Senior hurlers face major test against Kilkenny

Dublin will hope to build on the momentum of last weekend's Leinster SHC victory over Laois when they face Kilkenny in Saturday's provincial semi-final at Croke Park (3.45, Live GAAGO).

The Cats hold the upperhand historically in championship games between the counties - a trend Mattie Kenny's men will be hoping to reverse this weekend at GAA headquarters.

Here we look at their head-to-head championship results in the last 20 years as well as the two most recent championship clashes between the sides.

RECENT SHC CLASHES
2019: Kilkenny 2-23 Dublin 1-21 (Leinster round-robin)

2018: Kilkenny 1-24 Dublin 3-16 (Leinster round-robin)

2016: Kilkenny 1-25 Dublin 0-16 (Leinster semi-final)

2014: Kilkenny 0-24 Dublin 1-9 (Leinster final)

2013: Dublin 1-16 Kilkenny 0-16 (Leinster semi-final replay)

2013: Kilkenny 1-14 Dublin 0-17 (Leinster semi-final)

2012: Kilkenny 2-21 Dublin 0-9 (Leinster semi-final)

2011: Kilkenny 4-17 Dublin 1-15 (Leinster final)

2010: Kilkenny 4-19 Dublin 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

2009: Kilkenny 2-18 Dublin 0-18 (Leinster final)

2004: Kilkenny 4-22 Dublin 0-8 (All-Ireland qualifier)

2003: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)

2000: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)

2019 LEINSTER SHC ROUND-ROBIN ROUND 1
KILKENNY 2-23 DUBLIN 1-21

Dublin's Leinster SHC round-robin round 1 hopes faded late in the second half as Kilkenny came with a classical storming finish to secure victory at Nowlan Park.

The Dubs led at half-time by four points, 1-13 to 0-12, after a rip-roaring opening 35 minutes. However, TJ Reid once again proved to be the tormentor-in-chief as Kilkenny mounted a powerful second half surge that brought them to victory.

Reid scored 0-12 (0-9, 0-2 '65') when Kilkenny broke Dublin hearts in Parnell Park the previous summer and in this Nowlan Park clash did even more damage when tallying 2-12 (0-11f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 '65').

Kilkenny also made some positional and tactical switches for the second half with Pádraig Walsh moving back onto Danny Sutcliffe and Huw Lalor repositioned at full-back while half-time sub Richie Leahy posted two points from play from midfield.

Dublin were leading by three points when Reid and Colin Fennelly combined brilliantly for a goal in the 47th minute. But Dublin dug in and twice later in the half edged back a point in front but on both occasions it was Kilkenny who scored next.

With 13 minutes remaining the Cats struck for what was arguably the decisive score when Colin Fennelly was fouled in the square and despite finding the net referee Cathal McAllister had already sounded his whistle for a penalty.

The outcome was the same as TJ Reid recorded Kilkenny's second goal.

From there to the finish, in front of a crowd of 9,495, Kilkenny held slightly the upperhand and outscored Dublin 0-6 to 0-4 to run out five-point victors.

In the opening half the Dubs were the better side against a Kilkenny starting 15 including five SHC debutants - goalkeeper Darren Brennan, Tommy Walsh, Huw Lawlor, Alan Murphy and Adrian Mullen.

The intensity and physicality was impressive with the movement of Dublin's inside forward line and ball-winning of Liam Rushe causing problems for the Cats with Danny Sutcliffe, in particular, clipping over some stylish scores.

At the back the Dublin half-back line was setting the tone for the rest of Mattie Kenny's men to follow.

Nine minutes in Fergal Whitely angled in off the right wing and his pass was athletically gathered by Rushe who was eventually hauled to ground for a penalty.

Seán Moran was clinical leaving keeper Brennan rooted to the line as the Dubs went on to lead for the remainder of the first half.#

Dublin had another sighting of goal but Paul Ryan's effort for the top corner whistled outside the post.

Just before the break Dublin were awarded a second penalty, again after Rushe was fouled, but this time Moran blazed his effort over the crossbar as Dublin held a 1-13 to 0-12 interval advantage.

Reflecting on the game Dublin manager Mattie Kenny said: "We were in a reasonably healthy position going in at half-time. Ten minutes after half-time we kind of maintained that position but then Kilkenny got a goal and from that we started going too direct and too route-one.

“That gave their backs a chance to mop up the possession and build out. They had a bit more space to attack in the second-half rather than the first. That’s a thing I try to coach a lot, that would be big in my philosophy of hurling – that you build your attacks.

“In the last 20 minutes we went too much route one, and that allowed the Kilkenny backs to sit back, eat up that possession. Then when they were coming out, they had more space to attack into.

“I think Dublin built some lovely scores in the first half and we just needed to maintain that approach and have the mental discipline to keep doing that.”
SCORERS - Kilkenny: TJ Reid 2-12 (0-11f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘65’), A Murphy 0-3, G Aylward, R Leahy 0-2 each, W Walsh, P Walsh, A Mullen, T Walsh 0-1 each. Dublin: D Treacy 0-6 (0-6f), S Moran 1-2 (1-1 pen, 0-1f), D Sutcliffe 0-4, F Whitely, C Crummey 0-2 each, D O’Connell, P Ryan, T Connolly, L Rushe, S Treacy 0-1 each.
KILKENNY: D Brennan; P Murphy, P Deegan, T Walsh; E Morrissey, H Lawlor, C Fogarty; P Walsh, A Murphy; A Mullen, W Walsh, TJ Reid; B Ryan, C Fennelly, G Aylward. Subs: R Leahy for Morrissey (ht), R Hogan for Ryan (40).
DUBLIN: A Nolan; D O’Connell, E O’Donnell, P Smyth; S Barrett, C Crummey, S Moran; S Treacy, T Connolly; F Whitely, D Sutcliffe, D Treacy; P Ryan, L Rushe, E Dillon. Subs: R McBride for Connolly (51), C Keaney for Ryan (61), C Boland for S Treacy (66), J Malone for D Treacy (72), R Hayes for Rushe (74).
REF: C McAllister (Cork).

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2018 LEINSTER SHC ROUND-ROBIN
KILKENNY 1-24 DUBLIN 3-16

Dublin came within minutes of pulling of a big early summer shock when they were overtaken by Kilkenny in the dying moments of this Leinster SHC round-robin clash at Parnell Park.

Pat Gilroy’s men were on top for most of the game, led by five points with ten minutes to go, before Liam Blanchfield’s injury-time goal put the Cats into the lead for the first time since the fourth minute and they held on for victory.

The Dubs, who got their match-ups and tactics bang on, were left to rue a number of missed opportunities while the loss of the impressive Conal Keaney to injury with ten minutes of normal time remaining was a huge blow for the hosts.

The Ballyboden St Enda’s man had shown all his big-game experience and strength til then as he took up clever positions to contribute four points from play.

After putting in a colossal effort Dublin faded late on while the Cats brought plenty of scoring power and experience off the bench to engineer their late, late victory.

Dublin put in a great opening half with Liam Rushe delivering a powerful display at full-forward.

The St Pat’s of Palmerstown man went on a barnstorming direct line run in the fourth minute to tee up a great goal by Paul Ryan with a stunning finish.

Late in the half Rushe again drove straight at the Kilkenny defence and though Ryan’s effort was parried out Fergal Whitely followed up with whip the sliotar clinically to the roof of the net for Dublin to hold a 2-7 to 0-9 interval advantage.

Dublin's defence and midfield were doing brilliantly with Eoghan O'Donnell, Seán Moran, Chris Crummey and Shane Barrett particularly influential.

Alan Nolan also produced a stunning reflex save to deny Ger Aylward from close range following good work by the hard-working Walter Walsh.

Kilkenny were forced to make adjustments with Colin Fennelly introduced in the 33rd minute, he went on to score three valuable points from play.

A Jake Malone scrambled goal following great quick interplay among the Dublin forwards had the home supporters sensing a big scalp.

However, the Dubs held the lead until the first minute of injury-time before Cats 'keeper Eoin Murphy put his side within one with his fourth long-range free before Liam Blanchfield stole in behind to score Kilkenny’s vital goal.

In the lead up Dublin could be aggrieved for not getting a free out after Paddy Smyth looked to have been fouled.

Sub Paul Winters reduced the gap to the minimum before TJ Reid ensured victory for Brian Cody’s men.
SCORERS – Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-12 (0-9f, 0-2 ‘65’), E Murphy 0-4 (0-4f), L Blanchfield 1-0, C Fennelly 0-3, J Maher, W Walsh 0-2 each, J Donnelly 0-1. Dublin: P Ryan 1-6 (0-5f), C Keaney 0-4, F Whitely, J Malone 1-0 each, P Winters 0-3 (0-2f), T Connolly, C Crummey, F MacGibb 0-1 each.
KILKENNY: E Murphy; J Holden, P Walsh, P Deegan; C Delaney, C Buckley, E Morrissey; R Leahy, J Maher; M Keoghan, TJ Reid, J Donnelly; B Sheehan, W Walsh, G Aywlard. Subs: C Fennelly for Sheehan (33), C Fogarty for Keoghan (ht), P Murphy for Morrissey (46), L Blanchfield for Leahy (55), L Scanlon for Aylward (59).
DUBLIN: A Nolan; P Smyth, C O’Callaghan, B O’Carroll; C Crummey, S Moran, S Barrett; R McBride, E O’Donnell; J Malone, C Keaney, D Sutcliffe; F Whitely, L Rushe, P Ryan. Subs: P Winters for Ryan (45), F Mac Gib for Whitely (48), T Connolly for McBride (52), R O’Dwyer for Keaney (60 inj), S Durkin for Malone (66).
REF: D Kirwan (Cork).