MATCH REPORT: Senior Hurlers Fall To Defeat In Kilkenny

Mon, 13th March 2023

DUBLIN 1-17

KILKENNY 2-25

A slow start proved telling at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon as Kilkenny eased to an eleven point success over Dublin in their Allianz National Hurling League Division 1B encounter.

The visitors never fully recovered from an uninspiring opening that saw Kilkenny race into an early six point lead and from that point, Dublin were chasing the game.

The hosts raced out of the blocks to lead by 0-7 to 0-1 inside thirteen minutes with Dublin spurning a goal opportunity in the opening minute as Alex Considine could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

A Dónal Burke free opened their account in the 7th minute but by that stage, Billy Drennan already had three points on the board and the visitors finished the quarter with just two scores following another Burke free.

Kilkenny were hugely economical during the first-half and the likes of Padraig Walsh, Cian Kenny and Paddy Deegan left them well set at 0-10 to 0-3 by the 22nd minute.

Considine managed a brace of scores at the opposite end to augment further scores from Cian Boland, Chris O'Leary and Cian O'Sullivan but with the hosts not registering a wide in the first-half, the Cats eased into a 0-17 to 0-8 interval lead.

Three wides in the early stages of the second-half further undermined any hopes of a Dublin comeback and the contest was effectively over by the 44th minute as Eoin Cody found the net following a pass by the influential Deegan.

Paul Crummey replied with a goal for Dublin four minutes later and when Burke added two points in quick succession, the gap was down to a more presentable nine points (1-21 to 1-12).

However, some quick thinking from Billy Ryan in the 56th minute found Cody unmarked and the end result was inevitable as he fired home past Eddie Gibbons.

Burke added a further four points from that juncture to bring his personal tally to eleven points by the final whistle.

Dublin now welcome Laois to Parnell Park for Round 5 of the Allianz League next Sunday (19th March) at 1.45pm.

Scorers - Dublin: D. Burke 0-11, (6 f, 1 65); P. Crummey 1-0; A. Considine, C. Boland 0-2 each; C. O’Leary, C. O’Sullivan 0-1 each. Kilkenny: B. Drennan 0-13 (8f); E. Cody 2-2; P. Deegan 0-3; P. Walsh, B. Ryan 0-2 each; P. Mullen, C. Kenny, J. Donnelly 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: E. Gibbons; A. Dunphy, E. O’Donnell (c), P. Smyth; C. Donohoe, C. Burke, D. Gray; R. Smith, C. O’Leary; D. Sutcliffe, D. Burke, C. Boland; S. Currie, C. O’Sullivan, A. Considine. Subs: P. Crummey for S. Currie (inj 21); P. Doyle for R. Smith (46); D. Ó Dúlaing for C. O’Sullivan (51); J. Bellew for A. Dunphy (54); D. Keogh for D Sutcliffe (65).

KILKENNY: E. Murphy; T. Walsh, C. Delaney, P. Walsh; C. Kenny, R. Reid, C. Buckley; C. Fogarty, P. Mullen; B. Ryan, J. Donnelly, P. Deegan; B. Drennan, M. Keoghan, E. Cody (c). Subs: D. Brennan for E. Murphy, W. Walsh for M. Keoghan (both h-t); T. Clifford for P. Mullen (46); R. Corcoran for C. Fogarty (60); D. Blanchfield for C. Buckley (61).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)