Tipp started the league season on a winning note, beating Waterford under the Semple Stadium lights

Cathal Barrett takes a sideline cut.

Jason Forde under pressure.

But they followed that up with three straight defeats against Kilkenny

Thomas Stapleton tries to break the tackle.

Clare

John O'Dwyer fends off Brendan Bugler

And Galway

Conor Cooney fires a penalty past the Tipp defence

After beating Dublin to clinch a quarter-final spot, they held off Cork in a high-scoring thriller

Paddy Stapleton, Conor O'Brien and Thomas Stapleton try to crowd out Conor Lehane

And then outfought Clare to, somehow, set up a league final against old foes Kilkenny

Niall O'Meara goes up against Brendan Bugler and Jack Browne.

It ended in disappointment as TJ Reid scored the winning point in extra time injury time after the sides had finished level

Cathal Barrett and Brendan Maher challenge Mark Kelly.

Shane McGrath

Limerick were up first in the Munster semi-finals, and a chance to avenge the defeat of 2013

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

But once again, Tipp were sent packing by the Treaty men

James Barry and Donal O'Grady

Seamus Callanan and Richie McCarthy

Tipp began their journey through the qualifiers with a comfortable win over Galway

Shane McGrath celebrates a late point

Seamus Callanan finished with three goals

And they were even more impressive when they put five goals past a weak Offaly side to win by 17 points in Round 2

Offaly's Brian Carroll is tackled close to goal

Noel McGrath and Conor Mahon

Quarter-finals day saw them face-to-face with Dublin again

Noel McGrath and James Barry with Danny Sutcliffe, Ryan O'Dwyer and John McCaffrey

Two goals from John “Bubbles” O’Dwyer sent the Dubs home…

…and ended Anthony Daly’s stint with the capital

Now, only Munster champions Cork stood between them and a place in the All-Ireland final

Tipp dominated in midfield and ran out 10-point winners

Paudie O'Sullivan and James Barry

Seamus Callanan gets up under a high ball

Brendan Maher and Padraic Maher celebrate

And so there were two familiar faces left standing on the first Sunday of September

There was no shortage of twists and turns over the 70 minutes

Patrick Maher

Eoin Larkin and Paddy Stapleton

Michael Fennelly with Cathal Barrett

In the end, it was over to HawkEye to rule that Bubbles’s late free was millimetres wide of the Canal End posts

So Seamus, King Henry and the rest will have to do it all again – where will you be on Saturday evening?