Dublin U20s Hurlers fall to defeat to Kilkenny in O'Neills.com Leinster Championship opener

Image courtesy Shay Hogan

DUBLIN 2-16 

KILKENNY 3-20

Dublin commenced their O'Neills.com Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship campaign on a disappointing note as they succumbed to Kilkenny by seven points at Nowlan Park on Saturday afternoon. 

It was the hosts that enjoyed a 2-8 to 0-10 interval advantage with goals at either end of the half from towering full-forward Ed McDermott tough on a Dublin side that more than held their own after a tricky opening. 

Michael Brennan and David Purcell exchanged goals in the early stages of the second-half but Dublin were unable to close the gap sufficiently, despite the hosts finishing the game with fourteen players.  

Kilkenny, who had the benefit of a game under their belt after seeing off Wexford a week previously, started on the front foot through an early point from McDermott. 

Matters improved for the Cats in the 2nd minute as a speculative ball from James Hughes deceived Daniel Joyce in the Dublin goal and McDermott pounced to put the hosts four points clear.   

Eoghan Lyng and McDermott added to the Kilkenny tally as Dublin registered a couple ofearly wides at the opposite end with scores from Brennan and Rory Glynn leaving the visitors facing an eight-point deficit by the 9th minute. 

The Dubs finally opened their account through an excellent Senan Crosbie score soon after and a Purcell point allowed them to settle into the contest.

Further scores from Daniel O’Kelly and David Mulqueen reflected Dublin’s improved fortunes by the end of the first quarter and they continued to tag on points through Cathal Kennedy and Crosbie to trail by just two points by the 18th minute. 

Both sides struggled with their shooting on a breezy day with the hosts ending a scoreless period of thirteen minutes as Tom McPhillips and Aaron McEvoy (‘65’) added scores in quick succession. 

Points from Purcell (free) and O’Kelly brought Dublin to within a point but further defensive hesitancy was punished in the 27th minute as McDermott intercepted a David Lucey pass before leaving Joyce helpless from close range. 

Trailing by four points at the break, Dublin’s task became ever greater within a minute of the restart as Brennan fired in a third Kilkenny goal, with McDermott turning provider on this occasion. 

While Purcell replied in an instant with a goal of his own, racing down the endline before crashing a superb finish high to the net, the hosts mirrored their first quarter dominance as they tagged on three points in quick succession by Glynn, Jeff Neary and McEvoy (free). 

Conal Ó Riain chipped in with a brace of points inside three minutes to keep Dublin in touch but McDermott and McEvoy kept the home scoreboard ticking along as they pushed eight points clear by the start of the final quarter.

Matters improved for the visitors as the hosts were reduced to fourteen players following the dismissal of Timmy Kelly and they took immediate advantage as O’Kelly fired home in the 50th minute to reduce Dublin’s deficit to six points. 

However, Kilkenny regrouped well as McDermott, McEvoy and Lyng all clipped over points as Dublin now turn their attention to Parnell Park next Saturday afternoon when they host Wexford (2.00).

Scorers – Dublin: D Purcell 1-5 (0-3f, 0-1 ’65); D O’Kelly 1-2; S Crosbie, C Ó Riain 0-2 each; D Mulqueen, C Kennedy, J Sheppard, N Fitzgerald, B Lynch 0-1 apiece. Kilkenny: E McDermott 2-5; M Brennan 1-2; A McEvoy 0-5 (3f, 1 ’65); E Lyng 0-3; R Glynn 0-2; T McPhillips, M Murphy, J Neary 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: D Joyce; C Groarke, B Lynch, C Kennedy; B Kenny, D Lucey, J Sheppard; F Murphy, J Kinnane; C Ó Riain, D Kilduff, S Crosbie; D Purcell, D Mulqueen, D O’Kelly. Subs: O Gaffney for Kilduff (38), N Fitzgerald for Mulqueen (44), J Kavanagh for Crosbie (44), K Costello for Murphy (48), F Donohue for Kinnane (56). 

Kilkenny: S Manogue; T Kelly, I Bolger, D Vereker; R Garrett, E Lyng, C Hickey; T McPhillips, J Neary; E Lauhoff, A McEvoy, M Brennan; J Hughes, E McDermott, R Glynn. Subs: M Murphy for Hughes (half-time), S Bergin for Glynn (51), G Kelly for McPhillips (57), R Corcoran for McDermott (61), J Bollard for Bolger (63). 

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).