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Throw-in is 15 minutes away and, after a thrilling minor match in which Dublin beat Waterford by 6-19 to 5-13, it’s over to the main event…
Today’s teams…
Tipperary: Brendan Cummins, Paddy Stapleton, Paul Curran, Michael Cahill, John O’Keeffe, Conor O’Mahony, Padraic Maher, Gearóid Ryan, Shane McGrath, Noel McGrath, Seamus Callanan, Patrick Maher, Eoin Kelly (captain), John O’Brien, Lar Corbett.
Dublin: Gary Maguire, Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly, Paul Schutte, Michael Carton, Joey Boland, Shane Durkin; Alan McCrabbe, Johnny McCaffrey, Conor McCormack, Ryan O’Dwyer, Liam Rushe; David O’Callaghan, Liam Ryan, Paul Ryan.
Brendan Cummins plays his 66th Championship game for Tipperary, surpassing the record of the legendary Christy Ring.
Dublin win the toss and will face into Hill 16 in the second half. The match is under-way!
The ball is in the net! Lar Corbett scores for Tipperary after barely two and a half minutes. It’s the worst possible start for the league champions. Tipperary 1-00 Dublin 0-00.
A great score by Liam Rush – a wonderful point from a man who had only previously registered a single score in the current campaign. Tipp 1-00 Dublin 0-02.
Paul Ryan gets his first point for Dublin today and the sides draw level, or at least until Corbett shoots over the bar. Tipperary 1-01 Dublin 0-03. Hang on! Dublin point again. The sides are level. Tipp 1-01 Dublin 0-04.
A great start for Liam Ryan as he brings the Dubs level for the third time. Tipp 1-02 Dublin 0-05.
A second point for Dublin’s Paul Ryan from a free-kick – it’s Dublin 0-06 Tipperary 1-03. Who predicted a rout?
Paul Ryan gets his first point from play, who takes a difficult chance while moving away from goal. Dublin lead, 0-07 to 1-03.
The two Dublin corner-forward combine brilliantly and O’Callaghan sends it over the bar. Dublin 0-08 to Tipp 1-03.
Paul Ryan’s latest free is his fourth point of the game. Tipperary are going to have to monitor their discipline. Dublin 0-09 Tipperary 1-04.
Lar Corbett, having touched the sliotar “about four times,” has a goal and two points. Dublin now have a 65, and it’s bang on target from Paul Ryan. It’s Dublin 0-10 Tipperary 1-05.
Another point for Lar, who now has 1-03 himself, before Paul Ryan scores a magnificent effort on the turn. It’s Dublin 0-11 Tipperary 1-07 – Shane McGrath then pointed for Tipp.
Gearóid Ryan gets on the scoresheet for Tipperary and the teams are level for the fifth time – Tipperary 1-08 Dublin 0-11.
This is frenetic stuff. Dublin’s confidence is sky high but Tipperary look dangerous every time they get the ball.
An Alan McCrabbe free-kick fails to trouble Cummins and the whistle is blown. Anthony Daly is slightly annoyed that half-time came as the Dubs attacked. It’s level at the break, Tipp 1-08 Dublin 0-11.
Maurice O’Brien is in for Dublin, and Brendan Maher comes in for Tipp. They’re off!
Noel McGrath gets his first score of the game, hinting at a meaner Tipp in the second half. Tipperary 1-09 Dublin 0-11.
Three points for Eoin Kelly for the day as he puts Tipp into a two point lead. Tipperary 1-10 Dublin 0-11.
Brilliant save from Maguire at his near post from Corbett. Tipp’s second 65 of the match is coming up – Eoin Kelly. Another point. Easy. Tipp 1-11 Dublin 0-11.
Maurice O’Brien gets his name on the scoresheet as the Dubs wake up. Tipp 1-11 Dublin 0-12.
For those of you interested in such things, Wayne Rooney has made it West Brom 0-1 Manchester United. Back at Croke Park, Paul Ryan has a free for Dublin and he now has seven points in the match. It’s Dublin 0-10 Tipperary 1-06.
Dublin are level again, wiping out Tipp’s brilliant start to the second half. But wait, Noel McGrath gets his team’s noses in front once more. Tipperary 1-12 Dublin 0-14.
A phenomenal nine points from Paul Ryan draws the teams level before Padraic Maher bags a beauty for the Premier. Tipp 1-13 Dublin 0-15.
Shane Long has scored on his debut, making it West Brom 1-1 Manchester United at the Hawthorns… Substitutions aplenty at Croker, meanwhile.
One Tipp man scores for West Brom, another scores for, well, Tipp. Eoin Kelly with a 65. Tipperary 1-14 Dublin 0-15.
Ryan O’Dwyer points for Dublin to leave just a single point in it, before Gearóid Ryan scores for Tipperary. It’s Tipp 1-15 Dublin 0-16. A phenomenal showing from the Leinster finalists, especially given their injury absences.
Dublin are let off as John O’Brien is dragged to the ground. Free out when the Dubs should have been penalised.
Eoin Kelly grabs his sixth point of the match. With five minutes left, the fizz seems to have left the Dublin attack. Of course, as soon as I write that, Dublin score a point. Tipperary 1-16 Dublin 0-17. Then a beauty from Noel McGrath, so it’s Tipp 1-17 Dublin 0-17.
Padraic Maher’s second of the day makes it 1-18 to 0-17 in Tipperary’s favour. Four points in it, three minutes left.
Dublin float one over the crossbar and if they can just fashion a goal out of somewhere, a draw will be the result. Tipperary 1-18 Dublin 0-18.
Lar Corbett is at corner-back! Dublin are desperate. Two minutes of added time and we’re into it….
That’s surely it – a free to Tipperary. Pa Bourke is standing over the ball, and scores. 1-19 to 0-18.
They’ve won the Walsh Cup, they’ve won the National League, but Tipperary prove too great a foe for Dublin. Brendan Cummins saves a goal opportunity at the death and it finishes Tipperary 1-19 to Dublin 0-18. Declan Ryan and Anthony Daly embrace and it’s the Premier that will go on to face Kilkenny on the 4th of September. Thanks for sticking with us, over and out.
Can’t really say I am surprised. Thought we might have a proper game 15 minutes in, but Leinster ooze talent, and just strangled our game. I would say Fitzgerald is a lovely footballer on front foot ball, but he takes the ball a bit too deep for my liking, and it ends up with all the players being smashed behind the gameline – against Leinster, that’s kamikaze. I feel if we had played Leinster two weeks ago we would have had a better chance, as they were clearly focused on a bigger prize, whereas this was a wounded Leinster restoring pride. Munster next, and I expect it will again be a bit of a mixed up squad for Connacht versus a first choice Munster squad at home full of Saffa bruisers playing like it’s the Heineken cup final. Not looking forward to it.
@Joe Vlogs: the year Connacht won the league they had a team of guys that were lucky to avoid injury for the most part of that season. That same core of players every game won them the league. They’ve a really small squad and when your missing as many players as they were last night it’s going to be hard for them to compete, but on they’re day they can beat anyone.
Does anybody know what the status is on Tom Farrell’s knee injury?
@Aidan Prior: just regarding our league winning season I think you’re totally off the mark. While we had a few key guys, nobody bar Bealham played every game, and he started the season at loosehead due to an injury to Buckley, and was behind White at tighthead until his injury. We managed rotation as any team does, I wouldn’t think we had a core of players any more or less than we’ve had any other season, we swapped in and out 4 different fly-halves all season, the difference was when we had a few of the non-first team lads out they performed. We had injuries to guys at key points of the season but just got on with it. I think we had some luck, but we had a far superior coaching set up, and attitude within the squad. That’s not to go hard on the current guys it’s just the reality.
@Joe Vlogs: it wasn’t full strength v Ulster and it won’t be against Connacht. You can also rest assured that they won’t be treating a match against Connacht like a Heineken Cup final. As for the South African comment, you sound like you’ve a chip on your shoulder.
@Joe Vlogs: Cloete was the only staffer that started against Ulster but you couldn’t really call him a bruzzer
@Joe Vlogs: Connacht started 8 from Leinster, 3 from Australia, 3 from Connacht and a Munster man. You really think you can have a go at Munster who started just 1 SA and started 11 from Munster?
@Joe Vlogs: cry more
@Aidan Prior: we had an injury crisis the year we won the Pro14, we couldn’t name a full bench in a Challenge Cup game away to Falcons week before Xmas. In New Year Carty got injured in Dubai, and MCGinty got his break.
Fundamental difference is calibre of squad overall, experience/physicality wise, likes of Muldowney, White, McCartney Naoupu. Friend has to cover lack of quality in squad filling with guys who’ve not completed full academy terms, saw it in immaturity of reverse penalty Murray conceded kicking the ball after bad lineout that lead to 2nd try and implosion. Then you’ve got guys like Oliver who didn’t make it at Munster most likely because of lack of game intelligence, all energy but does stupid stuff all the time, real momentum killers.
@Patrick Breen: of course I’m not saying that they played the same team every week but they had a close knit group of about 25 solid players that were there there abouts all season. The had a good attacking backline, a steady OH, and a capable pack. The loss of Muldowney, McGinty and Hendshaw was massive. Then this year the loss of Roux, Farrell, O’Brien and Bundee for the most part has been really felt. I don’t think they’ve been able to once field their best 15.
Connacht lineout used to be an issue and has been resolved but cant say the same for attacking or defending maul. Maul defense is shocking and thought we would have improved since the dragons schooled us in it. All credit to leinster but no excuse for try count of 8-2 and could have been worse.