May 24, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\nThey led here from the 20th minute with the second of John Bellew\u2019s brace in under a minute.<\/p>\n
Bellew only found out four minutes before the throw-in that he was coming in to start for the veteran Liam Rushe who suffered injury in the warm-up. It didn\u2019t take a fidge out of him.<\/p>\n
By half-time, an argument could be made that Dublin could\/should have been out of sight. 15 scores. 11 wides. Those kind of figures, against Kilkenny, jump out.<\/p>\n
Once the game settled, there was an acknowledgement from the crowd that the result would be a going concern. Early trepidation gave way to lusty cheering.<\/p>\n
After the first ten minutes one sequence stood out. The ball exchanged possession a number of times and zipped around the place. At one stage, two consecutive ground strokes even broke out to the delight of all.<\/p>\n
Conor Donohoe put an end to the untidiness by flaking over a neat point for Dublin to take the lead for the first time.<\/p>\n
![\"eddie-gibbons-and-tj-reid\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779673221_657_.JPEG\")
\n Dublin goalkeeper Eddie Gibbons put under some pressure by TJ Reid. Bryan Keane \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
Bryan Keane \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Tactically, there was a bit of sophistication here but so subtle as to have no huge reflection on the outcome.<\/p>\n
Both teams allowed each other unfettered access on their own puckout. Dublin were to convert most of these opportunities into lorrying the ball on top of John Hetherton that paid off well at the start, faded a little, and then thrived again once he had Ronan Hayes alongside him.<\/p>\n
Kilkenny were working through the lines, but very much hanging on to Dublin\u2019s coattails, in particular Brian Hayes who ran the show with a mixture of graft and guile. At one stage in the second half, executing a roll lift while doing a knee slide towards his own goal.<\/p>\n
0-11 to 0-15 down at the break, Kilkenny came hard but not for the only time in the game, Eoin Cody and TJ Reid were carrying the fight. In scoring 0-6 to 0-3 in the first 12 minutes of the second half, they narrowed the gap to a single point.<\/p>\n
Dublin were steadied by an inspirational score from Cian O\u2019Sullivan and then from substitute Ronan Hayes.<\/p>\n
In the next play, it was the Hayes Bros who combined to give Brian a sight of goal and his shot was turned around the post by Eoin Murphy, but for Donal Burke to convert the \u201865\u2019.<\/p>\n
Straight after, it was Ronan going through this time, apprehended illegally by Killian Doyle, that left referee Thomas Walsh with no option but to signal a penalty.<\/p>\n
![\"donal-burke-celebrates-scoring-a-penalty\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779673222_577_.JPEG\")
\n Donal Burke celebrates his penalty. Bryan Keane \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
Bryan Keane \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Burke drove it low to the net. Dublin were 1-21 to 0-17 ahead.<\/p>\n
In previous years it might have signalled a collapse. But from this point on, they matched each other score for score. Kilkenny started drilling balls wide.<\/p>\n
TJ Reid, who seemed to pull up momentarily with a calf strain in the first half, appeared to be hampered. John Donnelly had come on before half-time but had no effect on the game and even Adrian Mullen looked off-colour.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s all excuses. Dublin\u2019s attitude was of hunters. Kilkenny were big game Cats.<\/p>\n
And they were savaged.<\/p>\n
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 1-11 (1-0 pen, 0-6 frees, 2x \u201865\u2019), John Hetherton, Conal \u00d3 Riain 0-3 each, John Bellew, Cian O\u2019Sullivan, Ronan Hayes 0-2 each, Brian Hayes, Conor Donohoe, Diarmuid \u00d3 D\u00falaing 0-1 each.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-4 frees, 1 x \u201865\u2019), Eoin Cody 0-5, Cian Kenny 0-4, Killian Doyle, Tom Phelan 0-2 each, David Blanchfield, Martin Keoghan 0-1 each.<\/p>\n
Dublin<\/p>\n
1. Eddie Gibbons (Kilmacud)<\/p>\n
2. Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barr\u00f3g) 3. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf) 20. Conor McHugh (Na Fianna)<\/p>\n
5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) 21. John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields) 7. Conor Burke (St Vincent\u2019s)<\/p>\n
8. Brian Hayes (Kilmacud) 12. Conor Donohoe (Erin\u2019s Isle)<\/p>\n
10. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud) 11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna) 15. Conor \u00d3 Riain (Kilmacud)<\/p>\n
13. David Purcell (Kilmacud) 26. John Hetherton (St Vincent\u2019s) 14. Cian O\u2019Sullivan (St Brigid\u2019s)<\/p>\n
Subs:<\/p>\n
18. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud) for Purcell (39m)<\/p>\n
25. Darragh Power (Fingalians) for Donohue (50m)<\/p>\n
22. Diarmuid \u00d3 D\u00falaing (Commercials) for O\u2019Sullivan (51m)<\/p>\n
9. Conor Groarke (Cuala) for Whitely (70m)<\/p>\n
23. Paddy Dunleavy (Ballyboden) for Crummey (72m)<\/p>\n
Kilkenny<\/p>\n
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)<\/p>\n
2. Mikey Butler (O\u2019Loughlin Gaels) 3. Mikey Carey (Young Irelands) 4. Ivan Bolger (Graignamanagh)<\/p>\n
5. David Blanchfield (Bennetsbridge) 6. Darragh Corcoran (Shamrocks Ballyhale) 7. Paddy Deegan (O\u2019Loughlin Gaels)<\/p>\n
8. Killian Doyle (Emeralds) 9. Cian Kenny (James Stephens)<\/p>\n
10. Liam Moore (Dicksboro) 11. Eoin Cody (Shamrocks Ballyhale) 12. Tom Phelan (Conahy Shamrocks)<\/p>\n
13. Harry Shine (Dicksboro) 14. TJ Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale) 15. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan)<\/p>\n
Subs:<\/p>\n
26. John Donnelly (Thomastown) for Moore (33m)<\/p>\n
21. Adrian Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale) for Shine (50m)<\/p>\n
18. Richie Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale) for Bolger (51m)<\/p>\n
25. Timmy Clifford (Dicksboro) for Doyle (54m)<\/p>\n
22. Stephen Donnelly (Thomastown) for Keoghan (65m)<\/p>\n
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)<\/p>\n