National Hurling LeagueMatch Report

Billy Drennan dazzles as Kilkenny beat Dublin by 11 points

Eoin Cody scores two goals for the hosts at Nowlan Park

Kilkenny's Cian Kenny with Cian Boland of Dublin after Sunday's league clash. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Kilkenny's Cian Kenny with Cian Boland of Dublin after Sunday's league clash. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Sun Mar 12 2023 - 17:27

Kilkenny 2-25 Dublin 1-17

At half-time in this encounter, we were reminded of the 2020 Leinster semi-final at Croke Park and Kilkenny’s 15-point interval lead that evening.

Dublin memorably fought back to wipe out that deficit only to be eventually beaten by a point, and we wondered if, in another black and amber bind, they might launch a similar revival.

There was no such insurgence though as Kilkenny, led superbly by Billy Drennan initially, and then two-goal sensation Eoin Cody, stretched a nine-point half-time lead to 11 by full-time.

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Quite what new Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng will take away from this one, aside from the knowledge that a draw against Waterford next weekend will secure a league semi-final place, is debatable.

He already knew that Drennan is one of the game’s hottest young talents so the former underage attacker’s 0-13 haul, bringing his league takings to 1-42 so far, wasn’t a surprise.

Cody’s excellence has been widely trumpeted too and it was the Shamrocks man’s 45th and 57th minute goals that set the seal on their third win of the campaign.

Likewise, few need any reminding that Padraig Walsh is a man for all seasons, and positions, so his strong showing in the full-back line was almost anticipated from the former centre-forward.

Dublin will probably learn most from the heavy defeat. Micheal Donoghue made six changes from the side that lost to Tipperary at Croke Park but by any metrics - touch, inter-play, aggression, efficiency - they came out second best. Donal Burke whipped up a second-half storm and finished with 0-11 but he is a man alone these days up front for Dublin.

“Right from the off today, we just seemed to be off it,” acknowledged Donoghue who criticised refereeing standards. “What we have to do sometimes to get a free is beyond me and it’s the biggest thing I have noticed since we have come back, the inconsistency that’s there.”

Lyng said he was “reasonably happy” with Kilkenny’s offering and rubbished any suggestion that they might like to avoid a league semi-final or final, given the Championship’s proximity.

His players clearly feel the same because after a goal scare from Dublin inside the opening seconds, they took off with a series of points, mostly from Drennan.

By half-time they’d amassed 17 points, to Dublin’s eight, and struck no wides. Ultra efficiency.

They weren’t as ruthless in the second-half yet still stretched the margin out to 14 points at one stage thanks in part to Cody’s goals. Paddy Smyth picked up two late bookings and was red carded for Dublin.

KILKENNY: E Murphy; T Walsh, C Delaney, P Walsh (0-2); C Kenny (0-1), R Reid, C Buckley; C Fogarty, P Mullen (0-1); B Ryan (0-2), J Donnelly (0-1), P Deegan (0-3); B Drennan (0-13, eight frees), M Keoghan, E Cody (2-2).

Subs: D Brennan for Murphy and W Walsh for Keoghan (both h-t), T Clifford for Mullen (46 mins), R Corcoran for Fogarty (60), D Blanchfield for Buckley (62).

DUBLIN: E Gibbons; A Dunphy, Eoghan O’Donnell, P Smyth; C Donohoe, C Burke, D Gray; R Smith, C O’Leary (0-1); D Burke (0-11, six frees, 1 65), D Sutcliffe, C Boland (0-2); S Currie, C O’Sullivan (0-1), A Considine (0-2).

Subs: P Crummey (1-0) for Currie (21 mins), P Doyle for Smith (46), D O Dulaing for O’Sullivan (51), J Bellew for Dunphy (54), D Keogh for Sutcliffe (64).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)