Kilkenny’s early exit confirmed with Dubs defeat
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship 2026
Dublin 1-26
Kilkenny 0-22
Round 5, Parnell Park
And that’s a wrap for the senior hurlers of Kilkenny in 2026, as they bowed out of championship action with another below par performance in the Capital. Dublin were full value for their 7-point win in a sun-drenched Parnell Park and advance to the provincial final where they will face off against Galway in Croke Park on June 6th. This result coupled with Offaly’s win over Kildare in Newbridge saw the Faithful County leapfrog the Cats and snatch third position in the table, meaning Johnny Kelly’s side will take on the beaten Munster finalists in a month’s time. For Derek Lyng and the County Board it will be a summer of discontent as the soul searching begins, and answers need to be found as to why those in black and amber are so far off the pace in intercounty hurling.
The Noresiders got the first two scores of the round 5 clash; thanks to efforts from the ‘Bridge’s David Blanchfield and Emerald’s Killian Doyle. Dublin had made three changes to the named line-up and one of those, St Vincent’s John Hetherton got the Metropolitans up and running with a brace of points, either side of Cian Kenny’s opening score of the afternoon. The next two scores came from the placed ball maestros on both teams, Na Fianna’s Donal Burke and Cats captain, TJ Reid. Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s side then got a foothold in the encounter, as they frequently varied their style of play, going long and direct to the towering Hetherton at times, was paying dividends as the Kilkenny defence struggled to cope with the bustling forward’s hunger. All-Star St Brigid’s player Cian O’Sullivan then fired over a tidy score, and they built on this with points from Erin’s Isle’s Conor Donohoe and a second free of the game via Donal Burke, to leave the home side two ahead.
Kilkenny responded with a trio of scores themselves, all from Ballyhale, two for TJ and the first of a five-point haul from Eoin Cody as the Cats edged ahead, but this would be the last time that Lyng’s charges would do this in the clash. Lucan Sarsfield’s John Bellew, who was picking up Cody, struck over two booming scores and another score followed, courtesy of Kilmacud’s Brian Hayes; who impressed throughout. The wonderful Donal Burke then took over, hitting five of the games next six scores, including three from placed balls, with the Cats only mustering a point from Eoin Cody as the boys in blue went six clear after half an hour of action in Parnell Park. The Village’s Cian Kenny, one of very few bright lights in a dark season for his side, notched his second point but again the hosts found it easier to pick off scores, John Hetherton adding to his tally as the Dubs restored their 6-point lead. Derek Lyng made his first change of the day; Dicksboro’s Liam Moore replaced former captain John Donnelly. The Thomastown player was welcomed to proceedings early on by Conor Donohoe, several times, under the eyes of the officials, but it would be the Kilkenny man that picked up a yellow card from the Waterford whistler. The last two scores of an entertaining first half came from the visitors, a nice effort from the improving Conahy Shamrocks player, Tom Phelan and a placed ball from TJ, to leave the Cats trailing by four at the short whistle.
When play resumed, the first passage of play suggested Kilkenny were hungry, but again, a free was awarded to Dublin which Donal Burke converted from way out the pitch. Lyng’s team then notched three on the bounce, another for Eoin Cody, one for Mossy, who was being well marked by Conor McHugh and a free from TJ, to leave the home sides lead at two points. Niall Ó Ceallacháin made his first change, sending on the talented Ronan Hayes in place of Crokes teammate, David Purcell. Another of the Kilmacud contingent, Conal O’Riain then struck over a sweet score, but again, the Shamrocks Ballyhale duo of Cody and Reid responded for the men in black and amber. Na Fianna’s Donal Burke split Eoin Murphy’s posts with another cracking point which Kilkenny replied to with midfielder Killian Doyle’s second of the day. Cian O’Sullivan doubled his tally with a fine point before another score from the Hayes clan, this time sub Ronan registering for the home side.
A second change from the Kilkenny management team saw Adrian Mullen enter the fray, replacing the quiet Harry Shine in the Cats attack. The accurate Donal Burke dispatched a ‘65 after Michael Carey’s intervention prevented Brian Hayes from raising a green flag for his 10th point of the day. Then came a defining score in the round 5 clash. As Lyng’s men sought to play out from the back, Killian Doyle’s attempted pass to David Blanchfield was cut out by the alert Fergal Whitely. The ball was collected by Ronan Hayes who powered towards the goal. A combination of Paddy Deegan and Doyle attempted to halt Hayes’ run, but referee Walsh penalised the Cats. Killian Doyle had his name noted, penalty to Dublin. Up stepped Donal Burke who struck his effort hard and low beyond the unlucky Eoin Murphy to give his side a 7-point lead inside the final twenty minutes. More fresh legs were then sprung from the bench, Diarmuid O’Dulaing replacing Cian O’Sullivan and the experienced Richie Reid coming on for young Ivan Bolger.
Conahy’s Tom Phelan notched his second point, while Eoin Cody, who was having his most productive game of 2026 added to his personal tally. ‘Boro’s Timmy Clifford replaced the now booked Doyle as Kilkenny looked for a spark. TJ struck his 7th point of the afternoon, but again the Dubs cancelled the effort out with one of their own, thanks to a fine score from Commercial’s Diarmuid O’Dulaing. The speedy Conal O’Riain then notched a couple of quickfire scores with The Village’s Cian Kenny rifling over his third of the sunny afternoon. Stephen Donnelly was then sent on in place of Mossy Keoghan in a last attempt to salvage something, but it was more in hope than expectation. Na Fianna’s Donal Burke struck over a second ‘65 just ahead of additional time, but there was still time for one more score, courtesy of sub Ronan Hayes to put the finishing touch on a historic afternoon for Dublin as they defeated Kilkenny for the first time in the Leinster championship since 2013. Full time score: Dublin 1-26 Kilkenny 0-22.
Kilkenny scorers: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), Eoin Cody 0-5, Cian Kenny 0-4, Killian Doyle 0-2, Tom Phelan 0-2, Martin Keoghan 0-1, David Blanchfield 0-1.
Dublin scorers: Donal Burke 1-11 (0-6f, 1-0 pen, 0-2 65), John Hetherton 0-3, Conal Ó Riain 0-3, John Bellew 0-2, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Conor Donohoe 0-1, Brian Hayes 0-1, Ronan Hayes 0-2, Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing 0-1.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Ivan Bolger, Mikey Carey, Mikey Butler; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Cian Kenny; Liam Moore, Harry Shine, Tom Phelan; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.
Subs: John Donnelly for Moore (32), Adrian Mullen for Shine (50), Richie Reid for Bolger (51), Timmy Clifford for Doyle (54), Stephen Donnelly for Keoghan (65).
Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; Paddy Doyle, Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Chris Crummey, John Bellew, Conor Burke; Brian Hayes, Conor Donohoe; Fergal Whitely, Donal Burke, Cian O’Sullivan; David Purcell, John Hetherton, Conal Ó Riain.
Subs: Ronan Hayes for Purcell (40), Darragh Power for Donohoe (50), Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing for O’Sullivan (51), Paddy Dunleavy for Conor Burke (55-56), Conor Groarke for Whitely (70), Dunleavy for Crummey (73).
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).
