Kilkenny 0-23
Dublin 1-14
HURLER OF THE Year TJ Reid did all the damage at Nowlan Park with 11 points to help secure Kilkenny’s place at the head of Division 1A in the Allianz hurling league.
Reid was a class apart in perfect conditions in front of 8,871 to secure the Cats, on paper at least, the easier quarter-final tie, although that’s debatable, with Offaly the opposition.
Walter Walsh and Richie Hogan were on form too with 0-3 each and, in truth, All-Ireland champions Kilkenny never looked in any danger of being caught after a strong start.
It was a depressing feeling for Dublin who finished strong to lose by just six points but were well beaten overall.
Boss Ger Cunningham hoped his side had addressed their streak of inconsistency though they’ve now bookended their Division 1A campaign with heavy defeats to Tipperary and Kilkenny, winning their three games in between.
It was ominous from early on for the visitors who fell 0-7 to 0-1 down after 20 minutes.
Fionntan MacGib pulled back a 22nd minute goal after great work down the left from Eamonn Dillon who had an intriguing first-half battle with Jackie Tyrrell.
But six more Kilkenny points without reply, including a second from the excellent Padraig Walsh, helped them to move 0-14 to 1-3 ahead at half-time.
Both sides racked up the wides and it told a tale of Kilkenny’s early dominance that they also had 10 first-half wides.
Dublin had 11 in the first-half and 16 in total so Cunningham will have plenty of questions for his side ahead of the quarter-finals.
Kilkenny moved nine clear early in the second-half and appeared to be in fourth gear as they closed out the game from there, picking off a series of points to keep well clear.
David Treacy had a strong second-half for Dublin with five points while Dillon showed flashes of excellence but it was another miserable afternoon overall for the 2011 champions.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-11 (0-6f), Richie Hogan 0-3, Walter Walsh 0-3, Padraig Walsh 0-2, Lester Ryan 0-2, John Power 0-1, Kieran Joyce 0-1 (0-1f).
Scorers for Dublin: David Treacy 0-5 (0-4f), Fionntan MacGib 1-1, Eamonn Dillon 0-3, Niall McMorrow 0-2, Mark Schutte 0-1, Johnny McCaffrey 0-1, Liam Rushe 0-1.
Kilkenny
1. Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
17. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens)
3. Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
4. Brian Kennedy (St Lachtain’s)
5. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
6. Kieran Joyce (Rower-Inistioge)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8. Lester Ryan (Clara)
9. Diarmuid Cody (James Stephens)
10. Walter Walsh (Tullogher-Rosbercon)
11. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
12. James Maher (St Lachtain’s)
14. John Power (Carrickshock)
13. Jonjo Farrell (Thomastown)
15. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
Subs:
23. Michael Malone (Mullinavat) for Maher (61)
18. Shane Prendergast (Clara) for Tyrrell (61)
22. Kevin Kelly (St Patrick’s) for Malone (72)
Dublin
1. Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
3. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
4. Oisin Gough (Cuala)
5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
6. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
7. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)
8. Darragh O’Connell (Cuala)
21. Glenn Whelan (Ballinteer St John’s)
10. Colm Cronin (Cuala)
11. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
12. David Treacy (Cuala)
14. Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionnbarra)
23. Fiontan McGibb (Setanta)
15. Mark Schutte (Cuala)
Subs:
9. Johnny McCaffrey for Whelan (29)
22. Sean McGrath (Kilmacud Crokes) for Cronin (46)
25. Sean Treacy (Cuala) for O’Connell (62)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).
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