Minor Hurlers Beat Kilkenny To Secure Leinster Semi-Final berth

DUBLIN 0-17 

KILKENNY 0-12 

Dublin completed Tier 1 of the group stages of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship in an impressive manner when overcoming Kilkenny by five points at UPMC Nowlan Park.

In doing so, the Dubs secured a semi-final berth in the process with their defensive structure at one end and the brilliance of Rory Flannery at the opposite end proving instrumental by the final whistle.

A more economical Dublin enjoyed a narrow interval lead as Flannery struck three points in helping build an 0-7 to 0-6 advantage with a wasteful Kilkenny left to rue eleven first-half wides.

The visitors continued to keep their opponents at arm’s length upon the resumption with eight second-half points by Flannery helping to secure a noteworthy and deserved success.

The visitors would have wished for a positive start and it arrived within seconds of the throw-in as James Norris, who impressed when introduced against Galway eight days previously, opened the scoring for the Dubs.

A Jake Connery point levelled matters soon after but that point proved Kilkenny’s only score from play for twenty-six minutes as the away defence impressed from the outset.

An excellent Rory Flannery point regained Dublin’s advantage in the 5^th minute with the hosts once again replying in an instant through a Jake Mullen free.

Flannery and Mullen traded frees as the first quarter evolved with the Kilmacud Crokes player edging Dublin a point clear by the 14^th minute and the second quarter commenced in a bright fashion as Darragh Kilduff landed a classy score to extend the lead to two points.

Kilkenny’s struggles up front in terms of their shooting was undermining their efforts and while Mullen halved the home deficit with another free in the 22^nd minute, Dublin replied through unanswered points from play by Killian Costello and Cathal Barrett.

However, the Cats finally found their range approaching the break as Kevin Buggy and Bill McDermott pointed from play to leave Dublin leading by the bare minimum by the interval.

Flannery was hugely prominent in the early stages of the second-half, converting a free in the opening minute before adding his second point from play a minute later.

Conor Holohan and Eoin Brennan (free) brought Kilkenny back to within a point by the 38^th minute but Dublin managed to keep their noses in front thanks to successive points from Costello and Flannery (free),

Despite Robbie Doherty pointing for Kilkenny, Dublin were in the ascendancy at this juncture and two further frees from Flannery extended their advantage to four points by the 49^th minute.

Almost inevitably, it was Flannery that pushed Dublin further ahead with a cracking strike from distance and while Brennan clipped over a brace of frees at the opposite end, Dublin’s defence remained resolute.

Substitute Ben O’Mahony made an instant impact when pointing within a minute of his introduction and fittingly, it was Flannery that had the final word with his 11^th point sealing an encouraging win.

Scorers – Dublin: R Flannery 0-11 (8f), K Costello 0-2, B O’Mahony, J Norris, D Kilduff, C Barrett 0-1 apiece. Kilkenny: E Brennan 0-4 (4f), J Mullen 0-3 (3f), J Connery, K Buggy, B McDermott, C Holohan, R Doherty 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: P Ryan; M Byrne, S Dunphy, R Duffy; C Quinn, C O’Flynn, D Simpson; F Codd, J Norris; T Higgins, R Flannery, E Brennan; C Barrett, K Costelo, D Kilduff. Subs: O Brennan for E Brennan (23), C O’Sullivan for Barrett (42), F Daly for Codd (47), E Ferguson for Costello (53, temp.), A Ryan for Higgins (57), B O’Mahony for Ferguson (62).

Kilkenny: J O’Doherty; O Henderson, L Phelan, M Rohan; A Clifford, J Dollard, D Barcoe; E Brennan, K Buggy; J Mullen, E Cahill, R Doherty; J Connery, C Holohan, B McDermott. Subs: O O’Donovan for McDermott (40), C Donnelly for Cahill (52),

Referee: Derek Ryan (Louth).