Leinster SHC: Kilkenny 4-25 Kildare 0-14Kilkenny in their pomp and at their ease, slaying a plucky but ultimately outclassed neighbour and with TJ Reid, typically, conducting the orchestra.That’s a lot of the tale of how this Leinster SHC round four encounter went down at Nowlan Park admittedly, but not all of it.At half-time, for the second weekend in a row, Kilkenny led by just a point and, just like against Offaly in Tullamore, they were already up to double digits for wides.They ended up drawing with Offaly but took this game by the scruff of the neck after the restart, going high to the head and low to the body with so many devastating heavy hits that Kildare lost by 23 points in the end and, ultimately, were knocked out of the Leinster SHC. Their relegation is confirmed after just four games.As manager Brian Dowling put it, if there’d been some sort of alternative table for first-half performances, they’d probably have topped it. But having led Galway by a dozen points at one stage in round three, they slipped to a costly defeat in that game and losing again here sent them packing back to the Joe McDonagh Cup.Kilkenny, meanwhile, will have an opportunity to lock down their Leinster final place if they beat Dublin at Parnell Park next Sunday.Reid, taken off against Offaly, appears to be finding form at the right time. He struck 2-6, 2-5 of which came in the second half, and his goal in the 38th minute ignited Kilkenny and inspired their very best form.Eoin Cody and Harry Shine, just back after an ACL injury, hit the other goals for a Kilkenny side that lost Cian Kenny to a second booking after 34 minutes.Perhaps the biggest cheer of the evening was reserved for Adrian Mullen when he came on for his first activity of 2026 after groin and thumb injuries. He was among the 12-strong list of scorers too.“We don’t know how it’s going to end up,” said Kilkenny manager Lyng of the race for a final place which could come down to scoring difference. “The scores were really important. I’m just really pleased with how we went at Kildare in the second half.”KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, M Carey, I Bolger; D Blanchfield (0-1), D Corcoran, P Deegan (0-1); K Doyle (0-1), C Kenny (0-1); L Moore (0-2), E Cody (1-2), T Phelan (0-3); M Keoghan (0-4), TJ Reid (2-6, 1-0 pen, 3f), H Shine (1-2).Subs: A Mullen (0-1) for Moore (54 mins); R Reid for Corcoran (57); T Clifford (0-1) for Phelan (59); S Donnelly for Shine (64); S Murphy for Carey (65).KILDARE: P McKenna; L O’Reilly, R Boran, S Leacy; D Guerin, Conan Boran (0-1), P Dolan; D O’Meara (0-1), C McCabe; J Travers (0-1), C Dowling (0-2), Gerry Keegan (0-2); D Melville (0-3), M Curtin (0-1), J Sheridan (0-2, 2f).Subs: Cian Boran for Dolan (44 mins); R Hogan for Leacy (53); C Smith for Keegan (59); A Goss for Dowling (66); J Burke (0-1) for Curtin (69).Referee: E Furlong (Wexford).