A fifth consecutive Leinster SHC title for Kilkenny and by far the easiest they have had in a final.

To the tune of 16 points, this 10th consecutive championship victory over Dublin was their most comfortable too.

The 35,484 Croke Park crowd knew the challengers were toast well before the 2-18 to 0-9 half-time scoreline.

Kilkenny were sharp and intense but their freedom with which they were allowed to play had so much to do with Dublin’s bewildered display.

On the back of a sterling offering in the counties’ Parnell Park meeting last month, hype had followed them into this game and it may have devoured them.

Commanding is the only word that can truly articulate Kilkenny’s performance. Starting for the first time since the championship opener against Antrim, Adrian Mullen was in peerless form and sent over seven points.

A Dublin puck-out mix-up allowed Mullen to set up his club-mate TJ Reid for his second goal in the 57th minute.

As well as putting Kilkenny 19 points ahead, the goal doubled the great’s lead over Patrick Horgan in the all-time championship scoring charts to 22 points (he added a late point to increase it to 23).

Donal Burke’s dexterity conjured a goal chance that Dublin substitute Mark Grogan grabbed in the 68th minute. It didn’t feel like consolation but a sliver of pity from Kilkenny.

Despite doubts about their fitness, Kilkenny were able to field Mikey Carey and John Donnelly although the former only lasted until the half-hour mark when he was called ashore.

By that stage, they were 2-12 to 0-7 to the good and out of sight. Dublin’s hard running game was non-existent as their opponents cut it down time after time, while the Cats’ long-range point execution was stunning.

Their second score of the game was an Eoin Cody goal in the third minute. The Ballyhale Shamrocks man cut inside Conor Donohoe far too easily and his finish was flawless.

The first of Mullen’s six first-half points came in the 10th minute and in doing so he became the sixth Kilkenny forward to score from play. It was an ominous sign for Dublin so early in the game.

What was just as foreboding was it taking over 20 minutes for the first member of their attack to score from play. Dara Purcell registered the first of two points for himself in the 21st minute.

Three minutes later and Dublin were done. Seán Brennan failed to negotiate a dropping ball from Tommy Walsh and Reid showed his poaching instincts to direct it to the net.

The goal pushed Kilkenny 11 clear and the hits just kept on coming. Three of the next four scores were pointed by Mullen.

After Purcell’s second, Kilkenny produced the following four points, two of them from Martin Keoghan.

Mullen sent over his sixth point after Danny Sutcliffe’s first and the half-time scoreboard screamed mercilessly.

Scorers for Kilkenny: T.J. Reid (2-6, 0-3 frees); A. Mullen (0-7); E. Cody (1-1); C. Kenny (0-4); M. Keoghan, J. Donnelly (0-3 each); B. Ryan, D. Blanchfield, W. Walsh, T. Phelan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Dublin: D. Burke (0-8, 7 frees); C. Burke (0-3); M. Grogan (1-0); D. Purcell (0-2); C. Crummey, D. Sutcliffe, J. Bellew, D. Power, P. Smyth (0-1 each).

KILKENNY: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, T. Walsh; D. Blanchfield, R. Reid, M. Carey; C. Kenny, P. Deegan (c); A. Mullen, J. Donnelly, T.J. Reid; M. Keoghan, E. Cody, B. Ryan.

Subs: S. Murphy for M. Carey (inj 30); T. Phelan for B. Ryan (46); J. Molloy for H. Lawlor, W. Walsh for A. Mullen, C. Fogarty for C. Kenny (all 64).

DUBLIN: S. Brennan; E. O’Donnell, J. Bellew, P. Smyth (c); C. Crummey, C. Donohoe, P. Doyle; B. Hayes, C. Burke; D. Sutcliffe, D. Burke, F. Whiteley; R. Hayes, S. Currie, D. Purcell.

Subs: D. Gray for P. Doyle, D. Power for S. Currie, M. Grogan for F. Whiteley (all h-t); C. Currie for R. Hayes (54); J. Madden for B. Hayes (62).

Referee: T. Walsh (Waterford).