Dublin 1-17
Kilkenny 3-11
In the end, Dublin got what they deserved. Just. A Paul Ryan point with the last puck of the match gave them the point which still leaves them in the hunt for a league final spot but the result was even more critical in terms of limiting the long-term damage a defeat here could have caused because Dublin once again largely dominated possession.
Six days after blowing the game against Galway with 19 wides, Dublin shot 17 wides yesterday evening. The monsoon-type conditions contributed in part to that profligacy but the big positive this time around was that they kept their heads when chasing down the game and registered the last three scores.
After getting on top in the third quarter, Kilkenny failed to score for the 16 minutes when they went about closing down the space by pulling men back but Dublin increased their intensity and Ryan’s contribution was critical in a frenetic last eight minutes. Similar to last week, he took over the placed-ball duties from Conal Keaney and he landed a ’65 and a difficult free before getting the equaliser.
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Defeat would have been even more frustrating for Dublin given that Kilkenny were there for the taking, especially in the opening half. They looked leaden-footed and lethargic and Dublin could have been out of sight after the opening quarter when they hit six wides and missed three clear-cut goal chances.
Kilkenny on the other hand, were typically clinical when they got any sniff at goal. Matthew Ruth, who had made a name for himself as a goal-poacher at U21 level, hit 2-1 on his first league start. Although Colin Fennelly, one of Kilkenny’s most impressive young players in this campaign, didn’t score from play, he was instrumental in creating both goals.
It was also a significant game for Eddie Brennan, who finally seemed to have rediscovered his old confidence and swagger, ending the match with 1-2 and continually posing a threat on the edge of the square.
Kilkenny clearly missed the aerial presence and defensive authority of Tommy Walsh and JJ Delaney because Keaney and Ryan O’Dwyer bossed the play in the half-forward line in the opening half but Kilkenny’s big guns gradually came into the match.
Michael Fennelly dictated the tempo for long periods of the second half while TJ Reid also got on a lot of ball when he was introduced after 43 minutes.
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With so many injuries, Dublin had to alter their defence, with Peter Kelly — who was taken off Brennan after the first half — going to full-back and Tomás Brady operating at number six. Dublin led by 1-12 to 2-7 at half-time but that completely misrepresented their dominance all over the field and Kilkenny’s attack had been living off scraps.
Although they found their scoring range with eight scores in 13 minutes before the break, and they mined two excellent points from intelligent interplay and heads-up hurling in the second quarter, Dublin then went 14 minutes without a score as Kilkenny got on top in the middle third. They went ahead for the first time in the 48th minute and Ruth’s second goal 10 minutes later looked to have put them in the driving seat.
The Kilkenny of old would have put the game to bed but this is also a new-look Dublin side and their endeavour was eventually rewarded.
Star man: Paul Ryan (Dublin) Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath)
Dublin: G Maguire; N Corcoran, P Kelly, O Gough (P Schutte 59min); R Walsh, T Brady, S Durkin (0-1); J McCaffrey (0-1), L Rushe (0-2); D Plunkett (0-1) (P Carton 66min), R O'Dwyer (0-2), C Keaney (0-5, 3fs, 1’65); S Lambert (S Ryan 49min), D O'Callaghan, P Ryan (1-5, 1f, 1'65).
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Kilkenny: D Herity; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Dalton; P Hogan, B Hogan, C Fogarty (PJ Delaney 56min); P Murphy (TJ Reid 43min), E Larkin; R Hogan (0-5, 3fs), M Fennelly (0-2), C Fennelly; M Ruth (2-1), E Brennan (1-2), A Fogarty (0-1) (J Mulhall 52min)
St Kieran’s win Croke Cup for 18th time
Thomas O’Hanrahan struck in stoppage time as St Kieran's captured the All-Ireland Colleges senior A hurling championship against Limerick side Ardscoil, for a second successive season. O’Hanrahan scored a priceless winning goal with 61 minutes and 30 seconds on the watch. Sub Richie Reid added another point to give St Kieran’s a 2-10 to 1-11 victory in front of 2,535 Thurles spectators. Clare minor Jamie Shanahan’s close-range effort was then blocked at the other end as Ardscoil Rís, who trailed by 0-4 to 1-4 at half-time, desperately chased a winning goal but to no avail