KILKENNY 1-21
TIPPERARY 2-24
Jason Forde delivered 1-15 for Tipperary as they ended their 15-year hoodoo against Kilkenny in UPMC Nowlan Park.
The home side had cut the gap to four points by the 62nd minute, Martin Keoghan having found the net four minutes earlier, but three points from Forde in the space of as many minutes gave Tipperary a sufficient cushion to see out the victory.
Tipperary struck 19 wides in total and Kilkenny were far more clinical with the breeze in the second half but weren't able to create as many openings as the visitors.
Losing Paddy Cadell and Cathal Barrett to injuries inside the opening 12 minutes, Liam Cahill had reason to curse his luck. However, his team absorbed those setbacks and with the aid of the wind went about accumulating a handsome 2-13 first half total.
Their wide count spilled into double digits by the end of the period, but they were so dominant it could be forgiven. Spoiling umpteen Kilkenny puck-outs, turning over ball high up the field and winning most of the physical battles, their efforts silenced the usually vocal home support in the 10,458 crowd.
With Noel McGrath orchestrating matters at centre-forward, they were four points to the good going into the 27th minute when they struck their first goal. Seamus Callanan’s pass found Jason Forde in space and his shot was too good for Aidan Tallis.
Tipperary had four goal openings in total in the first half, Conor Bowe and Jake Morris being denied in the 22nd and 30th minutes, but the latter made no mistake with his second opportunity six minutes into additional time. After Bowe’s strike was initially kept out by Tallis, Morris had enough time to place the ball past the Kilkenny goalkeeper.
As Kilkenny were dispossessed once more, Morris followed that goal with a point and Tipperary were full value for their 2-13 to 0-7 interval lead.
Scorers for Kilkenny: B. Drennan (0-10, 7 frees, 1 65); M. Keoghan (1-2); J. Donnelly (0-4); S. Walsh, B. Ryan, C. Fogarty, P. Walsh, W Walsh (0-1 each).
Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (1-15, 0-8 frees, 1 65, 1 sideline); J. Morris (1-2); C. Bowe, N. McGrath (0-2 each); A. Tynan, J. Campion, M. Kehoe (0-1 each).
KILKENNY: A. Tallis; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, C. Heary; C. Buckley, P. Walsh, D. Corcoran (c); P. Deegan, K. Doyle; M. Keoghan, C. Kenny, B. Ryan; S. Walsh, W. Walsh, B. Drennan.
Subs for Kilkenny: J. Donnelly for C. Kenny (24); C. Fogarty for K. Doyle (35+5); D. Blanchfield for C. Heary; A. Murphy for M. Butler (40); G. Dunne for A. Murphy (inj 61).
TIPPERARY: B. Hogan; C. Barrett, M. Breen, J. Ryan; E. Heffernan, P. Campion, R. Maher; P. Cadell, D. McCormack; A. Tynan, N. McGrath (c), J. Morris; J. Forde, S. Callanan, C. Bowe.
Subs for Tipperary: J. Campion for P. Cadell (inj 5); E. Connolly for C. Barrett (temp 12-ft); S. Kennedy for J. Campion (temp 34-35+3); M. Kehoe for S. Callanan (53); B. O’Mara for P. Campion (54); S. Kennedy for A. Tynan (temp 56-58); S. Kennedy for J. Campion (61); S. Ryan for J. Morris (67).
Referee: P. Murphy (Carlow).
