Dublin proved too strong for Kilkenny in yesterday’s Leinster minor hurling final played in Croke Park yesterday. Dublin seemed physically dominant over Kilkenny and opened strongly registering three points in the first 10 minutes one from Glenn Whelan and two from Paul Winters.The Kilkenny mentors switched Kevin Kelly, to centre-forward, and the star of last year’s side helped Kilkenny back into contention. The breeze seemed to favour the Dubs slightly, but their shooting from distance was inaccurate
All three Dublin dual star Ciaran Kilkenny was well marshaled on the half- forward line his fellow Dublin minor football players Emmet O Conghaile and Cormac Costello picked off scores. Dublin goaled just on the interval when Ciaran Kilkenny and Aodhan Clabby combined well and the ball was finished to the net by Cormac Costello, son of Dublin county secretary John.
In arrears by 1-8 to 0-6 at the break, Kilkenny improved on the resumption, but Dublin continued to retain the goal advantage.Kilkenny’s best goal chance came in the 38th minute when full-forward Conor Martin’s shot across the face of the Dublin goal was inches wide. Kilkenny continued to press but Dublin lifted the siege with a point in the 46th minute from Emmett O’ Conghaile.While substitute James Maher scored a well taken injury-time goal to cut the gap to three Kilkenny could get no closer and Dublin march into the All-Ireland semi-finals while Kilkenny now play in the quarter-finals..
SCORERS — Dublin: C Costello 1-2, E O Conghaile 0-3, C Kilkenny (1f), P Winters (1f), O O’Rorke (1f) 0-2 each, C Crummy, J Desmond (f), G Whelan 0-1 each. Kilkenny: J Maher 1-1, K Kelly 0-3 (2f), P Vickery, R Reid 0-2 each, C O’Shea, C Bolger, T O’Hanrahan 0-1 each.
DUBLIN — C Ryan; E Lowndes, C O’Callaghan, S McClelland; C Crummy, J Desmond, M McCaffrey; G Whelan, C Cronin; C McHugh, C Kilkenny, A Clabby; C Costello, E O Conghaile, P Winters. Subs: O O’Rorke for Winters (h-t), B McCarthy for Cronin (50), C Boland for Whelan (57), D Forde for McHugh (57).
KILKENNY — A Duggan; J McDowell, C Doyle, E Morrissey; K Walsh, D Cody, E McGrath; C O’Shea, C Bolger; P Vickery, P Kenneally, K Kelly; T O’Hanrahan, C Martin, R Reid. Subs: D Kearns for Keneally (h-t), J Maher for C Martin (38), R Moran for Walsh (49), J Hayes for Vickery (57).
Ref — J Heffernan (Wexford).
By Mary Morgan Mon 4th Jul
