Leinster MHC Final/Kilkenny 1-15 Dublin 1-04: In all probability, the Dublin hurling following has seen the last of Kilkenny for the summer. The defeat of the metropolitan minor side in yesterday's Leinster final sees them consigned to the back-door route.
After defeating Wexford in Carlow, Dublin didn't do themselves justice and shaking the proverbial monkey off their back, Kilkenny, remains a major stumbling block.
Three times in just over a week, Kilkenny have seen off teams from the capital.
The under-21s may have offered hope in their midweek clash in Portlaoise when they came within four points of the team in black and amber in their semi-final, but there was no such consolation here.
Yesterday's affair in Croke Park, played in wind and rain, once more emphasised Kilkenny's superiority.
Kilkenny, 1989 and 2000 apart, have been practically unbeatable at this level. But this latest win, an 11-point victory, was not at all flattering, and can once again be chalked down to an attack that, when needed to, put over the scores with ease.
Their two corner forwards, Richard Hogan and Eoin Guinan, gave their respective markers a torrid time and not even a switch midway through, when John McCaffrey was moved on to Guinan, remedied the situation.
Guinan, a survivor from last year's All-Ireland-winning team, landed six points from play, five of which came in the first half.
That enabled Kilkenny to open up a 0-9 to 0-3 lead before Dublin forward Alan McCrabbe pointed a fine score from the right-hand side.
As the Dublin management conceded afterwards, it was a scoreline they would have settled for, given that they could look forward to the aid of the breeze after the break.
But disaster then struck in the third minute of injury time when Kilkenny struck a huge blow.
Richard Hogan produced a shot that forced a good reflex save out of Dublin goalkeeper Patrick Curtin. But Patrick Hogan was on hand to drive a low shot into the back of the net and leave the half-time score reading 1-9 to 0-4.
Then came the rain, although it didn't dampen Dublin's spirit. Four minutes into the second half they claimed a goal.
Eoin Moran offloaded to midfielder Michael Smyth, who, from some distance out, found the net via the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
That was Dublin's last score of the game, with three frees from Maurice Nolan coupled with additional scores from Guinan, Gavin Nolan and Patrick Hogan proving more than enough to secure Kilkenny's 49th title at the grade.
KILKENNY: L Tierney; J Maher, K Joyce, W Norton; N Prendergast, R Maher, S Prendergast; P Hartley, N Delahunty; G Nolan (0-2), P Hogan (1-1, one free), E O'Donoghue; R Hogan (0-2), M Nolan (0-4, all frees), E Guinan (0-6). Subs: M Ruth for Delahunty (35 mins); T Maloney for G Nolan (55); E Walsh for Norton (58); JJ Kenny for Prendergast (60); M Aylward for R Hogan (60 +1).
DUBLIN: P Curtin; T Brady, S Costello, J McCaffrey; T Diamond, J Duffy, I Fleming; M Smyth (1-0), W Lowry; F Rabbitte, D Webster, E Moran (0-1); S Loughlin (0-1, free), P Carton, A McCrabbe (0-2, one free). Subs: B McLoughlin for Loughlin (25 mins); J Boland for Costello (half-time); D Keating for Diamond (41); C Lane for Rabbitte (50); J Bridgeman for Moran (52).
Referee: B Gavin (Offaly)
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