Allianz Hurling League Division One Group B

Kilkenny 2-25 Dublin 1-17

By Robert Cribbin at UPMC Nowlan Park

Kilkenny cruised to a comprehensive Allianz Hurling League success over Dublin in UPMC Nowlan Park.

Derek Lyng's side dictated matters from start to finish with a brace of second half goals from Eoin Cody putting the seal on the win.

Billy Drennan also impressed with 13 points, but in truth Kilkenny never really had to get out of second gear as they took the victory on the back of a dominant display.

Dublin had a big chance within one minute of the start when an attempted clearance from Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy was blocked by Alex Considine, but the corner forward could only shoot into the side-netting.

Kilkenny responded to that early scare by scoring the first three points with a Billy Drennan free arriving before Paddy Mullen and Padraig Walsh both scored from play.

Dublin got off the mark with a seventh minute Donal Burke free, but Kilkenny went 0-7 to 0-1 ahead with further points from Drennan (3) and Billy Ryan.

Burke then doubled his tally with his second free of the opening half, but Kilkenny were rampant with Billy Drennan again impressing with nine first half points.

The Dubs had a pair of goal chances go amiss from Conor Burke and Paul Crummey and while Alex Considine, Chris O'Leary, Cian Boland and Cian O'Sullivan added to the Dublin tally they still trailed by a big margin.

Cian Kenny, Paddy Deegan, Padraig Walsh and Eoin Cody then pointed for Kilkenny before the break as the Cats led 0-17 to 0-8.

Dublin had the aid of a strong enough breeze in the second period and Donal Burke knocked over the opening score from a free, but once Eoin Cody netted Kilkenny's opening goal in the 45th minute, any hope of a comeback was quickly extinguished.

Dublin kept at it with Burke knocking over six more points to add to his 11 points in total and sub Paul Crummey also drilled in a well worked goal to keep respectability on the scoreboard.

Everything Kilkenny did was a step above Dublin though and this was perfectly captured by a quickly worked Billy Ryan free that saw Eoin Cody get his second goal.

Dublin's Paddy Smyth was sent off after picking up two bookings in a minute.

Drennan, John Donnelly and Paddy Deegan then knocked over further points before the end as Kilkenny ran out 2-25 to 1-17 winners.

Kilkenny now face into a crucial home clash with Waterford next Sunday, while Dublin will see out their campaign at home to Laois.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Billy Drennan 0-13 (8fs), Eoin Cody 2-2, Paddy Deegan 0-3, Billy Ryan 0-2, Padraig Walsh 0-2, Cian Kenny 0-1, Paddy Mullen 0-1, John Donnelly 0-1.

Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-11 (6fs, 1 65), Paul Crummey 1-0, Alex Considine 0-2, Cian Boland 0-2, Cian O'Sullivan 0-1, Chris O'Leary 0-1.

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Tommy Walsh, Conor Delaney, Padraig Walsh; Cian Kenny, Richie Reid, Cillian Buckley; Conor Fogarty, Paddy Mullen; Billy Ryan, John Donnelly, Paddy Deegan; Billy Drennan, Martin Keoghan, Eoin Cody.

Subs: Darren Brennan for Murphy (HT), Walter Walsh for Keoghan (HT), Timmy Clifford for Mullen (45), Ronan Corcoran for Fogarty (59), David Blanchfield for Buckley (61).

Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; Andy Dunphy, Eoghan O'Donnell, Paddy Smyth; Conor Donohoe, Conor Burke, Daire Gray; Ronan Smith, Chris O'Leary; Donal Burke, Danny Sutcliffe, Cian Boland; Sean Currie, Cian O'Sullivan, Alex Considine.

Subs: Paul Crummey for Currie (20), Paddy Doyle for Smith (45), Diarmuid O'Dulaing for O'Sullivan (51), John Bellew for Dunphy (53), David Keogh for Sutcliffe (64).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).