Dublin Senior Hurlers secure a Leinster Final spot with a massive win over Kilkenny

DUBLIN 1-26 

KILKENNY 0-22

Dublin delivered a dominant display as they advanced to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final when overcoming holders Kilkenny by seven points at a sun-kissed Parnell Park. 

It was Dublin’s first championship win over the Cats since 2013 and their first on home soil since 1941 and they were full value for their victory against a Kilkenny side that were on the back foot for the large part. 

Donal Burke’s penalty towards the end of the third quarter was the pivotal score of the game but Dublin’s defence, led by the heroics of Paddy Smyth at full-back were more than comfortable in dealing with the increasingly desperate attempts as Kilkenny in retrieving their precarious position.

Liam Rushe played a starring role in that victory in Portlaoise thirteen years ago but a late injury during the warm-up forced his removal from the line-up, with John Bellew playing in his place.  

It was Dublin that played with the benefit of the slight breeze in the first-half and they were full value for their 0-15 to 0-11 interval lead, with their inconsistent shooting building a unnerving tally of eleven wides.  

Given the supposed aerial fragility of the Kilkenny full-back line, it was of scant surprise to see John Hetherton selected to start, coming in off the bench to replace Conor Groarke. 

His presence was felt from the outset as he popped over two points within the opening five minutes, scores that were required given Kilkenny’s bright start that yielded points through David Blanchfield, Killian Doyle and Cian Kenny. 

While Donal Burke and TJ Reid exchanged frees soon after, the hosts looked far more assured initially with Brian Hayes a central figure as he dropped deep from his customary midfield position. 

This allowed Dublin to largely dictate matters in the first quarter as they moved two points clear by the 14th minute through unanswered points from Cian O’Sullivan, Conor Donohoe and Burke (free). 

From that position of control, a degree of sloppiness entered their play as the visitors enjoyed a purple patch that saw them draw level through a Reid free and an Eoin Cody score before they regained the lead at the start of the second quarter as Reid capitalised on an Eddie Gibbons error. 

It was the unlikely figure of corner-back Bellew that restored Dublin’s narrow advantage with two points in quick succession while Hayes and Burke added to the lead as the contest evolved. 

That advantage should have been more significant but for a series of frustrating wides that punctuated the half but they continued to carry the greater threat as Burke and Hetherton pushed them six points clear towards the end of the half. 

Crucially, Kilkenny scored the last two points of the half with Gibbons making amends for his earlier hesitancy as he blocked Harry Shine’s goal bound shot. 

That momentum was maintained early in the second-half as Cody and Martin Keoghan popped over scores while a third Reid free saw their deficit down to a more manageable two points.  

That the hosts were able to preserve their lead was more down to some glorious scores from the likes of Conal Ó Riain, Donal Burke and Cian O’Sullivan and the introduction off the bench of Ronan Hayes added a new dimension to their attack, much as it had done in Salthill eight days previously. 

The Kilmacud Crokes attacker was brought down for the penalty but also chipped in with two points, the second a sublime individual effort that was greeted with the largest cheer of the day from the jubilant Dublin support.

Dublin’s reward is a Leinster final date with Galway on Saturday week.

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 1-11 (1-0 pen, 0-6f, 0-2 ’65); J Hetherton, C Ó Riain 0-3 each; C O’Sullivan, R Hayes, J Bellew 0-2 each; B Hayes, C Donohoe, D Ó Dúlaing 0-1 apiece. Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (4f, 1 ’65); E Cody 0-5, C Kenny 0-4; K Doyle, T Phelan 0-2 each; D Blanchfield, M Keoghan 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, P Smyth, C McHugh; P Doyle, C Crummey, C Burke; B Hayes, C Donohoe; F Whitely, D Burke, C Ó Sullivan; David Purcell, J Hetherton, C Ó Riain. Subs: R Hayes for Purcell (39), D Power for Donohoe (50), D Ó Dúlaing for O’Sullivan (52), P Dunleavy for C Burke (Temp, 54-56), C Groarke for Whitely (70), Dunleavy for Crummey (72).      

Kilkenny: E Murphy; M Butler, M Carey, I Bolger; D Blanchfield, D Corcoran, P Deegan; K Doyle, C Kenny; L Moore, E Cody, T Phelan; H Shine, TJ Reid, M Keoghan. Subs: J Donnelly for Moore (33), A Mullen for Shine (50), R Reid for Bolger (52), T Clifford for Doyle (54), S Donnelly for Keoghan (65). 

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).