Strong finish sees Kilkenny Minors advance into provincial final

Cian Byrne bagged 3-3 as Kilkenny got the better of a stubborn Dublin outfit in last Saturday’s Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship semi-final at UPMC Nowlan Park.

The O’Loughlin Gaels man got two goals inside the final 10 minutes as the home side rattled off 2-4 without reply to eventually see off their Leinster neighbours.

Jake Mullen was also among the goals as the Cats. While Dublin threatened to make a comeback in the second half, Niall Bergin’s side were always in a degree of comfort.

It was the second meeting of the sides in just a number of weeks after they met in the fianl round of the group stages in the Leinster Championship and it was a competitive affair from the get go.

The home side raced into an early 0-4 to 0-1 lead courtesy of three Jake Mullen frees and an Eoin Brennan effort from play.

Rory Flannery got Dublin’s sole response and he was influential throughout the game as he contributed 1-6 in total.

The Dubs narrowed the deficit further when the midfield pair of Cormac Mac Canna and Ciaran Fitzgerald both found the target.

Jake Mullen then pounced on a loose ball near the Dublin square to flick in the opening goal of the game at the halfway mark of the opening period and Kilkenny had quickly opened up a 1-6 to 0-4 advantage.

The cushion on the scoreboard didn’t last long though as almost immediately Conaill O’Sullivan dispossessed Kilkenny stopper Cian Dermody down the other end and finished to the empty net.

The defending Leinster champions finsihed the half the better however as Cian Byrne bagged the first of his hat-trick when released by the speedy Ollie O’Donovan in the 19th minute.

The Cats went on to dominate the rest of the half and took a 2-11 to 1-7 lead into the dressing rooms.

Dublin made a real game of it upon the reumption with Rory Flannery converting a penalty after Corey Kelly was fouled and when Sean Culleton got a third goal, only two points seperated the teams.

The Kilkenny response was emphatic though with Byrne getting two late goals to add to further points from Diarmuid Behan, Brian Hickey and Kevin Buggy as the side in black and amber now advance to this Saturday’s final against Galway in Portlaoise.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny; Cian Byrne 3-3; Jake Mullen 1-9 (0-7f); Kevin Buggy 0-2; Eoin Brennan, Oisin Henderson, Diarmuid Behan, Ollie O’Donovan, Brian Hickey 0-1 each

Dublin: Rory Flannery 1-6 (1-0pen, 0-5f); Conaill O’Sullivan 1-1; Sean Culleton 1-0; Cormac Mac Canna, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Richie Hession 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: Cian Dermody (James Stephens); Oisin Henderson (Dicksboro), Larry Phelan (James Stephens), David McGee (O'Loughlin Gaels); Ben Nevin (Thomastown), Josh Dowling (Erin's Own), PJ Mackey (Rower Inistioge); Diarmuid Behan (James Stephens), Brian Hickey (Dunnamaggin); Kevin Buggy (Erin's Own), Ollie O'Donovan (John Lockes), Jake Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale); Eoin Brennan (Erin's Own), Conor Holohan (O'Loughlin Gaels), Cian Byrne (O'Loughlin Gaels).

Subs: Adam Maher (O’Loughlin Gaels) for Holohan (50 mins), Kealan Barcoe (Young Irelands) for McGee (56 mins), Darragh Hickey (Emeralds) for Buggy (59 mins), Paddy O’Brien (John Lockes) for Henderson (61 mins), S Hanrahan (Tullogher Rosbercon) for O’Donovan (63 mins).

Dublin: Hugh Leahy; Diarmuid Fallon, Paul O’Connell, Darragh Nolan; Josh Graham, Rory Duffy, Luke Hayes; Ciaran Fitzgerald, Cormac Mac Canna; Christian Kane, Rory Flannery, Corey Kelly; Sean Culleton, Richie Hession, Conaill O’Sullivan.

Subs: Derry Ware for Kane (half-time), Finn O’Donnell for Hession (half-time), Cole Condon for Graham (46 mins), Daniel O’Connor for Duffy (53 mins), Daniel Ward for Mac Canna (55 mins).

Referee; James McGrath (Westmeath).