Kilkenny 2-18 Dublin 2-10: Kilkenny's dominance of Leinster hurling is now so complete they can win another sweep of provincial hurling titles - and their fourth under-21 title in succession - and not even raise a fist in celebration.
Just a hip-hip hurrah for Dublin and then off to plot another All-Ireland.
On a fine evening for hurling in the Marble City they produced another masterful display of all the necessary skills of the game - the flawless first touch, the quick puck, even the possession game we've come to admire at the highest level. In the end the only thing they surrendered to Dublin was the share of battling qualities, which saved the game as a contest and briefly sent thoughts of upset into the warm air.
Dublin were soon staring a heavy defeat in the face, down 11 points early in the second half, having been reduced to 14 men late in the first. William Lowry's dismissal appeared to come for a second yellow card but the Dublin mentors contested it as a mistaken identity - and by all other accounts he was only yellow carded once - and the controversy remains.
What that did, however, was inspire Dublin to throw everything at Kilkenny, which gradually reduced the deficit to three points with just under 10 minutes remaining. From then on the game hung in the balance, and despite playing with a man down, Dublin suddenly looked the more capable if they could only score quick enough.
Typical of Kilkenny the response was swift, with Dave McCormack's goal on 56 minutes - whipped into the net after a long free from James Fitzpatrick - effectively deciding it. Kilkenny tagged on two late points just to make sure and handed Dublin their fifth Leinster final defeat in the last six years at this grade.
In claiming the sweep of titles in the province - minor, under-21 and senior - Kilkenny proved yet again what it is that makes them so good. All six starting forwards scored, with Austin Murphy oozing potential at centre forward, Maurice Nolan at times lethal at full forward, and Dave McCormack a model of free-taking consistency at corner forward - hitting 1-5.
Dublin, with memories of last year's minor success in Leinster coupled with the success of this year's Colleges team at All-Ireland level, fresh in their minds handed Kilkenny a five-point head start in the opening 10 minutes before they even started playing, but then marginally outscored them over the next minutes, leaving it 0-8 to 0-4 in Kilkenny's favour.
Kevin O'Reilly, one of Dublin's main playmakers, hit a massive 90-metre free to close the gap to four points. This time Kilkenny's response was even quicker, with McCormack setting up Nolan for their first goal. Two more points followed before the break so that Dublin had their backs to the wall at the break, 1-10 to 0-4.
It would have been easy to surrender at that stage, but this Dublin team are made of stronger stuff. Thomas Brady soon dominated the half-back line along with Cathal Billings, and after two frees from O'Reilly, Alan McCrabbe cracked home the much-needed goal on 38 minutes.
Suddenly Dublin were all over Kilkenny, and after two more scores from O'Reilly, substitute Dermot Connolly chased on to a long ball and confidently finished it to the net. That was followed by another O'Reilly free, leaving the scores at 1-16 to 2-10, and Dublin were within reach of their first Leinster title since 1972.
Yet Kilkenny regained enough stability to sail home, and the relief was clear in the voice of captain Michael Fennelly when he collected the winner's trophy. Dublin left wondering just how much progress they had made, Kilkenny thinking about meeting reigning champions Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.
KILKENNY: L Tierney; C Joyce, D Cody, S Cummins; J Dalton, J Tennyson, P Hartley; M Fennelly, J Fitzpatrick (0-2, one free); TJ Reid (0-1), A Murphy (0-3), D Fogarty (0-2); E O'Donoghue (0-1), M Nolan (1-3), D McCormack (1-5, four frees). Subs: P Hogan (0-1) for Cummins (46 mins), A Healy for O'Donoghue (51 mins), G Nolan for Reid (61 mins).
DUBLIN: A Nolan; G O'Meara, P Bergin, D O'Reilly; K Nolan, T Brady, C Billings; W Lowry, J McCaffrey; E Moran (0-1), G Morris (0-1), K O'Reilly (0-7, six frees); P Carton (0-1), D O'Dwyer, A McCrabbe (1-0). Subs: J Boland for O'Dwyer (35 mins), K Dunne for Moran (39 mins), D Connolly (1-0) for Nolan (46 mins), S Loughlin for McCrabbe (61 mins).
Referee: F Smyth (Meath).
