KILKENNY BRUSH DUBLIN ASIDE TO BOOK FINAL PLACE
FOR Dublin supporters travelling to Portlaoise last night, the fixture surely evoked a bit of nostalgia about the famous night three years ago when a first Championship victory over Kilkenny was fashioned since the Second World War.
The fact that it was the one and only time in the Brian Cody era that Kilkenny lost a replay only added to the sense of history.
Less than two months on since the AllIreland champions were over-run by Clare in the Allianz Hurling League semi-final, 4-22 the highest ever score conceded by a team under Cody, there was sense that maybe, just maybe, an ambush was on the cards. Especially with 2014’s Hurler of the Year Richie Hogan missing in action with a broken hand.
Instead, just like Ger Aylward in last year’s Leinster semi-final, Kilkenny found a match-winner outside the usual suspects in a star-studded attack. In Hogan’s absence, the Thomastown player Jonjo Farrell did his best to stake a claim for the No 13 jersey, hitting 1-5 and pouncing for the second half goal that killed off the game in front of 10,419 supporters.
From a finely balanced, hard-hitting encounter that had just the minimum separating the sides at the break, the ease with which Kilkenny brushed aside the Dublin challenge on the resumption was the most startling aspect. In hitting 1-8 without reply, the All-Ireland champions had a place in a Leinster final sorted with 20 minutes left and look the team to beat still.
Dublin hit hard from the off, showing a ferocity in the tackle that showed little respect for Kilkenny’s reputation. Kilkenny too matched fire with fire, lending a real Championship bite to proceedings, badly needed after a tame start to 2016.
The flipside is that defensive indiscipline was rife on both sides, the first seven scores all coming from frees, David Treacy doing his best to try and match TJ Reid strike for strike.
After the Hurler of the Year made it 0-3 apiece, Kilkenny then hit four on the bounce to take firm control. Michael Fennelly read Conor Dooley’s puck-out to steal the first point of the game while Farrell rounded off the scoring burst with a neat point.
Credit to Dublin, they refused to back away from the fight, Ryan O’Dwyer grappling with Padraig Walsh one minute, then thundering into Walter Walsh to send him out over the sideline in the 20th minute. By that stage, they had clawed their way right back into the game at 0-7 apiece, Joey Holden being tagged on a few different occasions at the back for Kilkenny, allowing Treacy to even things up.
Dublin then carved out the first clear-cut goal chance. It started with a brilliant block by Liam Rushe on Michael Fennelly, Shane Barrett setting off on a driving run down the line. He played the ball inside to Dotsy O’Callaghan who showed brilliant control, turned Robert Lennon, only to see his shot well saved by Eoin Murphy.
Colin Fennelly almost got in for a goal for Kilkenny before half-time only for Cian O’Callaghan to recover superbly and get the hook in.
Kilkenny again opened up a fourpoint lead but with Johnny McCaffrey’s influence growing for Dublin, his team finished the half with points from Daire Plunkett, Eamon Dillon and another Treacy free to leave it Kilkenny 0-12 Dublin 0-11 at the break.
If Dublin thought they had the job half-done, Kilkenny quickly robbed them of that delusion, firing over points at will in a devastating burst of scoring. TJ Reid pinged over two frees and added a sweet one from play while Walter Walsh added two from play – Dooley again getting caught out on the Dublin puck-out. Farrell continued his impressive form in the corner by swinging his third point from play over from a tight angle.
Six points in six minutes. Dublin were done.
The sense of shock seemed to pervade the whole Dublin team as Kilkenny suddenly seemed to win every challenge, every ball.
Dublin were being cleaned on the puck-outs and Cillian Buckley plucked another one to boom a point from distance.
Then came the Kilkenny goal that threatened to turn the game into a rout. Farrell was quickest to a well placed ball into the full-forward line and turned then tucked a shot into the far corner. When he added another point from play on 49 minutes, Kilkenny had hit 1-8 without reply and were out the gate.