Martin Keoghan netted a first-half brace to power Kilkenny to a 2-17 to 0-15 derby win over Wexford in their Allianz league Division 1A clash at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Those blows from the Tullaroan man opened up a 2-10 to 0-04 chasm at half-time, before Wexford made a solid fist of it in the second half.
The result hoists Derek Lyng’s Black and Amber, last year’s beaten league finalists, back into the qualification picture.
It also heaps pressure upon relegation-threatened Wexford – and Keith Rossiter’s injury-ravaged charges face two daunting road trips to Clare and Limerick.
Kilkenny pinged four points without reply inside as many minutes, as Billy Ryan, centre-back Mikey Carey, Eoin Cody (free) and Cian Kenny established an early foothold.
Wexford eventually responded with a 10th-minute free from Cian Byrne after a late hit on Connal Flood.
But Kilkenny almost snapped back with a goal – Billy Ryan fetching the resulting puck-out only to be denied by the woodwork, before Cats pressure translated into a second converted free by Cody, and midfielder Jordan Molloy made it 0-06 to 0-01 after 14 minutes.
The Wexford goal came under further threat when a misplaced pass saw Cian Kenny feed Billy Ryan only for Ryan to be closed down as he looked to pull the trigger.
Kilkenny hearts skipped a beat on 21 minutes when keeper Aidan Tallis dropped a free from distance by Damien Reck in the danger zone only to make a smart recovery.
The visitors’ threat eventually yielded a major on 23 minutes when Paddy Deegan’s clearance found Stephen Donnelly, who offloaded to Martin Keoghan to continue his excellent start to the season with a venomous finish to the net to make it 1-06 to 0-01.
More clinical finishing from Kilkenny's Mossy Keoghan as he grabs his second goal of the game.
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And the Cats really sank their claws in when a harmless delivery was turned into a goal as Keoghan landed his second from a Billy Ryan assist on 29 minutes to extend the lead to 2-07 to 0-02.
The gap measured 12 points at the interval at 2-10 to 0-4, with Wexford’s blunt attack failing to muster anything from play.
Some tigerish play by Richie Lawlor finally brought Wexford’s first score from play after 45 minutes, but Eoin Cody was denied a goal moments later as Mark Fanning intervened.
Keoghan departed the stage just as Eoin Cody’s seventh free restored an 11-point divide on 56 minutes.
Cathal Dunbar produced a highlight for Wexford supporters among the 4,562 attendance when cutting over a line-ball to help shave the gap to 2-15 to 0-14 amid an unbroken five-point haul from the hosts as they emerged with some pride salvaged.
Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Shane Murphy; David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey (0-1), Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Jordan Molloy (0-1); Martin Keoghan (2-0), Cian Kenny (0-2), Billy Ryan (0-2); Stephen Donnelly, Eoin Cody (0-8 frees), Harry Shine (0-1).
Subs: Billy Drennan (0-1) for Donnelly (56), Eoghan Lyng for Keoghan (56), Peter Connellan for Deegan (63), Billy Reid for Carey (67), Niall Shortall for Ryan (67).
Wexford: Mark Fanning (0-3 frees); Eoin Ryan, Conor Foley, Simon Donohoe; Cathal Dunbar (0-1 line-ball), Damien Reck, Richie Lawlor (0-2); Charlie McGuckin, Conor Hearne (0-1); Darren Codd, Jack Redmond, Cian Byrne (0-6 frees); Connal Flood, Rory O’Connor, Corey Byrne-Dunbar.
Subs: Cian Molloy for Donohoe (15), Cillian Byrne for O’Connor (23), Simon Roche (0-1) for Codd (HT), Seamus Casey (0-1 free) for Flood (51), James Byrne for Byrne-Dunbar (68).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).
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