Leinster U20 hurling wrap: Dublin close in on semi-final spot

Diarmaid O'Dulaing led the scoring as Dublin moved within touching distance of a Leinster U-20 hurling championship semi-final spot.

Nine points from the Commercials man, who featured for Micheal Donoghue's seniors in the National League, helped Dublin see off Wexford 1-20 to 0-15 at Parnell Park.

It's back to back wins for the Dubs who will finish top of the Tier 1 group in the province with anything better than a draw against Kilkenny at Nowlan Park next Saturday.

Even a loss on their travels could still be enough to nail down a top-two finish in the table and automatic qualification to the Leinster semi-finals.

That will be a game to savour next weekend as Kilkenny - boosted by the return of their Allianz League final contingent - ignited their own hopes of a top-two finish with a dramatic 5-20 to 3-20 Round 2 win over Galway, senior star Billy Drennan sniping 2-12.

Having lost to Wexford last weekend in Round 1, the result leaves the Cats with their destiny in their own hands ahead of the final round of group games.

The six-point win in Tullamore was all the more impressive because Kilkenny, welcoming back Drennan, Timmy Clifford and Gearoid Dunne from senior duty, initially fell seven points behind after a horror opening quarter.

Drennan struck an early 1-01 for Kilkenny but they then conceded 1-06 without response, Darren Shaughnessy the Galway goalscorer, to fall into the westerners' slipstream.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Galway led by 1-10 to 1-03 and looked suitably placed to bounce back from last weekend's defeat to Dublin.

They couldn't keep up the pace though and a second Drennan goal, from a 22nd minute penalty, as well as points from Clifford and Killian Doyle, helped Kilkenny narrow the margin by half-time, 1-12