Business as usual for Dublin at Croke Park this afternoon as they eased past Kildare into the Leinster final - 0-26 to 0-11.

Bidding to claim the Delaney Cup for the ninth year running, Jim Gavin's all-conquering charges will lock horns with Meath in the decider in two weeks' time.

Cian O'Neill's men were still in contention at the break, 0-11 to 0-7 adrift, but the All-Ireland champions moved up a gear thereafter to prevail at their absolute ease, Cormac Costello and Paul Mannion mining 17 points between them.

Mannion, Costello, Brian Fenton and Ciaran Kilkenny were all on target as the winners led by seven points to one inside ten minutes but Kildare hit back through Neil Flynn and Ben McCormack (2).

Stephen Cluxton denied McCormack eleven minutes from the break, Adam Tyrrell and Mick O'Grady spearing the last two points of the first half in retaliation to scores from Costello and Kilkenny.

Upon the restart, Costello, Mannion and Brian Howard pointed to make it double scores and there was no way back for Kildare, who created a number of goalscoring chances but are heading for the Qualifiers.

Dublin - S Cluxton; D Byrne, M Fitzsimons, J Small; J McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton (0-2), M D Macauley; N Scully, C Costello (0-9, 3f, 1'45), B Howard (0-1); C Kilkenny (0-3), C O’Callaghan (0-3), P Mannion (0-7). Subs: P Small (0-1) for M D Macauley, P McMahon for C O’Sullivan, E Murchan for J McCaffrey, P Andrews for C O’Callaghan, R O’Carroll for M Fitzsimons.

Kildare - M Donnellan; M Dempsey, M O’Grady (0-1), D Hyland (0-1); P Kelly, E Doyle, K Cribbin; K Feely (0-1), T Moolick; D Slattery, C Healy, F Conway; A Tyrrell (0-4, 3f), B McCormack (0-3), N Flynn (0-1f). Subs: K O’Callaghan for N Flynn, C O’Donoghue for T Moolick, J Hyland for C Healy, E O’Flaherty for K Cribbin, C Hartley for D Slattery.

Referee - C Lane.

Tweet

Most Read Stories