Senior Hurlers Suffer First Defeat Of 2022 In Loss To Kilkenny

Sun, 6th March 2022

Dublin 0-16

Kilkenny 2-23

Dublin’s Senior Hurlers suffered their first defeat of 2022 on Saturday evening, going down to an impressive Kilkenny side at Parnell Park.

Having trailed by six points at half time, Dublin’s early hopes of a second half comeback were dashed by two quick Kilkenny goals in the third quarter to all but end the game as a contest.

On a sunny spring evening in front of a packed house in Donnycarney, the sides traded early points, with Rian McBride, Ronan Hayes and Dónal Burke all getting on the scoresheet for Dublin in the opening quarter.

Ronan Hayes fires over Dublin's second point from the stand side...
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Several first-half wides proved costly for Mattie Kenny’s side however, as Kilkenny pulled clear in the second quarter.

Points from Alan Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Walter Walsh, David Blanchfield and Martin Keoghan helped the visitors to a 0-11 to 0-05 lead at half time.

Dublin began the second half well and scores from Ronan Hayes and Dónal Burke (1f & ’65) reduced the gap to three points within six minutes of the restart.

However two quick Kilkenny killed any hopes of a Dublin comeback.

Walter Walsh struck the first in the 43^rd minute, with Martin Keoghan grabbing the second six minutes later to help Kilkenny to a 2-14 to 0-08 lead heading into the final quarter.

The visitors dominated the remainder of the game, with scores from the likes of Walsh, Blanchfield, Cillian Buckley and Mikey Carey.

Danny Sutcliffe struck three superb scores in the closing stages for Dublin, but it wasn’t to be enough as Kilkenny ran out winners by 2-23 to 0-16.

Next up for Dublin is a trip to face Laois in two weeks time.

Scorers:

Dublin: Donal Burke 0-09 (0-06f, ‘65), Danny Sutcliffe 0-03, Ronan Hayes 0-02, Rian McBride 0-01, Paul Crummey 0-01.

Kilkenny: Walter Walsh 1-03, Alan Murphy 0-05 (0-04f), Martin Keoghan 1-01, Padraig Walsh 0-04, David Blanchfield 0-03, Billy Ryan 0-02, Mikey Carey 0-02, Cillian Buckley 0-01, Cian Kenny 0-01, John Donnelly 0-01.

DUBLIN: Alan Nolan, Andrew Dunphy, Cian O'Callaghan, John Bellew, Seán Moran, Paddy Smyth, James Madden, Conor Burke, Chris Crummey, Danny Sutcliffe, Rian McBride, Dónal Burke, Fergal Whitely, Ronan Hayes, Aidan Mellett.

Subs: Eamonn Dillon for Fergal Whitely (45 mins), Jake Malone for Conor Burke (50 mins), Donnacha Ryan for Seán Moran (51 mins), Paul Crummey for Ronan Hayes (58 mins), Colin Currie for Aidan Mellett (61 mins).

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, Mikey Carey Paddy Deegan, David Blanchfield, Cian Kenny, Alan Murphy, Walter Walsh, Padraig Walsh, Tom Phelan, Billy Ryan, Cillian Buckley, Martin Keoghan.

Subs: John Donnelly for Tom Phelan (35 mins), James Maher for Cian Kenny (45 mins).