Minor Hurlers efficient in victory over Kerry

DUBLIN 2-23 KERRY 0-11

Dublin finished the group stages of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship on a positive note as they eased past Kerry by eighteen points in Portlaoise on Friday afternoon.

The contest was effectively settled by half-time as the Dubs enjoyed a comfortable ten-point lead and they continued to dominate after the break to leave their opponents chasing shadows for the large part.

Callum Graham took the scoring honours for Dublin, finishing the game with 2-4 from play to his name, with his goals in either half proving too much for the Kingdom.

With the encounter switched from the main pitch in O’Moore Park to the back pitch, Dublin opened up brightly through two points in as many minutes from Conor Newton and Jack Kennedy.

Newton added his second soon after as the Dubs availed of the wind at their backs to push further clear through scores from full-forward Árón Gargan and a Daniel O’Kelly free.

Kerry opened their own account in the 6^th minute and enjoyed a period of success and they added another two scores to leave just two points between the teams by the 11^th minute.

It was Kennedy that curtailed their momentum with his second of the day as Dublin moved 0-8 to 0-4 clear by the end of the first quarter with Graham and O’Kelly splitting the uprights.

Fiach Lupton, Graham and O’Kelly enhanced Dublin’s position as the contest evolved and further daylight was placed between the teams when Graham found the net approaching added time.

There was sufficient time for Gearóid Flannery to convert a free to leave his side well placed at 1-12 to 0-5 by the turnaround.

Flannery added a brace of points in the early stages of the second-half while Graham scored a brace of his own in quick succession to ensure his side kept on the front foot.

An excellent Kennedy point in the 44^th minute preceded a second Dublin goal- through Graham at the start of the final quarter with the contest petering out from that juncture.

Dublin tagged on just three further points through Newton and substitutes Ryan Murphy and Darragh Delaney but the damage was long done at that stage as their thoughts turned to sterner challenges later in the spring.

Scorers for Dublin: C Graham 2-4, G Flannery 0-5 (4f), J Kennedy 0-4, D O’Kelly (2f), C Newton 0-3 each, Á Gargan, F Lupton, R Murphy, D Delaney 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: J Mooney; L Ó Cuanaigh, M Pappalardo, L Mooney; R O’Neill, J Sheppard, K Costello; F Lupton, D O’Kelly; C Newton, G Flannery, J Kennedy; D Kilduff, Á Gargan, C Graham. Subs: D Delaney for O’Neill (41), D Durkin for Flannery (45), O O’Keeffe for Graham (48), R Murphy for Kilduff (50), F Murphy for L Mooney (50).

Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare).