KILKENNY 6-12 DUBLIN 0-12
All-Ireland champions, Kilkenny, brushed aside the challenge of Dublin in the Walsh Cup senior hurling quarter-final at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Cats led 1-7 to 0-7 at the break with the impressive Michael Grace grabbing their goal three minutes before the interval. But within four minutes of the restart the result of the game was settled when goals from Aidan Fogarty and Richie Hogan pushed Kilkenny 3-7 to 0-7 clear.
Three minutes into the second half a great sideline cut from JJ Delaney was won by Fogarty who slipped the ball to the net past Dubs keeper Alan Nolan. From the resulting puck out Hogan rifled to the net after being set up by Michael Grace.
Any slackness in Dubs defence was clinically punished and the backs found themselves under consistent pressure in the second half. Kilkenny sub, Patrick Hogan, found the net in the 56th minute and four minutes later younger brother, Richie, grabbed his second goal of the game to give his side a commanding 5-8 to 0-10 lead. The sixth goal was scored by Michael Rice.
Alan McCrabbe showed up well for the Dubs and converted his frees well and with Shane Durkin was busy at midfield.
“ There were few positives” mused manager Anthony Daly after the game “ I’ve only seen the players in a couple of challenges. A couple of the lads showed up okay, but the goals were softish”
SCORERS – Kilkenny: R Hogan 2-2, M Grace 1-3, A Fogarty, M Rice 1-1 each, P Hogan 1-0, R Power (0-2f), J Dalton (0-1f), J Mulhall, P Murphy 0-1 each.
KILKENNY – D Herity; C Hickey, B Hogan, J Tyrrell; J Dalton, J Tennyson, JJ Delaney; T Walsh, D Fogarty; M Rice, P Hartley, R Hogan; M Grace, A Fogarty, PJ Ryan. Subs: P Hogan for Hartley (45), K Joyce for Tyrrell (47), J Mulhall for Fogarty (51), P Murphy for Walsh (59), E Brennan for R Hogan (yellow, 66).
DUBLIN – A Nolan; N Corcoran, K Ryan, P Brennan; S Hiney, T Brady, M Carton; A McCrabbe, S Durkin; T Sommers, L Ryan, J Kelly; L Rushe, S Martin, P Carton. Subs: D Russell for Sommers (inj 7), D O’Callaghan for L Ryan (ht), R Trainor for Brennan (ht), S Lambert for P Carton (yellow, 44), D Treacy for Kelly (53), S Mullen for Russell (64).
REF – J Owens (Wexford).
OTHER RESULTS
Walsh Cup
Antrim 1-13 Laois 0-14
Wexford 0-20 UCD 1-15
Kehoe Cup
Westmeath 4-2 Wicklow 1-5
DCU 0-15 Fingal 1-6
DIT 3-18 Down 3-13 (AET)
Carlow 1-15 Roscommon 0-8
Kehoe Shield
Kildare 1-12 Meath 0-12