Kilkenny stroll to impressive victory over Leinster rivals Dublin
Kilkenny 2-23 Dublin 0-16
Kilkenny produced the best performance of their league campaign thus far as they ran out fully deserved 13 point winners over Dublin in Parnell Park.
Matty Kenny Dublin's side came into the game on an unbeaten run but they were thoroughly overworked by an on fire Kilkenny side.
Walter Walsh and Martin Keoghan found the net in the second period for the Cats but a first half where they restricted the Dubs to only five points as thy led 0-11 to 0-5 really laid the platform for the victory.
The full back and centre back axis of Huw Lawlor and Paddy Deegan trumped their Dublin opposition throughout and all but one of the Kilkenny forwards registered on the scoreboard with Walter Walsh, Padraig Walsh and Martin Keoghan all scoring heavily.
Kilkenny now go into the final game with Waterford knowing that a win will secure a place in the Division 1 League semi-finals.
Teams and Scorers
Kilkenny- Walter Walsh (1-3), Alan Murphy (0-5, 0-4f), Martin Keoghan (1-1), Padraig Walsh (0-4), David Blanchfield (0-3), Billy Ryan, Mikey Carey (0-2 each), Cian Kenny, Cillian Buckley, John Donnelly (0-1 each)
Dublin- Donal Burke (0-9, 0-5f, 0-2 65), Danny Sutcliffe (0-3), Ronan Hayes (0-2), Riain McBride, Paul Crummey (0-1 each)
Kilkenny- Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan, David Blanchfield; Cian Kenny, Alan Murphy; Walter Walsh, Padraig Walsh, Tom Phelan; Cillian Buckley, Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan.
Subs- John Donnelly for Phelan 34 mins, James Maher for Kenny 44 mins.
Dublin- Alan Nolan; Andrew Dunphy, Sean Moran, Cian O'Callaghan; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, James Madden; Conor Burke, Chris Crummey; Donal Burke, Riain McBride, Danny Sutcliffe; Fergal Whitely, Ronan Hayes, Aidan Mellett.
Subs- Eamon Dillon for Whitely 46 mins, Jake Malone for C.Burke 50 mins, Shane Barrett for Moran 51 mins, Paul Crummey for Hayes 58 mins, Colin Currie for Mellett 61 mins.
Referee- Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow)