Here are the teams for today’s clash:
Tipperary
1. Darragh Mooney (Eire Og Annacarty-Donohill)
2. Alan Flynn (Kildangan)
3. James Barry (Upperchurch-Dombane)
4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Eire Og)
6. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s Clonmel)
10. Seán Curran (Mullinahone)
11. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)
12. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
13. Michael Breen (Ballina)
14. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
15. Willie Connors (Kiladangan)
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
3. Pádraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
4. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels)
5. Conor Delaney (Erin’s Own)
6. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro) (captain)
7. Enda Morrissey (Bennettsbridge)
8. Richie Leahy (Rower Inistioge)
9. James Maher (St Lachtain’s)
10. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan)
11. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
12. John Donnelly (Thomastown)
13. Bill Sheehan (Dicksboro)
14. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
15. Alan Murphy (Glenmore)
Kilkenny 0-5 Tipperary 0-5
Reid sends over a wonderful score after a mistake from Ronan Maher.
GOAL! Jason Forde bags a goal against Kilkenny!
Kilkenny 0-6 Tipperary 1-6
John McGrath tags on a point and now Tipperary are rolling.
Kilkenny 0-7 Tipperary 1-6
Reid fires over another free as the Cats trail by two. Kilkenny have scored just once from play so far.
HT – Kilkenny 0-11 Tipperary 1-10
Kilkenny 1-12 Tipperary 1-11
Reid fires over a free, while McGrath responds for Tipp.
Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 1-12
Reid and Sheehan add scores for Cody’s men, who now lead by three.
Kilkenny 1-17 Tipperary 1-13
Reid slots over another free. He’s yet to hit a wide.
Kilkenny 1-18 Tipperary 1-14
1-9 now for Jason Forde after his latest placed ball.
GOAL! Jason Forde nets a 21m free for Tipperary!
Kilkenny 2-23 Tipperary 2-17
Reid’s shot at the posts is waved wide but still Kilkenny lead by six.
Kilkenny 2-23 Tipperary 2-17 – FT
“The Aviva Stadium is expected to be at a reduced capacity for the game, in the region of 27,000, although that could change in the event of exceptional demand” surely that’s how it is with moat teams? I’d imagine there will be a lot more of a demand than the 27,000 capacity anyway.
@Dave Murray: I would have thought that certain sections will not be used with restricted capacity, resulting in a smaller staff requirement. If they put all 52k tickets on sale, all sections will have to be available and therefore full match day costs applied.
@Paul Ennis: I get that, just thought it(a little)odd that they would announce a 27,000 capacity restriction before tickets are on sale to the public and see what the demand is etc. But I guess with a short turn around and Easter weekend it could be harder to shift 50,000 tickets and get staff in like you said.
@Dave Murray: EPRC also organising the game rather than Leinster, and they’re shit at running things.
Without being presumptuous – is the semi final
Draw already planned out?
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: Yeah. Leinster/Leicester v Toulouse/Sharks and La Rochelle/Salarycens v Exeter/Stormers
@baz dunne: many thanks
@baz dunne: Salarycens hahaha
5 day turnaround with the knock on effect of potential reduced capacity due to the limited timeframe is a great reward for going through as top seed. This is an absolute joke
@Rob Doyle: Your prize for top seed is its at “home” or at least 10mins down the road from it, so be thankful you’re not coming from Welford Rd with a week to plan it!! it does feel too near, be better if a 2 week gap but all the teams that are through are in the same scenario regardless of they seeding. 27k is an average sized rugby stadium, crucially it’s circa 10k more than full RDS capacity, and the fans all know the weekends of the semis well in advance, if not the exact day. I’m not overjoyed by a half full Aviva myself but it is what it is.
Real shame it’s not in a packed RDS, a half full Aviva sucks.
I think we’ll Leinster, Sharks, Stormers, and La Rochelle in the semis.
@Brenda Collins: 3 from URC? they’ll be due an ol restructure soon enough so.