorted out their freetaking too, with Dylan Murray entrusted with any frees from halfway up.

A fortnight now to an O’Connor Park Final, which is where Offaly want to be. Dublin will start overwhelming favourites and again that’s what you want.

[kingscounty]

Of all the Offaly teams to hurl in the last week, the U21s were the ones under the most pressure to deliver. And deliver they did.

Not a traditional Offaly team per se, they are good in the air, they have pace, they are athletic, and are ruthless when they get a sniff of a goal. And yet they carry the traditional Offaly never-say-die spirit and work like beavers when the ball is on the ground.

Buoyed with enthusiasm that the Seniors’ run in Leinster, and the U17s’ great win in Kilkenny, has brought, Offaly hurled confidently throughout. It wasn’t perfect (far from it, but that’s for another day), and even when Carlow scores resulted from Offaly mistakes, they never dropped their heads and they carried on and fielded the resultant puckout. Colm Lyons came in for criticism last Sunday, but the fella who refereed this evening (James Heffernan from Wexford) was ten times worse with a succession of incorrect decisions in an appalling performance.

Eoghan Cahil is confident and competent in goals. Ben Conneely dominated the centre and was fierce impressive. Paddy Delaney did what Paddy Delaney does. Offaly toploaded the full-forward line which paid dividends. Ronan Hughes has pace, Wyer, Guinan and Murray foraged well. Conor Freeman impressed when he came on. And Offaly sorted out their freetaking too, with Dylan Murray entrusted with any frees from halfway up.

A fortnight now to an O’Connor Park Final, which is where Offaly want to be. Dublin will start overwhelming favourites and again that’s what you want.

Have to agree on the ref POTH he was horrendous, some of the decisions were mind boggling, gave a free to Offaly then decided to give it to Carlow, gave Carlow a penalty for absolutely no reason when the guy kicked the ball over the bar . Just glad he didn't cost us the game

[Wing Back]

Well done to the players and management. A real shot in the arm with a convincing win. They went in as favourites and lived up to the billing.

Between the U21s, the Celtic Challenge success and the Minors putting in a reasonably decent showing there is a little bit more hope in the future of Offaly hurling. Probably our most successful year underage in well over a decade with all teams recording wins and being competitive.

Granted Offaly were on the easier side of the draw, But the U21’s have been convincing to date against Carlow and Kildare. They will encounter a far tougher test against Dublin in the final and I’d imagine will go in as underdogs. But there is plenty of reason to be optimistic of a good showing.

It’s great to see a good spread of clubs represented on the U21 panel aswell.

Well done again to all members of the squad and management.

Esto Fidelis.