Good afternoon and welcome to what promises to be an electric game of hurling. With rumours flying that Eoin Murphy won’t start today due to an ankle injury, Kilkenny face the prospect of an All-Ireland final with three players making their first championship start for the black and amber.
Winning a third All-Ireland in-a-row with this side would surely be Brian Cody’s greatest achievement as Cats boss.
Meanwhile, in his first year in charge, Michael Ryan takes five players into their first All-Ireland final. Tipperary have already lifted the minor title today, can they complete the double?
Most pundits are giving the edge to Tipp. Who do you fancy to lift Liam today?
Lets take a quick check on the teams named to start.
Tipperary
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)
3. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Seamus Kennedy (St. Marys)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfield)
8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Michael Breen (Ballina)
10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
3. Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
4. Shane Prendergast (Clara)
5. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
6. Kieran Joyce (Rower Inistioge)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
9. Conor Fogarty (Erins Own)
10. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
11. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
12. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens)
13. Kevin Kelly (St Patricks)
14. Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
15. Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge)
Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy has reportedly been passed fit to start. Huge boost for the Cats.
We’re moments away from throw-in!
2 mins – Kilkenny 0-0 Tipperary 0-1
Seamus Callanan sends Tipp into the league. Paul Murphy is picking up John McGrath while Shane Prendergast is marking Callanan.
5 mins – Kilkenny 0-1 Tipperary 0-1
Rookie Kevin Kelly gets off the mark to draw Kilkenny level.
6 mins – Kilkenny 0-2 Tipperary 0-1
TJ Reid is tripped for a free and he converts it himself. Kilkenny lead for the first time.
7 mins – Kilkenny 0-3 Tipperary 0-1
Kevin Kelly passes to Richie Hogan, who points. Good clearance that time from Eoin Larkin.
7 mins – Kilkenny 0-3 Tipperary 0-2
Bubbles puts a fine sideline cut over the bar from about 40m.
9 mins – Kilkenny 0-4 Tipperary 0-3
Walter Walsh lands one over from near the sideline. At the far end Noel McGrath plants one over the bar. That’s his first score of the day. Good turnover that time by Tipp.
10 mins – Kilkenny 0-4 Tipperary 0-4
Seamus Kennedy’s first score in the championship levels this one up! Big score.
11 mins – Kilkenny 0-5 Tipperary 0-4
Reid, who has started at midfield, strokes over his second free of the match.
13 mins – Kilkenny 0-6 Tipperary 0-5
John McGrath gathers and puts it over. Eoin Larkin eases one over off the left moments later.
15 mins – Kilkenny 0-6 Tipperary 0-6
Callanan is looking sharp so far. His second score draws Tipp level. Reid and Richie Hogan appear to be alternating between midfield and centre-forward.
CHANCE! Darren Gleeson makes a decent stop from Colin Fennelly. That was a real goal chance for Fennelly.
18 mins – Kilkenny 0-7 Tipperary 0-6
Kilkenny look lke they’re being outplayed but still they lead. Will Tipp rue those wides?
20 mins – Kilkenny 0-7 Tipperary 0-7
Ronan Maher finds Seamus Callanan with a peach of a ball. Callanan applies the finish.
22 mins – Kilkenny 0-8 Tipperary 0-8
Bubbles hits his second after a nice handpass from Brendan Maher. Unselfish play there from Maher.
24 mins – Kilkenny 0-9 Tipperary 0-8
Larkin capitalises on a Tipp mistake and scores his second point.
25 mins – Kilkenny 0-9 Tipperary 0-9
O’Dwyer sails a lovely strike between the posts as he carried the ball away from goals. His accuracy is a huge plus for Tipp today.
25 mins – Kilkenny 0-9 Tipperary 0-10
Callanan is growing in confidence. He had an ocean of space as Paudie Maher picked him out.
26 mins – Kilkenny 0-10 Tipperary 0-10
We’re level for an eighth time. A trademark score from Cillian Buckley there.
27 mins – Kilkenny 0-10 Tipperary 0-11
Dan McCormack scores his first championship of 2016. John O’Dwyer made that score with a wonderful flick.
28 mins – Kilkenny 0-11 Tipperary 0-11
Reid with that trademark style nails a free from an extremely tight angle.
29 mins – Kilkenny 0-11 Tipperary 0-12
Bonner Maher picks up a loose ball, races forward and takes his point. That’s his second championship point of 2016.
32 mins – Kilkenny 0-12 Tipperary 0-12
Reid nails his sixth free of the match. The sides are level for a tenth time.
33 mins – Kilkenny 0-12 Tipperary 0-13
Callanan with the score of the match so far. He touches a ball down to himself, controls it and fires over.
35 mins – Kilkenny 0-12 Tipperary 0-14
O’Dwyer’s free leaves the Premier two in front.
Half-time: Tipperary 0-14 Kilkenny 0-12
What a first-half we’ve had at Croker. Tipperary lead by two points after a wonderful opening 35 minutes.
Tipp lead by two after a blistering half, but we all know what Kilkenny do to teams after half-time. Tipp should probably be further in front.
How long will Brian Cody persist with Joey Holden at full-back? Seamus Callanan is after taking him for five points in the opening 35 minutes.
36 mins – Kilkenny 0-12 Tipperary 0-15
Callanan gives Tipp a good start with a free.
40 mins – Kilkenny 0-14 Tipperary 0-15
Reid sends over a couple of frees to leave the minimum between the teams.
41 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 0-15
Kevin Kelly bags a crucial goal for the Cats!
44 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 0-16
Callanan sends over an important free for Tipp. Jason Forde replaces Michael Breen.
45 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 0-17
Jason Forde gets involved straight away by scoring a point. Looks like a good move from Ryan.
47 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 0-18
After some massive work-rate on the half-forward line Callanan points.
GOAL! Bubbles O’Dwyer lifts the roof off Croker!
47 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 1-18
What a finish by Bubbles! They’ve responded brilliantly to that Kilkenny goal! Game on!
51 mins – Kilkenny 1-14 Tipperary 1-19
Tipp let two goal chances go but Paudie Maher hits a score for the ages from the sideline. Tipp are edging clear.
54 mins – Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 1-21
John McGrath leaves six between the teams. Fantastic ball from John O’Dwyer there!
54 mins – Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 1-22
Callanan with a huge score for Tipp! At the far end Darren Gleeson makes a brave save from Kevin Kelly’s shot.
Padraig Walsh drives one over from distance.
56 mins – Kilkenny 1-17 Tipperary 1-23
Callanan fires over another point! That’s 1-17 Tipp’s full-forward line have scored today.
Padraig Walsh nails his third score.
57 mins – Kilkenny 1-18 Tipperary 1-24
John McGrath puts Tipp seven clear! Reid pops over a free, buts Kilkenny really need a goal here.
60 mins – Kilkenny 1-19 Tipperary 2-25
GOAL! John McGrath!
62 mins – Kilkenny 2-19 Tipperary 2-25
Richie Hogan drills in a goal from the ground! They’re still in this!
62 mins – Kilkenny 2-19 Tipperary 2-26
That’s 1-5 for Bubbles today. Tipp need to keep this performance level up for the last 10 minutes.
SAVE! Stunning piece of goalkeeping from Eoin Murphy! He pulled off a great save from John McGrath’s shot. McGrath should have passed to Callanan who was open in front of an empty net.
68 mins – Kilkenny 2-20 Tipperary 2-27
Reid’s 11th free leaves seven between the teams.
69 mins – Kilkenny 2-20 Tipperary 2-28
Callanan bags his 13th score. Bergin replaces the elder McGrath.
70 mins – Kilkenny 2-20 Tipperary 2-29
Bonner Maher puts Tipp nine in front. We’re into stoppage time.
Kilkenny fans are streaming out the exits. That’s something we’re not used to seeing.
Full-time: Tipperary 2-29 Kilkenny 2-20
Tipperary are the 2016 All-Ireland champions!
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Nice article, Murray,
I don’t think any of us who believe crowley is #1 for now, would say crowley is the finished product. He’s got a long way to go yet in his career. And being a poor defensive set off lineout away for winning a grand slam on his first attempt is really promising even though he had ups and down during the tournament.
Wanna be careful saying things like crowley being ahead of sexton at this age.
@Patrick O’Sullivan: I don’t think Murray has to be careful about anything he says. It is rarely controversial, always balanced and very well researched.
@Paul Ennis: it has been said in the comments section of an article previously that crowley is ahead of where sexton was at this stage. Unsurprisingly, it drew negative replies.
@Patrick O’Sullivan: There will always be negative comments. Murray doesn’t need to worry about that & I don’t think he does. Murray’s opinion will carry more weight than some of us mere mortals expressing our tuppence worth.
Great article Murray (as always). I think there is a supreme inner belief and self confidence that Jack has that cannot be taught or learned. He has had it since day one. When I think about Ireland’s other 10s since ROG, maybe the only other with the same trait would have been Paddy Jackson. Johnny had to fight his demons and succeeded despite his early doubts and issues with self esteem. Sam might just have the same trait as Jack and explains why many of us have high expectations of him.
A good balanced and objective article. All three 10′s bring different attributes to the game ( i.e muti position play, better defensive tackles, kicking etc). Perhaps the era of a dominant 10 holding that position for a long number of years as seen in the past is now over…In any event great to have such an abundance of young talent.
@Dolores Scully: Definitely
@Dolores Scully: Exactly, well said! I really don’t buy this perceived anti-Crowley guff that is going around, “he’s not being backed.” He has to fight and earn his place like everyone else. All the other big sides don’t have a really set in stone option at 10. Look at the world champions! You can’t say who is first choice between Libbok, Pollard, Feinberg-Mgomezelu and most recently Hendrikse at the weekend. Ramos has been starting ahead of Ntamack. England have several options there. Why should Ireland be any different. Our 10 has to earn his place, just like every other position.
@Carmine Lorenzo: very good point. Fin will soon be putting pressure on Marcus in England. Mo’unga / Barret t / McKenzie in NZ. It seems to be Ireland where we make a big deal of the OH and the need to have 1 single option. You can see it on this site already, the need to find faults with the other player as an argument for your own favorite. The thing I hate the most is when the TV camera goes to the sub OH on the bench during the game to see what the reaction is to a good / bad bit of play from the guy on the pitch. That really gets on my nerves.
@Carmine Lorenzo: Agree 100% let Harry Byrne, I mean Ciarain Frawley, I mean Sam Pendergast fight and earn his place like Crowley did. Playing the full 160 minutes in a URC South African tour, and on turning 22 start and play the full 80 in France against the team that topped the French Pro 14 the previous year. Never getting near Irish camp until he forced his way into the reckoning. This article from Murray is better balanced than some of his previous attempts. Take for example his analysis of Pendergast Fiji performance. The overcooked penalty, refs fault, the pass to the wing, Casey’s fault, the kick out in the full Osbourne (shock a Leinster players fault), the yellow card etc. etc.
.
@Cormac McCarthy: how can someone with an unbalanced perspective recognise a balanced article? I think we’re just going to have to accept that it’s not very likely
@Michael Corkery: Great point. I agree 100%. They did it with Frawley last week. Pure shit.
@Michael Corkery: yeah I don’t get it why it seems that only Ireland have to have a lone option at 10. I don’t understand it personally. And you’re right the cameras planning to Frawley every 2 mins the other week was infuriating. Crowley is the current incumbent. I’d start him at the weekend, and barring a massive dip or injury, I’d probably be starting him in the first 6N game. However if Leinster continue going well and Frawley and Prendergast are playing well at 10, then surely they deserve to be in the reckoning too come the 6N. No player has a divine right to the 10 jersey now.
Regrettably the Munster/Leinster relationship is now so toxic that what used to be seen as entirely conventional – bringing on the 22 for the last 20 minutes of a game – has now become a huge sleight on the starter and which has to treated as an existential threat
@Kevin Ryan: it was always thus – but it just gets acerbated in the social media age. Ward v Campbell, Humphries v ROG, ROG v Sexton. Thé unlucky one is Frawley really, no one is even talking about him as a starter anymore
@Kevin Ryan: Hopefully it will all settle down when 6N comes around. Johnny was only ever taken off with 10 or 15 mins to go if the game was won or if he was injured. It is not the way we want the next 10 years to be. Hopefully these 2 boys can battle it out for the 10 jersey and the head coach can pick the 10 based on the opposition. For example, Jack offers a running threat that might be suited to playing v Scotland or England and Sam offers a kicking threat that will break down France (not saying that is the case, just as an example). Wouldn’t that be wonderful? If we know the replacement can be trusted, the starter can push himself to the limit for 55 / 60 mins and the finisher closes the game out with a bit of variation. What is not to like?
@Michael Corkery: couldn’t agree more – that sort of competition for the starting slot was good for both sets of players keeping them on their toes unfortunately there was a ‘twin’ for Sexton.
@Keno: wasn’t
@Kevin Ryan: Exactly! The same cohort who were crying and moaning about Sexton not being taken off in the WC vs NZ are now moaning that Crowley is being taken off with an hour gone. Is that not what they wanted in the World Cup? What’s the point in having a sub 10 if you’re not going to use it? Competition for places is good. We’re in a different era now, we’re going to get another Sexton who will make the position his own for 15 years.
@Michael Corkery: Frawley is a super replacement option and no problem to start at 10 or 15. His versatility is what keeps him in the 23, which I think he’d prefer than being outside of it. Lots of potential still. S Prendergast and Crowley most likely to back up each other at 10 when the other starts. Frawley for 12-15 realistically.
@Carmine Lorenzo: I agree. But I was/am of the opinion that Sexton should have been replaced in the WC v NZ. It was clear he was out on his feet for the last 10 – 15 mins ( understandably) and felt Crowley was well up for it. Perhaps AF feared a backlash if we lost ( which we did anyway) but at that stage, a drop goal was not gonna win us the match and the imho dubious decisions to kick to the corner earlier rather than take what seemed achievable penalty kicks ( unlike NZ) seemed to be a feature of our game. Anyway, hindsight is a great thing and as Leo says we’ll take the ” learnings”. Having such young quality 10′s should negate that happening in the future.
Interesting stats:
Sam Prendergast had 59 touches in 70 minutes v Fiji
Jack Crowley had just 12 vs New Zealand and 30 vs Argentina
Ireland have played off 9 with JGP, off 10 with Casey
Love to see Crowley get that service
@Adrian Breen: What were the possession stats? How many times did Ireland kick the ball downfield v NZ & Argentina compared to Fiji. Ireland dominated the ball versus Fiji and kicking was more dinks and chips than territorial. Your 9 & 10 will always touch the ball more against Fiji or even Italy than NZ, SA or France.
@Paul Ennis: yeah the Fiji game was much ‘wider’ if I can put it like that. We didn’t see as much of Izzy on the ball as I would have liked as a result
With the Osbourne injury, you would have to expect that Frawley will be picked to back up Crowley on Saturday. He covers outhalf, centre and full back. I think the biggest question about selection is not OH – Crowley will definitely be picked – but who will be left out in the centre.
@PatN: There’s no reason all three cannot be in the match 23. The best cover from 10-15 is Frawley, however, there’s no reason that either Crowley or S Prendergast cannot back each other up. If recent history is anything to go on there’s a higher likelihood that Frawley will be needed across the back three than at 10. So there’s still an option to have all three.
I’ve a feeling Murray knows who has been selected at 10 and is putting out a Crowley article to soften the blow for certain fans when he doesn’t start this weekend …
Hm