GAA/ Leinster Under-21 HC Semi-final: Leinster and All-Ireland champions Kilkenny had to pull out all the stops to overcome a gallant Dublin side at Portlaoise yesterday evening.

Kilkenny, who struggled over Laois in the quarter-final, opened the scoring with a Cha Fitzpatrick point after two minutes but a goal from David O'Callaghan gave Dublin a lead they held right throughout the opening half.

Points from John Phelan and Brian Dowling kept Kilkenny in touch and at half-time just a single point separated the sides - Dublin 1-3, Kilkenny 0-5.

Conor Phelan levelled three minutes after the break but two in a row from O'Callaghan stretched Dublin's lead.

However, two points from Fitzpatrick had matters all square at the end of the third quarter at 1-5 to 0-8.

In the final quarter Kilkenny took the lead with points from Conor Phelan, Fitzpatrick, Dowling and substitute Eoin Reid but it was a Dublin substitute Seán O'Connor who revived his side's hopes with an excellent goal in the 57th minute.

However, the champions replied with three unanswered points and qualified for yet another meeting with old rivals Wexford.

KILKENNY: D Herrity; S Maher, J Tennyson, M Fennelly; T Walsh, PJ Delaney, C Hoyne; S Hennessey, S O'Neill; C Phelan (0-3), P Cleere, J Phelan (0-1); C Fitzpatrick, (0-6), W O'Dwyer, B Dowling (0-3). Subs: E Reid (0-1) for P Cleere, R Power (0-1) for S O'Neill.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; K Elliott, S Daly, P Brady; D O'Reilly, S Hiney, C O'Brien; G O'Meara, R Fallon (0-1); P Fleury, T Sweeney, G Keogh; D O'Callaghan (1-3), M Carton, M Griffin (0-1). Subs: S O'Connor (1-0) for P Fleury.

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).

OFFALY (MF v Kildare): P McConway; G Grehan, R Dalton, E Byrne; M Verney, J Keane, K Lynam; D Molloy, J Rafferty; R Monaghan, S Ryan, P Deehan; G Quinn, T Coughlan, G Hickey.