It wasn’t easy viewing as this turned into a slaughter of the innocent. The simple story was that Wicklow were too good and they showed no mercy as they sailed to a facile victory over Kilkenny in the electric Ireland Leinster minor football championship at Nowlan Park this evening.

The winners caught control of the game from an early stage, and they simply blasted their opponents. Stylish corner-forward, Eoin Doyle, finished as the top scorer for the winners. He registered 3-3.

Second half sub Conor Fulham did very well too, shooting 2-1 during a 20 minute or so stint. But it wasn't a contest.

In the past the Cats suffered batterings like this and they departed the minor season for ages. It won't be easy to keep things together after a mauling like this.

The game began to race away from Kilkenny early on. After Matthew Ging and O’Loughlin Gaels Vincent O’Grady exchanged points, Wicklow hit the front with a lovely minor from Bradley Hickey.

During the following five minutes Wicklow picked off two goals. Ging cracked home the first before the elegant Doyle slotted home the second in the eight minute.

The winners eased 4-10 to 0-1 ahead before Kilkenny put two scores together. Ryan Murphy pointed a free for the home side in the 20th minute before Vincent O’Grady converted a penalty following a foul on Conor Walsh.

At half-time the winners led by 4-12 to 1-2, with Eoin Doyle shooting 2-3 and Matthew Ging helping himself to 1-4, and he was withdrawn at the interval.

The sad news for Kilkenny is that they now face Kildare, who beat Wicklow earlier.

SCORERS: Wicklow - Eoin Doyle (3-3); Matthew Ging (1-4); Conor Fulham (2-1); Shane Daly (2-2); Jack Kirwan (1-1); Daniel Cooney, Cillian McDonald, Tom Keogh (0-2 each); Jordan Brady, Joe Prendergast, Bradley Hickey (0-1 each). Kilkenny - Vincent O’Grady (1-1); Evan O’Shea (1-0); Eoin Conway, Ryan Murphy (0-1 each).

Kilkenny - Jack Conway; Brian O’Shea, Aidan Walsh, Fergal Suffin; Tom Carroll, Oisin Carroll, Oisin Henebery; Gavin Manning, Sean O’Dwyer; Billy O’Callaghan, Conor Walsh (capt), Tommy Coogan; Eoin Crowley, Ryan Murphy, Vincent O’Grady. Subs - Fionn Blanche, Francis Moore, Evan O’Shea, Brian McDonald, Rory O’Connor, Callum Arthurs

Wicklow - Andy Nolan; Daniel Healy, Thada Shanahan, Jordan Brady; Daniel Cooney, Tom Moran, Cillian McDonald; Arun Daly Danne, Luka Harney; Joe Prendergast, Shane Daly, Bradley Hickey; Eoin Doylee, Jack Kirwan, Matthew Ging. Subs - Tom Keogh, Sean Coffey, Neil Brown, Keith Burke, Adam Hadden, Conor Fulham.

Referee - Eamon O’Connor (Offaly).

For more on Kilkenny People sport read here.