Dublin showed some fight but it was the All-Ireland champions that called all the shots.
At half-time of Dublin’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship semi-final, Dublin looked well in this contest. 0-12 to 0-11 down but looking comfortable wading in the deep waters.
By the shrill of the full-time whistle in Portlaoise, they had sunk without trace. 1-25 to 0-16 and cruise control engaged for the final 20 minutes.
Kilkenny hit the front early and there was daylight – a point or two – for most of the opening half. Dublin were not taking a backwards step, however.
In fact, Shane Barrett took about three forward steps through Walter Walsh to concede a free and spark a melee.
Walsh was in no danger as he fielded a sideline cut
Barrett was on him like white on rice
A meaty connection but it was straight into Walsh’s chest
The Cats forward crumpled to the deck
It would be the last time Dublin were to make a sizeable impact on their vaunted foes.
The second-half saw Kilkenny bolt from the gate and leave Dublin in their dust. Brian Cody’s men scored 1-08 without response, with Jonjo Farrell’s clinical strike the puck of the scoring glut.
A couple of David Treacy scores and one from Dotsie O’Callaghan finally shifted their scoreboard but Kilkenny answered with two of their own to reassert dominance.
Treacy was the only man firing for Dublin and registered 11 of their 16 scores. The Cats needed Paul Murphy to make a couple of good stops in goal but they cantered to a win that places them in the Leinster final, awaiting the winners of Galway’s clash with Offaly.
For Dublin, it’s off to the qualifiers.
