Kilkenny 8-35

Derry 0-7

Kilkenny manager Eddie Brennan has called for the All-Ireland U21HC to be played on an open draw basis after his team annihilated Derry by 52 points at Semple Stadium.

The Cats were in ruthless form as they blew the surprise Ulster champions out of the water with three goals inside the opening nine minutes. Shane Walsh, Billy Ryan, John Donnelly and Liam Blanchfield ran riot as Kilkenny set up an All-Ireland final meeting with either Galway or Limerick. Leading by 5-12 to 0-4 at half-time, they never let up in the second half with Brennan admitting afterwards that his players didn't learn much about themselves.

"That doesn't benefit anyone," he told TG4.

"If you were going to look at possibly introducing an open draw to pilot it and see how it works, maybe U21 level is the one to go." 

It was one-way traffic from the throw-in with Huw Lawlor's opening point before followed by a John Donnelly goal in the third minute. Cormac O'Doherty replied for Derry before a beautiful flick by Liam Blanchfield set up Shane Walsh for the Cats' second goal. And the game was ended as a contest before the 10th minute when Kilkenny captain Richie Leahy soloed through to score his side's third goal.

Walsh and Leahy had points either side of a Corey O'Reilly effort before Billy Ryan made it 4-3 to 0-3 with 18 minutes gone. The corner forward raised a second green flag before being called ashore along with Jason Cleere by a merciful Kilkenny management. But there was no respite for the Oak Leafers as Shane Walsh, Blanchfield and John Walsh added scores to leave the Leinster champions 23 points clear at the interval.

The second half was mere shooting practice for Kilkenny with the excellent John Donnelly, Blanchfield, Alan Murphy and Shane Walsh hitting a succession of points and Walsh and Eoin Kenny helping themselves to goals in the 37th and 52nd minutes. 

Midfielder Luke Scanlon scored an eighth major deep into injury-time from the middle of the field as Derry only managed two second half points from Brendan Laverty and Cormac O'Doherty.

Kilkenny - D Brennan; M Cody, C Delaney, N McMahon (0-1); D Mullen (0-1), J Cleere, T Walsh; L Scanlon (1-1), H Lawlor (0-1); B Ryan (2-0), S Morrissey (0-1), R Leahy (1-2); S Walsh (2-7, 0-4f), J Donnelly (1-7), L Blanchfield (0-6). Subs: J Walsh (0-3) for B Ryan, A Nolan for J Cleere, E Kenny (1-1) for S Morrissey, A Murphy (0-3) for R Leahy, R Bergin (0-1) for T Walsh.

Derry - F McEldowney; C Kelly, S McGuigan, S Higgins; E McGill, R McCartney, P Turner; C Steele (0-1), C McAllister; T Magee, C O'Doherty (0-3), G Farren; D Cartin (0-1), O McKeever, C O'Reilly (0-1). Subs: B Laverty (0-1) for T Magee, P Burke for G Farren, C McCrystal for F McEldowney, S McKeever for P Turner, S Quinn for S McGuigan.

Referee - J O'Brien.

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