Kilkenny stars in Dubs' Leinster U-21 success
Dublin 1-16 Louth 0-8
Ciaran Kilkenny tallied up 1-7 as Dublin claimed their third Cadbury Leinster Under-21 Football Championship title in four years at Pairc Tailteann tonight.
Dublin registered 15 wides over the course of the provincial decider, but impressed when it mattered most while leading right from the off.
Dublin burst out of the blocks early on, putting the ball in the Louth net on two occasions inside the opening two-and-a-half minutes.
After a minute Luke Fletcher sent a high ball from a sideline kick in on top of the Dublin full-forward line, with the talented Kilkenny gathering to slot home the first goal.
Philly Ryan had a palmed goal effort disallowed 45 seconds later by match referee Fergal Kelly following an infringement.
Louth bounced back with three of the next four points as William Woods, Cathal Bellew and Ben Rogan all found the target.
Dublin kicked four unanswered points before the interval, with Kilkenny (0-2), Jack McCaffrey and Paul Hudson splitting the posts during a spell of dominance.
Indeed, the Metropolitans could have been further ahead, but for some excellent marshalling defending by the Louth rearguard.
A 26th minute move saw McCaffrey feed the inrushing Hudson, but the Thomas Davis clubman was denied by a fine block from Louth goalkeeper Joe Flanagan.
In the scramble for possession that ensued McCaffrey claimed the ball and quickly fired over the bar to give the Metropolitans a 1-6 to 0-4 lead.
At the opposite end a Barry Hamilton effort finished safely in the hands of Dublin goalkeeper John Brian Carthy, but Louth's scoring opportunities were rare at this stage.
The Wee County defence continued to come under pressure, Although the Philip Ryan was put through one on one with Flanagan in the 30th minute, again the O'Raghallaighs net minder pulled off a superb save.
Hudson rounded off the half with his second point to ensure a 1-7 to 0-4 interval lead for the Dubs.
Louth cut the deficit to five points on the resumption, outscoring their opponents by two points to one with Rogan and Barry Hamilton taking scores.
However, wind-assisted Dublin opened up the Louth defence over the remainder of the third quarter. Kilkenny knocked over three points, including two from play, to move the scoreline out to 1-11 to 0-6.
Dublin continued to force the issue in the closing stages, and Kilkenny, Mark Schutte and substitutes Gerry Seaver and Harry Dawson all contributed scores.
Rogan notched a consolation score, his fourth point ending a 20-minute scoreless spell for Louth.
But Dublin were firmly on course for their ninth Leinster title with a 62nd minute strike from Seaver sealing am 11-point win. Afterwards, Dublin captain Kevin O'Brien accepted the cup from Leinster GAA Chairman Martin Skelly.
Scorers - Dublin: C Kilkenny 1-7 (0-1f), M Schutte, P Hudson, G Seaver 0-2 each, J McCaffrey, G Sweeney, H Dawson 0-1 each
Louth: B Rogan 0-4 (0-4f), C Bellew, R Moore, W Woods, B Hamilton 0-1 each
DUBLIN: JB Carty; S George, K O'Brien, M Concarr; J Kelly, L Fletcher, J McCaffrey; E Ó Conghaile, C Reddin; M Schutte, G Sweeney, D Byrne; P Hudson, C Kilkenny, P Ryan.
Subs used: H Dawson for Ryan, G Seaver for Byrne (both half-time), J Small for Concarr (46 mins), P Maguire for Hudson (50), E Keogh for Ó Conghaile (57);
LOUTH: J Flanagan; D Campbell, T Hand, C Murray; P Reilly, A Williams, M McKeown; S O'Hanlon, E O'Connor; C Bellew, R Moore, P Kirwan; B Rogan, W Woods, B Hamilton.
Subs used: B Berrill for Bellew (38 mins), E Duffy for Kirwan (43), S McMahon for Reilly (50), S Donnelly for Hamilton (57)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).
