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Picture Courtesy Arthur Webb
DUBLIN 3-10
KILKENNY 4-19
Dublin delivered a committed performance before falling to holders Kilkenny by twelve points in their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship semi-final at UPMCNowlan Park on Saturday afternoon.
The teams met a fortnight previously with Kilkenny overcoming the Dubs by thirteen points in O’Toole Park and while there was a similar margin on this occasion, it proved harsh on a Dublin side that were right in the mix at the three-quarter mark.
However, their efforts in closing the deficit took its toll in the final quarter with the hosts taking full advantage as they kept their title defence on track.
The hosts entered the break with a healthy 2-11 to 1-7 advantage with goals from Jake Mullen and Cian Byrne more that offsetting Conaill O’Sullivan’s goal at the opposite end in the 15th minute.
Dublin dominated the third quarter with a Rory Flannery penalty and Sean Culleton’s goal closing the gap to two points but Byrne ultimately ended their ambitions with two goals in the final quarter.
An early Mullen point set the tone for the hosts while Flannery levelled matters in the 2ndminute from a well-taken free.
A brace of Mullen frees and an Eoin Brennan score reflected Kilkenny’s greater pressure in the opening jousts but Dublin replied through excellent scores from their midfielders Cormac Mac Canna and Ciaran Fitzgerald.
While Kevin Buggy and Byrne restored Kilkenny’s three-point lead by the 11th minute, another superb score, this time by Richie Hession ensured that Dublin were getting a healthy return on their visits into enemy territory.
However, the hosts were equally adept at taking their chances and with the visitors failing to deal with a delivery from the right wing, Mullen was on hand to flick an adroit finish into the empty net.
Dublin’s reply to this setback arrived instantly as O’Sullivan placed home goalkeeper Cian Dermody under pressure and his perseverance was rewarded as he picked up the pieces before firing clinically to the net from an acute angle.
A Flannery free reduced Dublin’s deficit to the bare minimum by the 16th minute but the concession of a goal to Byrne three minutes later saw the Cats regain control of events.
Flannery managed two further frees by the end of the half but Mullen did likewise for Kilkenny with further points from Oisín Henderson and Byrne leaving the hosts well placed with a seven-point lead by the turnaround.
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