It’s Leinster hurling final day in Croke Park on Sunday when Kilkenny bid to retain the title against Dublin
Sunday
GAA Hurling Leinster Senior Championship Final
Dublin v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 4.00pm.
GAA Hurling Ulster Senior Championship Final
DUBLIN v KILKENNY
Will Kilkenny win their 13th Leinster title in fourteen seasons or will Dublin end a 50-year wait for the title, having last won in 1961. The answer will emerge in Croke Park on Sunday when for the second time in three seasons the counties meet in the final. Kilkenny beat Dublin by 2-18 to 0-18 in the 2009 final and had a more comprehensive win in last year’s semi-final, 4-19 to 0-12.
However, the 2011 season has been much more successful for Dublin who beat Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup and Allianz League finals while drawing with the black and amber in the Division I group game. Dublin are seeking their first Leinster final win over Kilkenny since 1942 when they won by 4-8 to 1-4. Dublin produced two excellent performances when beating Offaly and Galway to reach the final while Kilkenny saw off old rivals, Wexford.
Paths to final
Dublin 2-21 Offaly 1-20
Dublin 0-19 Galway 2-7
Dublin Top Scorers
Paul Ryan………………1-21 (0-19 frees, 1-0 pen)
Conal Keaney…………0-4
David O’Callaghan….0-4
Alan McCrabbe………0-4
***
Kilkenny 1-26 Wexford 1-15
Kilkenny Top Scorers
Michael Rice……………0-4
Richie Power……………0-4
Richie Hogan…………..1-1
Last Five Championship Clashes
2010: Kilkenny 4-19 Dublin 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)
2009: Kilkenny 2-18 Dublin 0-18 (Leinster final)
2004: Kilkenny 4-22 Dublin 0-8 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2003: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)
2000: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)
Last year…
Kilkenny 4-19 Dublin 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)
It was close enough in the first half at the end of which Kilkenny led by 1-10 to 0-8. They still held a five point lead after 48 minutes but Dublin managed just two more points while Kilkenny hit 3-7 to run out 19 points winners.
Henry Shefflin (0-12), Aidan Fogarty (2-0), Eddie Brennan (1-1) and Richie Power (1-0) were Kilkenny’s top scorers while Alan McCrabbe (0-6) and Peter Kelly (0-2) top scored for Dublin.
So far this year…
Dublin 2-17 Kilkenny 2-13 (Walsh Cup final, Parnell Park, February 27)
Dublin led by 1-11 to 0-2 at half-time and they increased it to 2-14 to 0-5 after 46 minutes. Kilkenny rallied but Dublin held on for a four point win.
Dublin 1-17 Kilkenny 3-11 (Allianz League Round 6, Croke Park, April 2)
Kilkenny led by three points after 57 minutes but Dublin rallied and shot three points to level it up.
Dublin 0-22 Kilkenny 1-7 (Allianz League Final, Croke Park, May 1)
A remarkable day as Dublin beat Kilkenny 12 points. They led by 0-11 to 1-2 at half-time and added a further eleven points in the second half whereas Kilkenny could only manage 0-5.
Leinster Title Roll of Honour
Kilkenny are seeking their 68th title. They are currently 44 ahead of Dublin who won 23 titles, followed by Wexford on 20, Offaly on 9 and Laois on three.
Kilkenny (67): 1888-93-95-97-98-1900-03-04-05-07-09-11-12-13-16-22-23-25-26-31-32-33-35-36-37-39-40-43-45-46-47-50-53-57-58-59-63-64-66-67-69-71-72-73-74-75-78-79-82-83-86-87-91-92-93-98-99-2000-2001-2002-2003-2005-2006-2007-2008-2009-2010.
Dublin (23): 1889-92-94-96-1902-06-08-17-19-20-21-24-27-28-30-34-38-41-42-44-48-52-61.
Article Source: Hill16.ie
