PREVIEW: 2024 Leinster Senior Hurling Final- Dublin v Kilkenny

By Conor Martin 

Dublin and Kilkenny meet at Croke Park on Saturday evening in search of provincial glory, as they clash in the 2024 Leinster Senior Hurling Final (6pm). 

Get match tickets here. 

Dublin have picked up three wins, a draw and a defeat so far in this year's Championship- the defeat coming at the hands of Kilkenny. 

Our Leinster campaign began with a battling performance against Wexford, which saw us take a point back to the capital thanks to last-gasp goals from Danny Sutcliffe and Cian O’Sullivan in the 73rd and 75th minutes.

Micheál Donoghue's men would then pick up back-to-back wins over Carlow and Antrim, which got our provincial championship up and running. 

Dónal Burke proved to be Dublin’s sharpshooter in those two games, finishing as the Sky Blues top-scorer in those two wins. 

Next up was Derek Lyng’s Kilkenny side, who visited Parnell Park. The Boys in Blue were delivered a killer blow in the form of a 69th-minute Eoin Cody goal that managed to snatch the win for the Cats. 

Heads could have easily dropped after such an agonising defeat, but Dublin rallied and picked themselves up and carried themselves into a Leinster final, overcoming Galway at Pearse Stadium by six points, led by the point-scoring efforts of Burke, Chris Crummey, Darragh Power and Seán Currie. 

Defending champions Kilkenny have won the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship an incredible 75 times and will be looking to extend that record this weekend.

The defending provincial champions really laid down a marker in the opening round of the Championship. A massive 5-30 to 0-13 win over Antrim certainly made people sit up and take notice as the summer hurling action got underway.

They followed that win up with two draws against Galway and Carlow, with the latter being an early shock this Championship. 

As previously mentioned, Eoin Cody’s goal proved crucial in the Cats' win over Dublin, but seven points from John Donnelly and a routine showing from TJ Reid also helped the Marble County get over the line. 

Kilkenny would end the group stage of the Championship top of the pile with a one-point win over Wexford in the final round. 

Reid was on red-hot form once again, nailing 1-13, while Paddy Deegan and Billy Ryan also stood out in the hard-fought win. 

Dublin and Kilkenny meet in the Leinster final for the first-time since 2021; the Cats came out on top in that one and Dublin will be hoping for a first Championship win over Kilkenny since 2013, the same year we last won the Bob O’Keeffe Cup. 

Both teams have stockpiles of firepower to call upon, but the likes of Reid and Dublin’s Burke (who has scored 2-51 this summer) will be looking to have a big say on Saturday night!

You can back Dublin, as we can go in search of a 25th Leinster title, by buying tickets here. 

Those not able to get to Croke Park can watch the action on RTÉ 2 from 6pm!

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Dublin v Kilkenny recent Leinster Senior Hurling Championship meetings: 

18th May 2024, Parnell Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4, Dublin 2-23 (29) - 1-28 (31) Kilkenny

20th May 2023, Nowlan Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4, Kilkenny 0-27 (27) - 0-21 (21) Dublin

14th May 2022, Parnell Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4, Dublin 0-17 (17) - 3-25 (34) Kilkenny

17th July 2021, Croke Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Final, Dublin 0-19 (19) - 1-25 (28) Kilkenny

31st October 2020, Croke Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final, Kilkenny 3-20 (29) - 2-22 (28) Dublin

11th May 2019, Nowlan Park, Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 1, Kilkenny 2-23 (29) - 1-21 (24) Dublin