9,674 spectators watched a thrilling encounter which saw the sides level on no fewer than 10 occasions as Kilkenny's bid to reach a ninth Leinster final in succession was met with strong resistance by a brave Dublin charge.

This game was in some respects a battle of the free-takers with Dublin's Joey Boland and Kilkenny's Eoin Larkin having a busy afternoon. Both converted seven points each from frees, with Na Fianna clubman Boland also adding two points from open play.

Brian Cody made just one change to the starting 15 announced midweek, with Cillian Buckley added to the attack, and Aidan Fogarty losing out.

Dublin manager Anthony Daly failed to make any changes to the Metropolitans programme line-up, with his side bidding for a second Leinster final in three years.

Exactly a year ago 18 points separated the sides at the same stage of the Championship, but this afternoon the script would be different.

Both sides struggled to take scores in the opening minutes, with two wides each inside the opening four and a half minutes, until Kilkenny found their composure quickest.

The Cats registered a trio of points between the sixth and 10th minutes, with Larkin, Walter Walsh and Richie Hogan on target.

Dublin unlucky not to sneak a goal during this spell, with Paul Ryan through, but the Ballyboden St. Enda's clubman failed to deliver, as Eoin Murphy made a block.

Daly's charges didn't look composed in front of the posts in the opening stages, and they had amassed five wides, before Danny Sutcliffe got them off the mark in the 13th minute with his only score of the game.

Ryan cut the deficit to the minimum, with a 14th minute pointed free after a foul by Tommy Walsh, but he was called ashore in the 19th minute, after being replaced by David 'Dotsy' O'Callaghan.

Kilkenny holding a 0-4 to 0-3 lead at this stage, following a second Larkin score.

A brace of Boland pointed frees put Dublin ahead, but Kilkenny hit one of their best spells in this game with a quartet of unanswered points to move 0-8 to 0-5 ahead after 28 minutes, with Hogan and Walter Walsh taking spectacular scores from play.

Dublin upped their intensity before the break, claiming the last three scores, with the loss of Paul Murphy a major blow to the Cats.

The sides were tied at 0-8 apiece at the end of a pulsating opening 35 minutes, but with Dublin registering 10 wides and playing against a stiff wind in the second half it was going to be tough.

Cody called upon TJ Reid for the second half, and the Ballyhale Shamrocks player was to have a major say late on.

Dublin also made a change after the break, with Mark Schutte introduced in place of Conor McCormack for the second half.

The Metropolitans pushed two points clear inside five and a half minutes of the restart, thanks to scores from Paul Schutte and Boland.

However, Kilkenny responded in dramatic fashion thanks to a Walter Walsh goal.

Last year's All-Ireland final replay Man of the Match slotting the ball past Gary Maguire, after a missed opportunity from Mark Schutte was cleared by Eoin Murphy at the opposite end.

But Dublin failed to faulter, with the sides trading points on three occasions of the next 14 minutes, to ensure Kilkenny led by 1-11 to 0-13 with 15 minutes left on the clock.

The Cats extended this lead to two points following a Walter Walsh point, but Kilkenny wouldn't score again until injury-time, as Dublin placed themselves into a 0-16 to 1-12 lead.

A seventh Larkin point tied the game at 1-13 to 0-16 in injury-time, and it looked like Dublin would be heading for the final when Boland delivered his ninth point late on.

But there was still time for Reid to step up to the mark with an excellent effort from play to ensure the sides must meet again in Portlaoise next Saturday night at 7pm.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; N Corcoran, P Kelly, P Schutte (0-1); S Hiney, L Rushe, M Carton; J McCaffrey (0-1), J Boland (0-9, 7f); C Keaney (0-1), R O'Dwyer, D Sutcliffe (0-1); C McCormack, D Treacy, P Ryan (0-1, 1f). Subs: D O'Callaghan (0-1) for Ryan (19); M Schutte (0-1) for McCormack (HT); S Durkin (0-1) for Sutcliffe (46); S Lambert for Treacy (57); E Dillon for Hiney (63).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, C Fogarty; T Walsh, B Hogan, K Joyce; L Ryan, M Rice; C Fennelly, R Power, E Larkin (0-7, 7f); W Walsh (1-4), R Hogan (0-2), C Buckley. Subs: P Hogan for Murphy (34); TJ Reid (0-1) for Rice (HT); A Fogarty for Fennelly (59); M Ruth for Power (63).

REFEREE: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)