Kilkenny 1-28
Dublin 2-23
EOIN CODY RETURNED to the Kilkenny team with a bang, sniping the match winning goal with just seconds of normal time remaining in a Parnell Park cracker.
As a result of the win, Kilkenny are back on top of the Leinster SHC with one game to go – against Wexford at home next weekend – but that bald statistic explains little of a dramatic campaign so far.
After back-to-back draws, against Galway and then, remarkably, Carlow last weekend, Kilkenny desperately needed a win on their travels but were made to fight.
In fact, Dublin will be kicking themselves that they didn’t claim a landmark win, the biggest of the Micheal Donoghue era, with the scores tied for the eighth time in the second-half and almost 70 minutes played.
Cody, back available again after an ankle injury, ultimately propelled Kilkenny to a win that will do all sorts of positive things for their mindset after last weekend’s stumble against Carlow.
Cody finished with 1-3 in front of 7,028 but his heroics were outdone by John Donnelly who turned in perhaps his best game yet for Kilkenny, scoring seven points from play.
As for Dublin, they will wonder just how victory eluded them in a game that was level nine times overall. Donal Burke scored 0-14 for the hosts while Conor Burke and Brian Hayes struck the goals that brought them within a whisker of a huge win.
They will travel to Galway in Round 5 next weekend knowing that a win will secure their place in the All-Ireland series.
Conor Burke was the unlikely first goalscorer for Dublin and it was the only three-pointer of the opening half.
The midfielder burst onto a pass from the influential Chris Crummey, played a neat one-two with Sean Currie and blasted beyond Eoin Murphy at the clubhouse end of the ground.
That 35th minute goal left Dublin just a point behind and it remained that way at half-time with Kilkenny leading 0-16 to 1-12.
The thrill-a-minute ride continued in the second-half with the sides level four times in the third quarter alone.
Kilkenny may have presumed their superior stickwork would prevail if it came down to a battle in the tight confines of Parnell Park but Dublin matched them stride for stride, blow for blow.
And when Eoghan O’Donnell burst forward and fed Brian Hayes for a 55th minute goal, moving Dublin 2-20 to 0-23 clear, the home fans almost lost their minds.
Kilkenny were rattled and Reid blasted three wides from frees that he’d normally convert.
Dublin couldn’t hold out though and were slowly but surely reeled in, Kilkenny levelling up the game on three more occasions before Cody blasted that all important goal.
Kilkenny scorers: TJ Reid 0-8 (0-7f), John Donnelly 0-7, Eoin Cody 1-3, Martin Keoghan 0-3, David Blanchfield 0-3, Cian Kenny 0-2, Mikey Carey 0-1, Billy Ryan 0-1.
Dublin scorers: Donal Burke 0-14 (0-10f, 0-1 65), Conor Burke 1-1, Brian Hayes 1-0, Danny Sutcliffe 0-3, Chris Crummey 0-3, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2.
KILKENNY
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
4. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan) 3. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels) 2. Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels)
5. David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge) 6. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels – Captain) 9. Mikey Carey (Young Irelands)
7. Shane Murphy (Glenmore) 8. Cian Kenny (James Stephens)
12. Tom Phelan (Conahy Shamrocks) 14. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks) 10. John Donnelly (Thomastown)
13. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan) 11. Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks) 15. Owen Wall (O’Loughlin Gaels)
SUBS
24. Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan) for Wall (h/t)
20. Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks) for Murphy (42)
21. Conor Fogarty (Erin’s Own) for Phelan (59)
18. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro) for Carey (69)
DUBLIN
1. Sean Brennan (Cuala)
2. John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields) 3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille) 4. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf – Captain)
5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) 6. Conor Donohoe (Erin’s Isle) 7. Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barrog)
8. Brian Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) 9. Conor Burke (St Vincents)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Judes) 11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna) 13. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Sean Currie (Na Fianna) 14. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s) 15. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
SUBS:
24. Paul Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) for O’Sullivan (44)
20. Darragh Power (Fingallians) for Whitely (49)
18. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille) for Doyle (63)
25. Jake Malone (Cuala) for Currie (65)
22. Dara Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for R Hayes (69)
Ref: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
