Kilkenny 3-25 Dublin 0-17
Martin Keoghan repaid Kilkenny manager Brian Cody’s faith with two goals in a terrific Parnell Park performance, leaving the Leinster title holders on the brink of a return to the final.
Keoghan wasn’t included in Cody’s initial lineup but was one of four late changes to the team and thrived with a terrific 2-1, his first goal putting Kilkenny ahead and his second breaking the back of Dublin’s brittle challenge.
TJ Reid then took centre stage and struck a third goal before adding a series of points that took his takings to 1-7 for the evening in front of 8,750 at Parnell Park.
After Keoghan’s second goal in the 47th minute, which moved Kilkenny from three to six points ahead, the back to back provincial champions outscored Dublin by 1-11 to 0-3.
Dublin will feel that they caved in badly though they have little time to dwell on defeat as they can still qualify for the Leinster final if they beat Galway in Salthill next Saturday. Kilkenny can also secure their place in the final with a win over Wexford so these two sides could yet meet again in what would be a repeat of the 2021 decider.
Flurry
Adrian Mullen was highly industrious for Kilkenny at midfield and struck five points, his first coming just seconds into a contest that began with a flurry of scores.
Initially, it was an even contest with the sides level on six occasions before Keoghan, who worked his socks off in the Kilkenny attack, gained possession with a sumptuous flick and struck beyond Sean Brennan to the net.
The strike separated the sides at half-time as Kilkenny led 1-11 to 0-11 and the teams split six points evenly between them in the first 10 minutes of the second-half.
From there, or more specifically, from the moment Keoghan struck Kilkenny’s second goal after great work in the buildup by Reid, it was all about the visitors who opened up with some thrilling play.
Dublin couldn’t contain them and with Reid excelling, and converting Dublin’s third goal in the 55th minute, it was all one-way traffic.
KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, C Delaney, T Walsh; M Carey, R Reid, P Deegan; A Mullen (0-5), A Murphy (0-3); W Walsh, TJ Reid (1-7, five frees), P Walsh; C Kenny (0-4), M Keoghan (2-1), E Cody (0-2).
Subs: J Donnelly (0-1) for W Walsh (h-t), B Ryan (0-1) for P Walsh (48 mins), C Fogarty for Murphy (59 mins), C Buckley (0-1) for Mullen (65 mins), D Blanchfield for Butler (68 mins).
DUBLIN: S Brennan; J Madden, E O'Donnell, C O'Callaghan; D Ryan, P Smyth, D Gray (0-1); PC Burke (0-2), C Crummey (0-1); D Burke (0-9, seven frees), R McBride (0-1), D Sutcliffe; F Whitely (0-1), R Hayes, A Mellett.
Subs: M Schutte (0-1) for Mellett (33 mins), E Dillon (0-1) for Hayes (55 mins), A Dunphy for Gray (59 mins), J Bellew or O’Donnell (63 mins), D Keogh for McBride (65 mins).
Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
