Tipperary secures All-Ireland final spot with exciting victory over Kilkenny

Defiance for the second Croke Park Sunday in a row as Tipperary belied their one-man disadvantage in the final 15 minutes of action to ensure a first ever senior All-Ireland senior final against Cork on Sunday week.

The second successive all-Munster final, Oisín O’Donoghue’s blaster of a goal at the end of normal time was the difference. Referee James Owens had signalled for advantage and the Cashel King Cormacs man bulged the net for the second game in a row.

That had come just over 10 minutes after Darragh McCarthy had been dismissed for the second game in this championship although he will free to play the final on July 20 as it was a second booking unlike the red in Cork in April.

Four down at half-time in front of this 60,738 attendance, Kilkenny made the most of some questionable Tipperary shooting (five wides in less than seven minutes) to square the game in the 50th minute and lead two minutes later when TJ Reid punished an infringement on Billy Ryan. Michael Breen had given the ball to Ryan before the Kilkenny forward was fouled.

Three times Tipperary levelled the game in the following five minutes before Cian Kenny’s second point after Martin Keoghan’s fifth broke the pattern. Those scores came after McCarthy was issued a second booking for a late hit on Eoin Murphy to match his fourth minute yellow card.

Unlike the Munster game in Cork, Tipperary were not for budging. Jason Forde sent over two clinking frees to tie the game then arrowed over another from close to the sideline to give Tipperary a head.

Keoghan’s sixth point tied it all up again before O’Donoghue’s match-winning strike. There was consternation afterwards about the legitimacy of Noel McGrath’s point that followed. Jordan Molloy cut the margin once more but Robert Doyle was on the goal-line to keep out John Donnelly’s shot.

Like Cork, Kilkenny’s four weeks off the road didn’t appear to affect them in the opening clashes. They were three points to no score up after eight minutes although they had posted as many wides. The squally weather and cross-wind didn’t lend to good hurling and the ball was more like a bar of soap at times.

Tipperary hit their first major in the eighth minute. Jake Morris’s goal attempt was foiled by the Mikeys Butler and Carey but the ball spun out to John McGrath whose execution was perfect.

Only for Carey’s hook, Ormonde would have been in for another goal three minutes later and the next four points went the way of Kilkenny. They were being spoiled with the space they were being provided and those points came in less than four minutes to push The Cats into a five-point lead by the 14th minute.

Some fine long-range shooting from Conor Stakelum kept the till ticking over for Tipperary but the margin was still five up to the 21st minute when Tipperary went on their rampage.

McCarthy anticipated a ball that broke the Kilkenny cover in the 21st minute and he had the strength to hold off Huw Lawlor and find the net. Morris with the leveller and McGrath to push Tipp ahead for the first time followed it up with points. A third Tipperary goal came the way of Jason Forde in the 25th minute. McCarthy was the provider and in keeping with events the evening previously, Forde’s strike was one-handed and Tipperary were four ahead.

A Reid free ended Tipperary’s 2-2 rally but Kilkenny did not make great headway. Alan Tynan, a temporary substitute for Andrew Ormond, sent out a signal with a block on Martin Keoghan who landed three points earlier.

The Leinster winners sent over a brace to get within two points but Tipperary scored four of the last six points in the half to go in four up at the break, 3-11 to 0-17.

Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (1-5, 0-4 frees); J. McGrath, D. McCarthy (0-2 frees) (1-2 each); J. Morris (0-4); C. Stakelum, E. Connolly (0-3 each); O. O’Donoghue (1-0); S. O’Farrell, N. McGrath (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilkenny: T.J. Reid (0-11, 8 frees, 1 65); M. Keoghan (0-6); J. Molloy (0-4); B. Ryan, E. Cody, A. Mullen, C. Kenny (0-2 each); J Donnelly (0-1).

TIPPERARY: R. Shelly; R. Doyle, R. Maher (c), E. Connolly; C. Morgan, B. O’Mara, M. Breen; W. Connors, C. Stakelum; J. Morris, A. Ormond, S. O’Farrell; D. McCarthy, J. McGrath, J. Forde.

Subs for Tipperary: A. Tynan for A. Ormond (temp 29-31); N. McGrath for J. McGrath (50); A. Tynan for S. O’Farrell (53); D. Stakelum for W. Connors (57); O. O’Donoghue for C. Stakelum (63); S. Kenneally for A. Ormond (70+1).

Sent off: D. McCarthy (59, second yellow).

KILKENNY: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, S. Murphy; M. Carey, R. Reid, P. Deegan; C. Kenny, J. Molloy; J. Donnelly (c), E. Cody, B. Ryan; A. Mullen, T.J. Reid, M. Keoghan.

Subs for Kilkenny: D. Blanchfield for S. Murphy (h-t); S. Donnelly for A. Mullen (66); K. Doyle for C. Kenny (70).

Referee: J. Owens (Wexford).