Cats Purr To All-Ireland Glory

Kilkenny 2-17 v 1-16 Tipperary

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final @ Croke Park, Dublin

Sunday the 4th of September 2011

"What a difference a year makes", that well said quote is often apt in sporting circles and it is perfect to assess this result. Cast your minds back to this time in 2010 where Kilkenny were gunning for a record five titles on the trot. Everything was going to plan down on Noreside until the All-Ireland semi-final win over Cork where their orchestrator Henry Shefflin suffered that well documented cruciate injury. Of course, Shefflin is a bit like Superman and got back in the frame for the All-Ireland where he opened up with a pointed free before suffering the injury and thereby ending his participation in the early stages. Other injuries to Tommy Walsh (shoulder) and John Tennyson (cruciate) raised questions over whether or not they would be able line out (2011 Kilkenny captain Brian Hogan was injured last year), both did with the latter perhaps paying the price for it as he has since suffered a recurrence which ruled him out of action for this years championship. While the dissapointment was unbearbale for Kilkenny supporters there was plenty of excitement over the border in Tipperary as they clinched a first title since 2001. Now come back to the present time and after this display the Cats are back as a result of this hard fought victory over a Tipperary side that could not reach the heights of their performance last year and similarly on their displays up to this point in championship 2011. This is not to say that Tipperary did not show up, they did, but more to the fact of the brilliance of Kilkenny. Brian Cody certainly had his work done with the first half in particular seeing his side showing great work rate, winning a lot of possession and more importantly for them snuffling out the threat of Lar Corbett and Eoin Kelly. Corbett hardly saw any ball during this game and when he did black and amber defenders quickly surrounded him. Likewise, Kelly (unerring from placed balls with eight from nine) hardly got any ball that he craves and on the one or two occasions that he did, again he like Lar was bottled up. A tactic of Kilkenny during this half was to play Henry Shefflin on his wing where he was up against All-Ireland debutant John O’Keefe. By doing this they simultaneously kept the ball away from Padraic Maher although the Thurles Sars man was impressive all through in particular the second half when he was imperious. Furthermore, the Kilkenny back line were immense with newcomer Paul Murphy enjoying a great first half along with Jackie Tyrell who marshalled Lar Corbett to great effect while full back Noel Hickey was very good. Outside that trio, Brian Hogan held the centre well with Noel McGrath having an ineffective first half and outside him JJ Delaney was prominent as was my man of the match, Tommy Walsh (who had another great contest with the Bonnar Maher) was a sight to behold – in this half alone he caught four Tipperary puck out’s on a day when Brendan Cummins’ distribution was not as effective as in previous games. While, up the field the two Michael’s - Fennelly and Rice had the better of the duel here so much that Tipp’s influential Shane McGrath was withdrawn at half time. On to the forwards and the work rate of his sextet was very impressive at times with all six in scoring form. For Tipperary only Michael Cahill, Padraic Maher, Gearoid Ryan at times, Patrick "Bonnar" Maher, John O'Brien in patches and perhaps Eoin Kelly from frees played to form but on the day there was no denying Kilkenny as Tipp's back to back All-Ireland bid failed. 

Kilkenny enjoyed the better of the opening minutes with scores from Shefflin (free), Eoin Larkin and Richie Hogan to lead 0-3 to 0-0 by the eleventh minute. Larkin seemed to have the measure of Paul Curran beating the Mullinahone man to a 50 – 50 ball after just two minutes (the Cats were 0-1 up by this stage) the James Stephens club man turned and headed for goal but before he could get in this strike he was thwarted by an excellent intervention from Michael Cahill who flicked the sliotar from Larkin’s grasp just as the Kilkenny man was set to pull the trigger. Indeed, Hogan and Larkin combined in the twelfth minute as great vision from Hogan saw him send in a lofting high pass to Larkin with Cummins contesting the high ball with the Kilkenny full forward who managed to get a flick on the sliotar. This sliotar was destined for the net only for Paul Curran to stop it from crossing the line with a crucial intervention. Kilkenny were certainly on top during this half with more scores from Richie Power and Henry Shefflin to go into a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter as Tipp’s only scoring chance ended with Eoin Kelly’s 65 from the sideline underneath the Hogan Stand going wide as they craved a score to settle them. It took the Premier men fifteen minutes and fifty seconds to get this score when Padraic Maher found Noel McGrath who sent over a rangy point from out near the Cusack Stand. This score boosted Tipp and they hit back with two frees from Eoin Kelly to narrow the gap to two. As stated, Henry Shefflin was seeing a lot of ball and gave marker John O’Keefe a torrid time. Time and time again Shefflin was the receiver of cross-field balls, which saw him turn O’Keefe for his first score from play to put the score line at double scores. It must be said that Shefflin has bounced back admirably from last years’ career threatening injury but he will be somewhat disappointed that in the opening half he did not make the most of his chances, hitting wide of the posts twice from score able positions and sending another short into the hand of Cummins.  On other times, and in fact throughout the match, the Ballyhale Shamrocks maestro showed great intelligence to set up his teammates for scores. A Tipperary attack in the nineteenth minute produced an unusual bit of action where after a small melee referee Brian Gavin received an accidental strike of a stray Tommy Walsh hurley to the nose which held up play for a few minutes as the Offaly official received attention. When the action resumed Kelly arrowed over his third pointed free. Eddie Brennan extended the Cats lead after being set up by Michael Fennelly in the twenty-fourth minute before Eoin Kelly replied through a converted free. Tipperary introduced 2010 young hurler of the year Brendan Maher for O’Keefe at this point as they hoped to finish the half strongly. Shefflin then arrowed over a free before both he and Richie Hogan combined to start the move from where the first goal of the 2011 All-Ireland came from. Ace midfielder Michael Fennelly capped off a great move when he gathered the ball thirty five yards out before racing through and unleashing a low and powerful shot from inside the twenty one yard line to beat Brendan Cummins. Incidentally Cummins was playing in his sixty seventh-championship game, a fine achievement. The next scores of the game came from Templederry and Carrickshock respectively as Gearoid Ryan, with a crisp score on the run from underneath the Cusack, and Fennelly’s midfield partner Michael Rice traded points. On thirty nine minutes (there were five minutes of added time) Patrick Maher tried to get in for a well needed Tipp goal but the Lorrha/Dorrha clubman was impeded by Noel Hickey preventing the Bonnar from getting through. As a result of this foul referee Brian Gavin awarded the Premier county a free, which was a bit too far out for Kelly to go for goal, with Kelly sending it flying over David Herity’s crossbar for to leave the champions trailing 1-8 to 0-6 at the interval. Interestingly by the end of this match we would see every Kilkenny player from 8-15 get on the score sheet with all bar Colin Fennelly scoring in the first half.

Kilkenny attacker Henry Shefflin under pressure from Tipperary duo John O'Keefe and Shane McGrath

Tipperary were under severe pressure and needed to freshen things up as manager Declan Ryan wielded the axe with Shane McGrath and Seamus Callinan not returning for the second half. In their place came Benny Dunne and Pa Burke as followers of the premier yearned for a better second thirty. Tipperary also had a few positional changes with Padraic Maher following Shefflin. Toomevara greyhound Dunne gave the defending champions the first score of the new half when he made a trademark run before firing over on the run. Henry Shefflin replied back with a good score from play before some pressure from the Premier forced a 65 which their ace Kelly duly sent flying over the cross bar. The nippy Colin Fennelly, whose participation was in doubt through injury, showed no ill effects and got a deserved score when he rifled over to join his older brother Michael on the score sheet. Richie Power extended the Noresiders lead with his second of the hour before Shefflin again converted a placed ball to give the contenders a 1-11 to 0-8 advantage. Tipperary fought back with Conor O’Mahony showing his forwards how to do it as he pointed from play before Kelly punished ill discipline with another free. Ultimately the winning of this game arrived in the forty-ninth minute of the game when Richie Hogan goaled with a fine strike, Hogan showed his skill with this goal, which was something out of the armoury of his first cousin and Kilkenny legend DJ Carey. Eddie Brennan set up Hogan for this major when the wing forward won a ball just inside the 65 before making a piercing run through the Tipperary defence and offloading to Danesfort’s Hogan who from a difficult position controlled the ball on the hurley before then striking first time to the right hand corner of the net. Many teams in recent times have fell to pieces once the Cats start to open up the lead but not this Tipperary team who fought back gamely to provide spectators with a truly tight and exciting contest. John O’Brien started the fight back a minute later with a nice point after Lar Corbett got his first clean ball of the game before smartly hand passing to O’Brien who did the rest. It must be said that O’Brien was winning his share of ball during the final twenty minutes before eventually running out of steam near the end. The Premier were attacking in waves as Padraic Maher was starting to stamp his presence on the game making numerous clearances while up front Patrick Maher was showing immense work rate to set up chances. Henry Shefflin got the next score with a free before Noel McGrath showed his skill with a beautiful line ball that sailed over the cross bar. Then came exactly what Tipperary people from Borrisokane to Ballyporeen (and all over the country and the world of course) were baying for when Pa Burke got through for his first ever championship goal and more importantly the score their supporters were crying out four. This score came about after Brendan Maher cleared from defence finding the Bonnar Maher who tried to bore his way through before offloading to Lar Corbett who showed another deft hand pass to set up the on rushing Burke. The Sars man still had it all to do as he soloed through before hitting a low shot to the net from inside the twenty one. Some people may feel that David Herity might have done better with the shot as it went straight at him but it most definetly was well struck by Burke to set up a pulsating last few minutes. Kilkenny were now 2-13 to 1-12 up and needed to stem this tide to which Colin Fennelly stepped up to the plate to send another deft score between the two uprights. Tipperary replied through Noel McGrath, who had a quiet game by his standards even if he did contribute three points two of which came from play, and a Kelly free as followers of both teams and the neutral alike were going to be in for an exciting finale. Approaching the last five minutes and with just a goal between the two, Henry Shefflin made it a two score game when he fired over another free. Tipperary were not going to let Liam McCarthy exit from their grasp without one heck of a battle with Patrick Maher again showing excellent work rate before being fouled which yet again Eoin Kelly excellently converted in sniper like fashion. TJ Reid marked his permanent introduction with score similar to one he got in the 2008 final before a good Tipp move saw Pa Burke shaping up for a pot at goal but the Cats backs flung around him like a swarm of wasps. Next it was the turn of Tipperary to deny Kilkenny a score when Michael Cahill produced another good block to deny Larkin again. We were being treated to excellent defending further exemplified when Kilkenny captain Brian Hogan denied Tipp sub John O’Neill a certain point with a superb block before clearing the sliotar from the danger zone. On the next attack Gearoid Ryan got Tipperary’s last score of the game to make it a three-point game with normal time up and two minutes of injury time to play. The champions badly needed a second goal but they could not muster this, as Eoin Larkin sent over the insurance score in the seventy-first minute to bring back Liam McCarthy to Kilkenny to make up for the disappointment of their failed five in a row bid of 2010.

A notable achievement of this thirty third All-Ireland title for Kilkenny is that of their quartet Henry Shefflin, Eddie Brennan, Noel Hickey and substitute Michael Kavanagh who picked up an eight celtic cross to join the legendary duo of John Doyle (Tipperary) and Christy Ring (Cork) as players to achieve this feat. Shefflin and Brennan have garnered all eight on the field of play just like Doyle and Ring. Of course, they are one behind fellow Kilkenny man Noel Skehan who has nine medals, but unlike Ring and Doyle, three of which were won on the field of play. GAA president Christy Cooney from Cork presented the Liam McCarthy cup to Cats captain Brian Hogan after the game as for the fifth time in six years the cup will be residing on Noreside. Referee Brian Gavin had a good game officiating in his first All-Ireland final despite picking up a nasty but accidental blow to his nose.

Kilkenny: David Herity (7); Paul Murphy (7), Noel Hickey (8), Jackie Tyrell (7); Tommy Walsh (9), Brian Hogan (8), JJ Delaney (8); Michael Fennelly (8) (1-0), Michael Rice (7) (0-1); Eddie Brennan (7) (0-1), Richie Power (7) (0-2), Henry Shefflin (8) (0-7; 0-5fs); Colin Fennelly (7) (0-2), Eoin Larkin (8) (0-2), Richie Hogan (7) (1-1).

Subs: TJ Reid (7) (0-1) for C.Fennelly (blood sub), Reid for Brennan, John Mulhall (6) for Hogan. 

Tipperary: Brendan Cummins (7); Paddy Stapleton (7), Paul Curran (7), Michael Cahill (8); John O’Keefe (6), Conor O’Mahony (6) (0-1), Padraic Maher (8); Gearoid Ryan (7) (0-2), Shane McGrath (6); Seamus Callinan (6), Noel McGrath (7) (0-3; 0-1 sideline), Patrick Maher (8); Eoin Kelly (7) (0-8; 0-7fs, 1 65), John O’Brien (7) (0-1), Lar Corbett (6).

Subs: Brendan Maher (7) for O’Keefe, Benny Dunne (6) (0-1) for S.McGrath, Pa Burke (7) (1-0), David Young (6) for O’Mahony, John O’Neill (6) for O’Brien.  

Referee: Brian Gavin (7) (Offaly)

Man of the Match: Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)