Dublin 1-14
Kilkenny 1-11

A Cormac Costello goal helped Dublin claim their first Leinster Minor Hurling Championship crown since 2007 at the expense of Kilkenny yesterday at Croke Park.

The Sky Blues were in sizzling form in this provincial decider, as they out forth a first-half performance which their fancied opponents couldn't match to move into a 1-8 to 0-6 half-time lead.

Points from Glenn Whelan and Paul Winters (2) settled the winners in nicely early on and Emmet O Conghaile and Costello kept the scoreboard ticking over, as did Kevin Kelly for the Cats.

However, Dublin would deliver their hammer blow on the eve of half-time when Costello raced through and buried in a superb goal, after being sent through by Aodhan Clabby, to lead by five at the interval.

In the second-half, the Cats pressed forward in search of a goal of their own but the Dubs kept them at bay, with wing-back Chris Crummy outstanding, and they were made wait until injury-time before substitute James Maher crashed the ball to the net.

It gave Kilkenny a chance as the gap was down to three in the dying stages, but two sublime clearances from Sean McClelland at the back made sure Dublin would hang on for victory.

Dublin: C Ryan; E Lowndes, C O'Callaghan, S McClelland; C Crummy (0-1), J Desmond (0-1, free), M McCaffrey; G Whelan (0-1), C Cronin; C Kilkenny (0-2, 0-1 free), C McHugh, E Ó Conghaile (0-3); C Costello (1-2), A Clabby, P Winters (0-2, 0-1 free). Subs: O O'Rorke (0-2, 0-1 free) for P Winters (half-time), B McCarthy for C Cronin (50 mins), C Boland for G Whelan, D Forde for C McHugh (both 57 mins).

Kilkenny: A Duggan; J McDowell, C Doyle, E Morrissey; C O'Shea (0-1), E McGrath, D Cody; K Walsh, C Bolger; C Martin, K Kelly (0-3, 0-2 frees), P Keneally; P Vickery (0-2), T O'Hanrahan (0-1), R Reid (0-2). Subs: D Kearns (0-1) for P Keneally (half-time), J Maher (1-1) for C Martin (38 mins), R Moran for K Walsh (48 mins), J Hayes for P Vickery (57 mins).

Ref: J Heffernan (Wexford) Tweet

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