Oisin Henderson, Kilkenny, and Tom Higgins, Dublin, in Electric Ireland Leinster MHC Final action. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland Leinster MHC Final
Kilkenny 1-13 Dublin 1-9
A 48th minute goal from Ollie O’Donovan proved crucial as Kilkenny saw off Dublin to capture their first Leinster Minor Hurling Championship crown since 2021.
Kilkenny led for long periods and helped by big displays from Jake Mullen, Robbie Doherty and Eoin Brennan, the Cats made up for defeat at the hands of the same opponents earlier in the competition.
A first half Dublin goal from Eoin Brennan looked to have side in sky blue in a good position when only trailing by two points at half-time after playing into a stiff breeze, but it was the third quarter where Niall Bergin’s Kilkenny side really took over.
Kilkenny scored four of the first five points of the second half and forced Dublin to open up their play a little and while the beaten side did get the last three points of the game, the job was already done for the Noresiders.
With the aid of a strong breeze at their back, Kilkenny started very well with points from play by defenders Oisin Henderson and David Barcoe adding to frees from Jake Mullen.
Dublin kept in touch with efforts from Tommy Cullen, Rory Flannery and Killian Costello before they struck for the game’s opening goal halfway through the half when after a point attempt from Flannery hung in the air and came back off the crossbar, Eoghan Brennan was the first on the scene to blast the rebound to the net.
That opened up a five point Dublin lead, but the Kilkenny response was swift as they got the next five scores to retake the advantage on the scoreboard.
Jake Mullen who was hugely influential all the way through really came to prominence during this spell and his six opening half points saw his team lead 0-9 to 1-4 at the interval.
Dublin narrowed that gap to the minimum within minutes of the resumption, but they wouldn’t score again until the 46th minute which coincided in Kilkenny’s best spell of the game.
Not only did points from Mullen, Eoin Brennan, Robbie Doherty and Conor Holohan extend the Kilkenny lead, but it was their overall attitude and signal of intent that forced Dublin onto the backfoot.
Dublin had been utilising Tommy Cullen as a sweeper, but that plan was abandoned as Kilkenny went clear on the scoreboard and the extra space certainly played a part in Ollie O’Donovan’s cracking individual goal that essentially wrapped the game up for the Cats.
Dublin did rally towards the end, but Kilkenny had done more than enough to wrap up a 60th provincial crown at this level for the county.
Scorers for Kilkenny; Jake Mullen 0-7 (5fs), Ollie O’Donovan 1-0, Robbie Doherty 0-2, Oisin Henderson, David Barcoe, Conor Holohan, and Eoin Brennan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Eoghan Brennan 1-0, Rory Flannery 0-3 (2fs, ‘65), Tommy Cullen 0-2, Cathal O’Flynn, Darragh Kilduff, Tom Higgins, and Killian Costello 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: Jake O’Doherty; Oisin Henderson, Larry Phelan, Bobby Brennan; David Barcoe, Jack Dollard, Mikey Rohan; Robbie Doherty, Kevin Buggy; Eoin Brennan, Bill McDermott, Conor Holohan; Ollie O’Donovan, Jason Cody, Jake Mullen.
Subs: Eoghan Cahill for McDermott 50 mins, Cian Byrne for Cody 50 mins.
Dublin; Padraig Ryan; Mark Byrne, Shane Dunphy, Rory Duffy; Conor Quinn, Cathal O’Flynn, Tommy Cullen; James Norris, Fiachra Codd; Eoghan Brennan, Rory Flannery, Fionn Daly; Darragh Kilduff, Tom Higgins, Killian Costello.
Subs: Senan Bolger for Higgins HT, Cathal Barrett for Costello 41 mins, Ciaran Fitzgerald for Duffy 46 mins, Oscar Brennan for E.Brennan 46 mins, Adam Ryan for Codd 61 mins.
Referee: Matty Redmond (Kildare)
