Dublin 4-27 Carlow 0-2:Dublin's defence of their Cadbury's Leinster under-21 football championship title began with a facile 37-point victory over Carlow at Parnell Park last night.

The result was never in doubt from the early stages in which the All-Ireland holders kicked three points within the first five minutes from Adam Caffrey, Ciarán Kilkenny and Shane Carthy.

Carlow’s misfortune was epitomised in the 11th minute when Kilkenny, returning to the county colours for the first time since his brief Australia sojourn, found the net with an audacious 20-metre attempt.

On a rare sortie into their opponents’ half, Donal Kelly landed Carlow’s first and solitary score of the first half at the end of the first quarter but the procession continued unabated with the impressive Glenn Whelan and Emmet Ó Conghaile adorning fine displays with excellent scores from play.

Leading by 1-16 to 0-1 at the interval, Dublin found scores far too easy to come by on the restart and it was little surprise when Kilkenny added Dublin’s second goal of the night after 37 minutes.

Kilkenny finished with a personal tally of 2-10 while Carthy and substitute Harry Dawson also added second-half goals.