Kilkenny were never tested at Dr Cullen Park, where they defeated neighbours Carlow by 3-22 to 1-14.

Having delivered a stirring display in losing to Galway last weekend, the hosts were never at the races today as the Noresiders effortlessly added to their opening-round win over Dublin.

The gap was 15 at half time, 3-9 to 0-3, Colin Fennelly, Ger Aylward and TJ Reid finding the Barrowsiders’ net before the interval.

The Cats got off to a dream start when Fennelly sent the sliothar past Brian Tracey inside 17 seconds, Reid’s brace making it a five-point game with as many minutes played, 1-2 to no score. Aylward supplied the second three-pointer and Richie Leahy’s tenth-minute point left nine between them, 2-4 to 0-1.

Fennelly and Reid (2) added to the winning tally and the match was over as any sort of contest long before Reid fired a 30th-minute penalty to the net.

The second half was a non-event essentially, akin to a challenge match, as the Black & Amber kept their opponents at bay to bag an expected victory, although the concession of a goal to James Doyle following a short Martin Kavanagh free coupled with the loss of Fennelly, Walter Walsh and Alan Murphy to injury might prevent Brian Cody from dozing off as soon as his head hits the pillow tonight.

Kilkenny - D Brennan; P Murphy, H Lawlor, T Walsh; C Fogarty, P Walsh, P Deegan; A Murphy (0-2); R Leahy (0-1); A Mullen (0-1), W Walsh (0-1), TJ Reid (1-12, 1-0pen, 0-8f, 0-1'65); B Sheehan, C Fennelly (1-1), G Aylward (1-1). Subs: L Blanchfield for C Fennelly, J Donnelly (0-2) for W Walsh, B Ryan (0-1) for G Aylward, J Cleere for P Deegan, M Keoghan for R Leahy.

Carlow - B Tracey (0-1f); K McDonald, P Doyle, M Doyle; E Nolan, D English (0-1), R Coady; J Kavanagh (0-1), S Whelan; J M Nolan, M Kavanagh (0-5, 4f), E Byrne; J Doyle (1-1), S Murphy (0-2), C Nolan (0-3, 1f). Subs: A Corcoran for P Doyle, T Joyce for E Byrne, J Murphy for S Whelan, D Byrne for J Kavanagh, R Smithers for J Doyle.

Referee - A Kelly.

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