THIS IS IT, the biggest game of the hurling season is upon us. We’re live from Croke Park following all the action as Tipperary take on Kilkenny.
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We’re building up here for the big one, it’s Tipperary against Kilkenny on the biggest day in the hurling calendar. Follow our coverage of the 2014 All-Ireland senior hurling final here, throw-in at 3.30pm.
Tipperary have gone with an unchanged team after their semi-final win over Cork.
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)
And here’s the Kilkenny team, three changes from the win over Limerick last time out. Eoin Murphy, Walter Walsh and Richie Power all handed starting berths ahead of David Herity, Padraig Walsh and Mark Kelly.
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)
Here’s the Tipperary subs:
16. Darragh Egan (Kildangan), 17. Shane Bourke (JK Brackens), 18. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields), 19. Paul Curran (Mullinahone), 20. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 21. Eoin Kelly (Mullinahone), 22. Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), 23. Conor O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty), 24. John O’Brien (Toomevara), 25. Conor O’Mahony (Newport), 26. Thomas Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons).
And here’s the Kilkenny subs:
16. David Herity (Dunnamaggin), 17. Kieran Joyce (Rower Inistioge), 18. Brian Kennedy (St Lachtain’s), 19. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan), 20. Lester Ryan (Clara), 21. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), 22. Henry Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 23. Aidan Fogarty (Emeralds), 24. Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), 25. Jonjo Farrell (Thomastown), 26. John Power (Carrickshock).
The 1989 Tipperary All-Ireland winning side have just been presented to the crowd. Big cheers in particular for John Leahy and Nicky English.
Westmeath’s Barry Kelly is the man in the middle today.
The players are currently meeting President Michael D Higgins as we approach throw-in.
Right pre-match parade under way, final predictions?
Key duels today? We’re thinking of Seamus Callanan v JJ Delaney and possible Colin Fennelly v Brendan Maher. How Tipperary stop Richie Hogan will also be key.
Let’s do this. The battle is about to commence.
And we’re under way.
Cathal Barrett meets Eoin Larkin with a heavy hit early on to disrupt a Kilkenny attack.
Kilkenny 0-1 Tipperary 0-1
2 mins – It needs Hawkeye to judge it but Colin Fennelly has got the first point of this final. Tipperary hit back instantly through John O’Dwyer.
Kilkenny 0-2 Tipperary 0-1
3 mins – Nicely done by Eoin Larkin as he steps inside the Tipp defensive cover to point. Little space out there on the pitch for any player.
Kilkenny 0-2 Tipperary 0-2
4 mins – Bubbles O’Dwyer blasts over a monster free from distance for Tipperary to draw them level after Shane McGrath was fouled.
Tipperary 0-3 Kilkenny 0-2
7 mins – James Woodlock knifes through the heart of the Kilkenny defence and caps a surging run with a great point. He was brilliant at doing that against Cork and has started the final in the same fashion.
Tipperary 0-3 Kilkenny 0-3
8 mins – Level again. Eoin Larkin and Richie Hogan play a one-two that prises Tipperary open and it’s finished expertly by Larkin.
Huge goal chance for Kilkenny! TJ Reid set Colin Fennelly free but he tried to be too clever in playing in his brother Michael and Tipperary got back to clear.
Big hit by Conor Fogarty on Kieran Bergin and he gets booked for shouldering the Tipp player in the head.
Kilkenny 0-4 Tipperary 0-3
12 mins – TJ Reid breaks into space, thinks about going for goal but is satisfied by tapping over the point.
Tipperary 0-5 Kilkenny 0-5
12 mins – Goal chance for Tipperary but Bonner Maher overplays the hand pass and Seamus Callanan can’t grab the ball. Yet Tipperary hassle the Kilkenny defence to turn it over and Callanan hooks over a point. Then we’ve points swapped by Reid and Lar Corbett.
Both sides really close to breaking through for a goal. TJ Reid got past Darren Gleeson at one end but was blocked by James Barry and then Patrick Maher was foiled by the Kilkenny backs near Hill 16.
Tipperary 0-6 Kilkenny 0-5
16 mins – The pace is relentless here! Noel McGrath bangs over a super point but Kilkenny are aggrieved that they didn’t get a free after Eoin Larkin was upended.
Tipperary 0-7 Kilkenny 0-6
18 mins – The freetakers – TJ Reid and Seamus Callanan – swap points.
Tipperary 0-8 Kilkenny 0-6
19 mins – More encouraging play by Tipperary’s midfield as Shane McGrath surges forward and pops over a point.
Goal for Tipperary from Bonner Maher!
Penalty for Tipperary!
Bonner Maher raced through to fire home a goal and now he’s won a penalty!
Callanan to take it.
Tipperary 1-8 Kilkenny 0-6
23 mins – Callanan’s penalty is not hit with much venom and Richie Hogan back on the line got down to save. But Bonner Maher is having huge joy in running at the Kilkenny defence after being fouled there by Paul Murphy. Tipperary five points ahead.
Goal for Kilkenny!
Tipperary 1-9 Kilkenny 1-7
25 mins – What a phase of action. Lar Corbett points a beauty for Tipperary and then Richie Hogan cancels that out for Kilkenny. Then the Cats get a serious boost as TJ Reid ferries the ball through to Richie Power who flicks it past the goalkeeper and taps in to an empty net.
And another big goal chance for Kilkenny but Reid is denied by great reflexes from Darren Gleeson.
Tipperary 1-9 Kilkenny 1-8
27 mins – Michael Fennelly cuts the gap to one.
Tipperary 1-10 Kilkenny 1-8
29 mins – Marvellous point by Seamus Callanan off his left for Tipperary from the Hogan Stand side.
Tipperary 1-10 Kilkenny 1-9
30 mins – Richie Hogan shows why he’s such a key candidate for Hurler of the Year as he hits a superb point for Kilkenny.
Tipperary 1-11 Kilkenny 1-9
31 mins – Fine point by Noel McGrath after a good delivery from Shane McGrath.
Tipperary 1-12 Kilkenny 1-9
32 mins – John O’Dwyer stretches Tipperary’s lead to three.
Tipperary 1-12 Kilkenny 1-11
33 mins – Back to a one point game as TJ Reid converts a pair of frees for Kilkenny.
Half-Time: Tipperary 1-13 Kilkenny 1-11
Callanan points a late free and it’s a two-point lead for Tipperary at the break. Frantic first-half, we’ll be back shortly with the second-half action.
Here’s the first-half scorers:
Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 0-4 (0-2f), John O’Dwyer 0-3 (0-1f), Patrick Maher 1-0, Noel McGrath, Lar Corbett 0-2 each, Shane McGrath, James Woodlock 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-5 (0-3f), Richie Power 1-0, Richie Hogan, Eoin Larkin 0-2 each, Colin Fennelly, Michael Fennelly 0-1 each.
Goal for Kilkenny!
Kilkenny 2-11 Tipperary 1-14
36 mins – What a start to the second-half for Kilkenny as TJ Reid produces a magnificent finish to the net. Then Shane McGrath ties the game up once more.
Sensational start to the second-half, the scoring rates showing no sign of drying up.
Kilkenny 2-12 Tipperary 1-15
39 mins – Points traded again. Reid from a free and Noel McGrath from play.
Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 1-15
40 mins – Now that’s all of Kilkenny’s starting forwards on the scoresheet as Walter Walsh points from the right wing.
Lar Corbett so close to a brilliant goal! He gathered, turned the Kilkenny defence and tried to pick out the top corner but the ball smacked off the upright.
82,179 packed in here to watch this one.
Tipperary create another goal opening, brilliant creative play by Lar but Callanan’s shot is blocked as the goal is on.
Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 1-16
43 mins – Draw match once more as O’Dwyer clips over his fourth point of the day for Tipperary.
Kilkenny 2-14 Tipperary 1-17
45 misn – Can’t take our eyes off this game! Richie Hogan points for Kilkenny but then a superb flowing move up the pitch by Tipperary culminates in Gearoid Ryan blazing over with a goal on.
Tipperary 1-18 Kilkenny 2-14
47 mins – O’Dwyer smacks over a long-range free for Tipperary. That’s 35 scores that we’ve had in 47 minutes. Incredible stuff.
Tipperary 1-18 Kilkenny 2-15
47 mins – Richie Power levels it up.
Goal for Richie Power!
Kilkenny 3-16 Tipperary 1-18
48 mins – Tipperary could rue those goal chances that they spurned as Kilkenny make no mistake at the other end. Richie Power gets free and finishes with aplomb and Richie Hogan follows that up with a point.
Subs: Aidan Fogarty on for Walter Walsh on the Kilkenny team while Michael Cahill replaces Gearoid Ryan for Tipperary.
Kilkenny 3-16 Tipperary 1-19
51 mins – Tidy point by Michael Cahill after excellent approach work from Shane McGrath.
Kilkenny 3-17 Tipperary 1-20
52 mins – Super scoring on both sides from Noel McGrath and Richie Hogan.
Kilkenny 3-18 Tipperary 1-21
53 mins – Neither team showing inaccuracy. Callanan and Brian Hogan trade points.
Kilkenny 3-18 Tipperary 1-22
54 mins – Brilliant leadership by Callanan as he strikes a vital point for Tipperary.
Kilkenny 3-20 Tipperary 1-22
56 mins – TJ Reid is fouled and pops over the resultant fee for Kilkenny, then Richie Hogan stretches their lead to four.
Kilkenny 3-20 Tipperary 1-23
57 mins – Fantastic save by Eoin Murphy as he tips a fierce drive by Bonner Maher over the bar.
Penalty for Tipperary as Lar Corbett is fouled!
John O’Dwyer to hit it.
And Kilkenny save another Tipperary penalty!
Huge setback for Tipperary. They’ve had their chances but these misses look like they could cost them.
Kilkenny 3-21 Tipperary 1-23
61 mins – TJ Reid’s free hits the upright but Kilkenny recycle the ball and Richie Hogan points again.
Kilkenny 3-21 Tipperary 1-24
62 mins – Further Callanan brilliance as he points again. Padraig Walsh on for Kilkenny for Joey Holden.
Sub: James Woodlock off for Tipperary with Eoin Kelly coming on.
Kilkenny 3-21 Tipperary 1-25
64 mins – Super point by Paddy Stapleton for Tipperary.
Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-25
66 mins – Point from a free by TJ Reid.
Subs: Henry Shefflin on for Colin Fennelly, Jason Forde on for Shane McGrath.
Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-27
67 mins – One in it now! O’Dwyer and Forde point for Tipperary.
Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-28
68 mins – We’re level! John O’Dwyer points!
This is amazing stuff!
54 scores in 68 minutes!
Tipperary have a free, awarded against Brian Hogan. One minute of injury time!
John O’Dwyer to hit it from near his own 45 yard line.
John O’Brien on for Tipp for Callanan.
Hawkeye to judge it!
Wide by inches!
And it’s all over, a draw!
Third successive year for a draw.
That’s it! It’s going to a replay!
What an amazing game. A record for scoring in an All-Ireland senior hurling final and we have yet another replay on the cards.
Saturday September 27th at 5pm in Croke Park for the replay.
Full-Time: Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-28
And that’s it from us, thanks for joining in.
