Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-28
IT WAS A classic final that neither side deserved to lose.
With a dramatic final flourish, HawkEye intervened and made sure that neither side did.
For the third straight year, a replay will be needed to decide the All-Ireland hurling final. Kilkenny and Tipperary will meet again on 27 September after 71 minutes and 54 scores in a pulsating contest failed to separate them.
John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer had a chance to snatch victory for Tipp at the death when he lined up the penultimate puck, a 97-metre free.
His monster strike had the distance but with Liam MacCarthy riding on the outcome, Barry Kelly and his umpires referred it to the technology to be sure.
It was millimetres wide. Kelly blew the final whistle and a nation exhaled.
Bubbles had already set himself apart as Tipp’s saviour when he equalised from the tightest of angles, the seventh point of his outstanding afternoon.
Remarkably he was one of 20 players to score from open play in what can only be described as an instant classic. All too often there is a rush to proclaim games as the best of a generation before the final whistle has even blown but in the circumstances it must be asked — was this?
Both sides will feel they should and could have won. Kilkenny led by three points when Henry Shefflin entered the fray for the last five minutes, his record 10th title on the horizon. A point from Tipp sub Jason Forde, sandwiched between two from O’Dwyer, denied the King.
For Tipp’s part they will look back on two missed penalties and rue what might have been.
Brian Cody made three changes from the side which beat Limerick last month, handing Eoin Murphy a start in goal. He saved a penalty in either half, one from Seamus Callanan, the other from O’Dwyer, as well as making a defining stop to deny Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher as the game reached its nailbiting climax.
The misses are bound to provoke further debate on the Nash Rule and whether or not penalties now offer a sufficient advantage to the attacking side.
We’ll have three weeks to mull that one over.
The ferocious pace was set from the opening whistle, two teams itching to renew their fabled rivalry. Tipp led by two at the break, 1-13 to 1-11, thanks in no small part to the battling of Shane McGrath and James Woodlock in midfield and some dogged defending led by captain Brendan Maher.
Noel McGrath stood out for the Premier in that first half, his tireless running pulling the Kilkenny defence out of shape and opening up space all over the park.
Tipp’s opening goal came on 21 minutes and bore all the hallmarks of a Bonner Maher special. He soared to pluck a Darren Gleeson puckout on the Kilkenny 65 and powered towards goal, firing a low drive between Murphy’s legs.
The Glenmore keeper will know he should have done better but he had a chance to make amends within 60 seconds. Bonner was at it again, except this time he hauled down on the edge of the square by Paul Murphy. A penalty — but Callanan’s shot was saved.
Tipp led by five at that stage but it gave Kilkenny a timely jolt and they equalised in the 25th minute. TJ Reid fielded a high ball and popped it into the path of Richie Power who clipped it past Gleeson to score.
Provider turned scorer as soon as the second half resumed. Tipp were slow to clear their lines under pressure from Michael Fennelly and Reid fired an absolute thunderbolt through a thicket of blue and gold bodies to score.
It moved Kilkenny into the lead but only briefly, McGrath pegging them back with his second of the afternoon.
As the two giants traded score for score, Tipp had chances to deliver a telling blow. Lar Corbett — who was inspirational from centre-forward in the second half — struck the post and then set up Callanan who was blocked when a goal was definitely on.
O’Dwyer and the magnificent Richie Hogan, who cemented his claims for Hurler of the Year on a day of many standout performances, traded points before Power struck for his second of the day.
He showed a sublime touch to nick the ball away from Paddy Stapleton in the air and one just as good to beat Gleeson at his far post.
It left Kilkenny three clear with just over 20 minutes to play but there was plenty left to be written.
Callanan had 7-38 in his Championship account before today but still came in for plenty of scrutiny in the pre-match analysis. When it mattered stood up to be counted, pointing three times in that final stretch as Tipp stayed in touch.
They shot themselves in the foot when Corbett was brought down by Jackie Tyrell. O’Dwyer took up the penalty duties on this occasion but the outcome was the same.
The young Killenaule star had his moment of redemption out under the Hogan Stand as the clock ticked towards 70.
Consider that for the next three weeks. They’ll be back to do it all again.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 1-8 (6f), Richie Power 2-1, Richie Hogan 0-6, Eoin Larkin 0-2, Brian Hogan, Conor Fogarty, Michael Fennelly, Colin Fennelly, Walter Walsh 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: John O’Dwyer 0-7 (2f), Seamus Callanan 0-7 (2f), Patrick Bonner Maher 1-1, Noel McGrath 0-4, Shane McGrath, Lar Corbett 0-2 each, Paddy Stapleton, James Woodlock, Gearoid Ryan, Michael Cahill, Jason Forde 0-1 each.
KILKENNY
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
3. JJ Delaney (Fenians)
4. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens)
5. Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
6. Brian Hogan (O’Loughlin Gaels)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
9. Conor Fogarty (Erins Own)
10. Michael Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
11. Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
12. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
13. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
14. Richie Power (Carrickshock)
15. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens)
Substitutions: A Fogarty for W Walsh (49), Padraig Walsh for J Holden (61), Henry Shefflin for C Fennelly (67), John Power for R Hogan (71).
TIPPERARY
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Cathal Barrett (HolycrossBallycahill)
3. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
4. Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh)
5. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh – Captain)
6. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
7. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
8. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
9. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)
10. Gearóid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields)
Substitutions: Michael Cahill for G Ryan (50), Eoin Kelly for J Woodlock (64), Jason Forde for S McGrath (67), John O’Brien for Callanan (71).
Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)
