Dublin 0-23 Kilkenny 2-21

Richie Power scored 2-07 before going off injured as defending NHL Division 1 champions Kilkenny came out on top at Parnell Park.

Dublin played well but Kilkenny's strength in depth came to the fore, with goalkeeper David Herity and defender Canice Hickey two of the players to impress.

Power's second goal, following excellent work from Eoin Larkin, gave the Cats a 2-09 to 0-12 half-time lead.

Alan McCrabbe and John McCaffrey kept the scoreboard ticking for Dublin but they needed a goal and Herity and his defenders thwarted them.

Anthony Daly's men started brightly with McCrabbe and McCaffrey scoring from placed balls, before Derek Lyng, John Mulhall and Aidan Fogarty replied for Kilkenny.

Power also found his range but efforts from play from David 'Dotsy' O'Callaghan, David Treacy and Limerick native Maurice O'Brien kept the Dubs ahead.

Hickey was sweeping up plenty of ball in the Kilkenny defence and the Dublin wides' tally was moved to six before Kilkenny struck for their first goal.

Jackie Tyrrell, who had quite an influence on proceedings at centre-back, swept a long ball towards the Dublin square, Power rose above Ronan Fallon to collect it and fire home on the turn.

With Eddie Brennan absent, Eoin Larkin had started at full-forward but Power was moved into that position midway through the first half and it was a tactical masterstroke.

Power was causing plenty of problems and he launched a stinging 20-yard drive to the Dublin net to register his second goal, shortly before half-time.

The Carrickshock clubman ended the half with 2-04 (2-02 from play), while Dublin had relied on frees for half of their 0-12 total.

Shane Durkin was one of the players to score from play.

Tomas Brady was switched over to mark Power during the second half, but he still wielded an influence on the scoreboard.

Kilkenny opened the half in good stead with Fogarty and Mulhall notching their second points, and a glut of scores followed with McCrabbe and McCaffrey driving over the frees and Mulhall taking his tally to four.

Kilkenny looked set to grab a third goal but Paddy Hogan, who had converted a couple of '65' efforts previously, saw his penalty attempt deflected over.

At the other end, Herity had to be on his toes to keep out a powerful shot from Peter Kelly.

Dublin kept hunting for scores and goals in particular.

They reduced the arrears to just two points as McCrabbe landed his seventh point, making it 2-16 to 0-20.

However, Brian Cody's charges would not be knocked off their stride and late points from Mulhall, Fogarty, Power and the very effective John Tennyson saw them win out.