CATFIGHT GOES ALL THE WAY

Kilkenny edge past Dubs to reach final

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

KILKENNY thought they had killed off Dublin - but then had to do it again in a thrilling second-half climax finale at Nowlan Park.

Fourteen points down at the break as the Cats ran riot with four first half goals, then 16 points adrift early in the second half, the Dubs rose from the dead to get within two of their Leinster SHC rivals in the 69th minute.

But Billy Ryan's injury-time goal was decisive in the meeting of the province's two unbeaten sides, ensuring a victory that puts Derek Lyng's side into the provincial final.

It leaves the Dubs to duel it out with Galway at Parnell Park on Saturday for the privilege of another tilt at the Cats, who have won the last five Leinster titles.

Coincidentally, when the sides met in the 2020 provincial semi-final, Kilkenny also raced into a 16-point lead - only to win by the narrowest of margins.

Critics of Kilkenny will point out that, in the past, the Cats would go into ruthless mode after getting up a head of steam, as they did in leading 4-12 to 0-10 at the break.

But Lyng is dismissive of such thinking.

"We compare all the time to the past teams and we have to stop doing that," he insisted.

"We have a team here that's competing really well and competing hard.