LEINSTER UNDER-21 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND Dublin 1-12 Wexford 1-9:FOUR POINTS in the closing five minutes, three of those coming from Ciarán Kilkenny, helped Dublin to a narrow victory over reigning champions Wexford in an excellent opening-round game in Enniscorthy last night.

The game opened at a blistering pace with the sides exchanging two points apiece during the opening nine minutes. After Philip Ryan and Michael O’Regan had exchanged pointed frees, it was a Graham Cullen eighth-minute point that had the home side in front.

Points from Kilkenny and Harry Dawson edged Dublin into a 0-3 to 0-2 lead, before Wexford struck back with Michael O’Regan powering home a superb goal, leaving the home side leading 1-2 to 0-3.

With Dublin leading 0-7 to 1-2, they were awarded a 30th-minute penalty, coolly put away by Philip Ryan giving them an interval lead of 1-7 to 1-2.

A stirring Wexford recovery had the sides level 1-8 apiece with 10 minute remaining.

It was then that Kilkenny stepped up to the mark with three great points to give his side a deserved but hard-earned victory, with Wexford having a late penalty appeal turned down.

WEXFORD: B Redmond; W Devereux, D Gardiner, M Furlong; L Chin, J Leacy, S Sinnott; M O'Hanlon (0-1), A Cash; B O'Gorman (0-1), G Cullen (0-1), L Óg McGovern; D Murphy (0-2, one free), M O'Regan (1-4, one free), K Rowe. Subs: D McDonald for Cullen, B Halpin for Rowe, C Kehoe for Sinnott.

DUBLIN: JB Carthy; J Smith, K O'Brien, M Concar; J Small (0-1), L Fletcher, J McCaffrey (0-1); E O'Conghaile (0-1), D Byrne; G Seaver, G Sweeney, M Schutte; C Kilkenny (0-6, two frees), H Dawson (0-1), P Ryan (1-2, one pen, one free). Subs: A Carr for Smith, C Reddin for Byrne, P O'Higgins for O'Conghaile, E Keogh for Schutte, S George for Concar.

Referee: F Kelly(Longford).