Kilkenny made their competitive bow of 2017 today and came away from Abbottstown with a resounding 6-27 to 0-19 Walsh Cup win over Antrim under their belts.

Early goals from Jonjo Farrell and Ollie Walsh was a sign of things to come for the Saffrons and the Cats went in at the break with the benefit of a 2-12 to 0-10 cushion.

The floodgates opened in the second-half with further goals from Farrell, Richie Leahy (2) and Richie Hogan rubbing salt into the Antrim wounds.

Meanwhile, also in Group 2, Westmeath were put to the pin of their collar by DCU at Kinnegad but Jack Galvin's goal was crucial as they scraped home on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-13.

There was late drama in Birr as Oisin Kelly rescued a share of the spoils for Offaly against IT Carlow with the last puck of the game.

Kelly spared the Faithful County's blushes when netting their third goal to leave the scoreboard reading Offaly 3-14, IT Carlow 0-23 at the final whistle.

Elsewhere, in Group 4, Meath bounced back from their opening round defeat to Offaly to get the better of neighbours Kildare by the narrowest of margins - 1-19 to 1-18.

Laois, meanwhile, will take on Galway next weekend with a place in the last four up for grabs following their 4-27 to 1-17 success over DIT at Rathdowney.

Neil Foyle, Patrick Whelan (2) and Patrick Keating raised green flags for Eamonn Kelly's team.

Davy Fitzgerald continued his winning ways with Wexford against Carlow.

The Model County overturned a 0-9 to 0-10 half-time deficit thanks to second-half goals from Paul Morris (2) and Podge Doran.

It finished Wexford 3-20, Carlow 0-14 in Netwatch Cullen Park.

Kilkenny - E Murphy; J Holden, M Walsh, S Prendergast; P Murphy, R Lennon, C Fogarty; C Martin (0-3), O Walsh (1-0); P Lyng (0-4), W Walsh (0-2), R Leahy (2-0); R Hogan (1-4), JJ Farrell (2-1), TJ Reid (0-13, 9f, 2'65). Subs: K Joyce for R Lennon, C O'Shea for S Prendergast, L Ryan for O Walsh, S Prendergast for M Walsh.

Antrim - C O'Connell; O McFadden, S Rooney, M Donnelly; S McCrory, N McAuley, C McKinley (0-2); E Campbell, N McManus (0-1); N McKenna (0-5), C McCann, P McGill; C Clarke (0-8, 7f), J Dillon (0-1), C Johnston (0-1). Subs: T Coyle for O McFadden, D Murphy (0-1) for P McGill, J Maskey for S Rooney, M Dudley for E Campbell, J McNaughton for C Johnston.

Referee - P O'Dwyer.

**

Westmeath - P Carroll; S Power, A McGrath, C Shaw; A Craig, A Clarke, G Greville; J Boyle (0-1), J Galvin (1-2); N Mitchell (0-1), B Murtagh, E Price (0-1); D Egerton, A Devine (0-6, 2f), D Clinton (0-2). Subs: A Cox for G Greville, P Lynam (0-1) for S Power, W Casserly for J Galvin.

DCU - R Gillen; M Heeney, S McCaw, G Bailey; A Maddock, P Foley (0-1), C Delaney; P O'Dea, R McBride (0-7, 1f); J O'Connor (0-1), J Byrne, L Fahey (0-1); D Staunton, K Doyle (0-3f), AJ Murphy. Subs: T French for G Bailey, M Daly for K Doyle, C Doran for M Heeney, B Hanlon for AJ Murphy.

Referee - D Hughes.

**

Offaly - J Dempsey; P Delaney, M Cleary, D Maloney; A Treacy (0-1), C Doughan, S Gardiner (0-1); D King (0-2), B Conneely; C Molloy, S Dooley (0-6, 5f, 1'65), S Ryan; P Geraghty (0-1), O Kelly (2-1), S Cleary (1-1). Subs: E Nolan for C Molloy, P Rigney for P Delaney, D Shortt for C Doughan, C Kiely (0-1) for P Geraghty, L Langton for E Nolan.

IT Carlow - E Rowland (0-1f); R Brown, K Hannafin, D Palmer; S Phelan, J Doyle, R Moran; T Nolan (0-4), K Kelly (0-4); J Fitzpatrick (0-1), M Kavanagh (0-8, 6f, 1'65), D O'Hanlon; C Bolger (0-3), D Tobin, M Redmond. Subs: L Mullally for S Phelan, M O'Hanlon for D Tobin, A Mortimer (0-1) for M Kavanagh, S Casey (0-1) for J Fitzpatrick, D Conroy for C Bolger.

Referee - C Daly.

**

Meath - S McGann; S Geraghty, S Whitty, C Reilly; K Keoghan, D Kelly, S Brennan; J Keena (0-1), A Forde (0-1); S Quigley (0-1), C McCabe, J Kelly (0-1); M O'Sullivan (1-0), N Heffernan, J Toher (0-11, 7f, 1'65). Subs: K Keena (0-1) for N Heffernan, D Reilly (0-1) for A Forde, J Walsh for D Kelly, P Farrell (0-2) for C McCabe, N Heffernan for M O'Sullivan, L Martyn for S Quigley, N Weir for J Kelly.

Kildare - P Dermody; C Forde, J Doran, N O Muineachain; S Gainey, M Moloney, D Stapleton; R Bergin, B Byrne (1-2); M Delaney (0-7, 5f, 1'65), M Purcell (0-2), P Divilly (0-1); G Johnson (0-1), J Sheridan (0-1sl), D Reidy (0-1). Subs: C Bonus (0-2) for G Johnson, P Ryan (0-1) for J Doran, R Ryan for J Sheridan.

Referee - M Murtagh.

**

Laois - E Fleming; C Phelan, L Bergin (0-1), P Lawlor; M Whelan, P Purcell, R Mullaney; B Conroy (0-5, 3f), S Downey; E Lyons (0-2), P Whelan (2-3), A Corby (0-1); W Dunphy (0-5), N Foyle (1-4, 0-2f), A Dunphy (0-4). Subs: J Lennon for B Conroy, S Bergin for E Lyons, P Keating (1-1) for W Dunphy, E Killeen for P Purcell, S Dunphy (0-1) for A Dunphy, S Kelly for E Fleming.

DIT - S Brennan; T Byrne, T Doyle (0-1), P O'Reilly; E McInerney, D McNicholas (0-2f), J Murphy; L Kelly, J Cahill (0-3); R Greville (0-1), C Hayes (1-1), A Nugent; N Walsh (0-1), C O'Donoghue (0-6f), E O'Hehir. Subs: S Keating for L Kelly, S Goff (0-1) for E O'Hehir, D O'Connor (0-1) for A Nugent.

Referee - J McGrath.

**

Wexford - M Fanning; S Donohoe (0-1), L Ryan, J Breen; R Kehoe, M O'Hanlon, D O'Keeffe (0-2); S Murphy, D Redmond; H Kehoe (0-1), C McDonald (0-6, 5f), B Carton; C Dunbar (0-1), L Chin (0-3, 1f), P Morris (2-3). Subs: D Reck for H Kehoe, E Martin for D Redmond, A Nolan (0-1) for C Dunbar, P Doran (1-2, 0-1f) for C McDonald, N Kirwan for P Morris, A Kenny for S Donohoe, S O'Gorman for R Kehoe.

Carlow - J Carroll; G Bennett, P Doyle, A Corcoran; D English, D Byrne, R Kelly; C Wall (0-1), S Whelan (0-1); J Murphy, P Coady (0-2), E Byrne (0-2); S Murphy (0-1), D Murphy (0-5f), K McDonald (0-2f). Subs: C Nolan for D Murphy, R Coady for R Kelly, R Smithers for J Murphy, E Redmond for G Bennett, J O'Hara for D Byrne, D Wall for P Doyle, A Casey for A Corcoran.

Referee - M O'Sullivan.

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