AARON NILAND HAS taken the step up from minor to U20 duty in his stride, blasting 2-7 in Tullamore to help Galway see off Dublin and secure their Leinster semi-final place.
Kilkenny were already through to next month’s last four games, as U20 Tier 1, Group 2 winners, and Galway joined them by beating Dublin 4-14 to 0-10 in Tullamore to jump to the head of Group 1.
Niland, an All-Ireland minor finalist in 2023, struck his first goal in the seventh minute and added a second before the break, with both from frees, to help Fergal Healy’s side lead by 2-10 to 0-4 at half-time.
Dublin hinted with three of the first four points in the second-half, all from Sky Blues senior Diarmuid O Dulaing, that they may be about to launch a wind-assisted fightback.
But Galway’s third goal in the 49th minute from Micheal Power all but settled it and Conor Dolphin added a fourth goal for the westerners approaching the hour.
Galway finished level at the head of Group 1 with Offaly but nudged out the Faithful County on scoring difference. As a result, Offaly will progress to a quarter-final on 8 May against a Round 2 winner while Dublin, who have finished bottom of the table, will contest a Round 2 tie against the winner of a Round 1 game.
Meanwhile, Wexford and Laois met to see and they couldn’t be separated, drawing 0-18 to 0-18.
Wexford have the greater scoring difference so will take second position and will advance to a Leinster quarter-final on 8 May.
Bottom placed Laois will have the opportunity to bounce back in Round 2 of the provincial championship.
A draw at Chadwicks Wexford Park was no great surprise because while Wexford led Laois by 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time, the teams were tied on seven occasions after the break.
Free-taker Simon Roche finished with 0-9 for Wexford and three Roche points in a row between the 49th and 51st minutes left the hosts 0-17 to 0-14 ahead.
Laois responded impressively with scores from Ben Deegan and goalkeeper Brochan O’Reilly and it was another point from a Deegan free in the 59th minute that ultimately left the game deadlocked.
In Tier 2, Group 1, Westmeath defeated Derry 5-18 to 0-13 to finish top of that table, setting up a Round 1 clash with Carlow next weekend.
