Despite Tipp’s best efforts, Brian Cody’s Kilkenny team put an end to Eamonn O’Shea’s Tipperary 2013 hurling championship, having secured a 0-20 (20 pts) to 1-14 (17 pts) win at Nowlan Park this evening and the former will now go on to face Waterford in Phase III of the All-Ireland qualifiers next Saturday.
In front of 23,307 spectators it had started well for Tipperary, with Lar Corbett, once again mirroring the image of the man who deservedly won hurler of the year in 2010, stealing a goal on the 14th minute, following a fatal miscue from John O’Dwyer had found its way into his possession.
However, despite this Tipperary lead, Lar Corbett suffered a hamstring injury, forcing him off the field during the first half, to be replaced by Seamus Callanan.
Both Eoin Kelly and Jason Forde missed second half goal chances that could have delivered a completely different reading on the scoreboard.
In a game full of intensity on a very hot day and played at a maddening pace, with both sides wasting equal chances, in the end it was a deserved win for the Cats, mainly thanks to the focus of Kilkenny’s Eoin Larkin, through his point-taking and defensive ability.
With just six minutes remaining, Henry Shefflin left the bench to enter the fray for Kilkenny, sending fans at Nowlan Park into deservedly rapturous jubilation.
However on the 70th minute mark, Tipperary’s failure to conjure up that badly needed goal, towards the closing stages of the game, left Kilkenny holding on for a three-point win, and a disappointed Tipperary team heading for the dressing rooms with very little to be ashamed about.
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