Kilkenny claimed their 69th Leinster senior hurling title with a facile 0-24 to 1-9 victory over defending champions Dublin at Croke Park.

Victory means that the Black & Amber, who have won not just the Bob O'Keeffe Cup but every title available to them so far in 2014, are safely through to an All-Ireland semi-final, while Anthony Daly's charges - who managed just three points in the second half - will join the All-Ireland series at the quarter-final stage.

The unerringly-accurate TJ Reid delivered another exhibition of point-taking at sunny HQ today, helping himself to ten points.

With Walter Walsh and John Power starting in place of Tommy Walsh and Aidan Fogarty, the Cats took a four-point cushion into the interval, 0-13 to 1-6. Colm Cronin's goal on 22 minutes giving the holders a fragile foothold in the match.

A minute earlier, Reid's free had propelled the Black & Amber into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead. Richie Hogan and John Power had claimed the first two points for the visitors but Dublin were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute, which Conal Keaney nonchalantly lofted over the bar.

Alan Nolan saved from Colin Fennelly before Alan McCrabbe's free made it 0-2 each and the Noresiders hit the next four points courtesy of Reid (3) and Fennelly - 0-6 to 0-2 after a low-key opening 18 minutes.

McCrabbe and Reid traded frees before Cronin batted the sliothar past David Herity to the net. But the Cats came back with points from Reid, Walter Walsh, Hogan and Reid again to lead by five with 31 minutes played.

David O'Callaghan and Cronin pointed from play for the Dubs and Brian Hogan and Fennelly did likewise at the other end before Danny Sutcliffe closed the first-half scoring.

When Reid nailed his ninth point from a free on 62 minutes, the gap was up to seven points, 0-19 to 1-9. Reid's fourth successful '65' flew between the posts two minutes later.

Fennelly and Padraig Walsh (2) had struck the first three points after the restart before McCrabbe (free) and Conor McCormack replied to leave five between them with eight minutes played in the second half.

Reid ('65') and substitute Paul Ryan swapped points and Herity denied Cronin a second goal as we moved into the final quarter.

After Nolan had in turn denied the Cats a certain goal, three-in-a-row from Reid put the match well and truly out of Dublin's reach.

Substitutes Aidan Fogarty and Henry Shefflin (3) tagged on late scores from play for Brian Cody's charges as the gap went up to twelve points - double scores - by the time the final whistle sounded.

Kilkenny - D Herity; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Tyrrell; J Holden, B Hogan (0-1), C Buckley; R Hogan (0-2, 1f), C Fogarty; W Walsh (0-1), P Walsh (0-2), TJ Reid (0-10, 4f, 4'65); C Fennelly (0-3), E Larkin, J Power (0-1). Subs: H Shefflin (0-3) for W Walsh, A Fogarty (0-1) for J Power, L Ryan for C Fogarty.

Dublin - A Nolan; S Durkin, P Kelly, P Schutte; S Hiney, L Rushe, M Carton; J Boland, J McCaffrey; R O'Dwyer, A McCrabbe (0-3f), D Sutcliffe (0-1); D O'Callaghan (0-1), C Keaney (0-1pen), C Cronin (1-1). Subs: C McCormack (0-1) for R O'Dwyer, P Ryan (0-1) for D Sutcliffe, N McMorrow for J Boland, D Treacy for C Keaney, N Corcoran for P Schutte.

Referee - B Kelly. Tweet

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