Tipperary players celebrate at UPMC Nowlan Park. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Cathal O'Reilly, Tipperary, and Robbie Doherty, Kilkenny, in action during the Electric Ireland MHC Final at UPMC Nowlan Park. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland MHC Final
Tipperary 2-17 Kilkenny 3-12
By Niall McIntyre At UPMC Nowlan Park
The 13 men of Tipperary pulled off a remarkable victory in an All-Ireland minor final for the ages.
Chants of Tipp, Tipp, Tipp echoed around Nowlan Park after their players defeated Kilkenny to win a 22nd Irish Press Cup, moving them one clear of their opponents on the roll of honour.
James Woodlock’s side had Cillian Minogue and Darragh O’Hora sent off in the first half but they overcame all obstacles to emerge victorious.
A brilliant Billy O’Brien goal sealed the deal for them in the second half of extra-time much to the delight of the travelling support.
O’Brien was the match-winner but Tipperary had heroes all over with Euan Murray, Cathal O’Reilly and Adam Ryan all outstanding.
As for Kilkenny, they will rue a string of wides in the second half, in particular, but they too played their part in an encounter that was at all times enthralling.
Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns mentioned in his speech that the late Mícheal Ó Muircheartaigh would have been proud watching down and there was no doubt about that.
Tipperary’s Cillian Minogue scored a tidy point to open the scoring in the fourth minute. but his evening quickly turned sour.
Referee Thomas Gleeson showed him a red card after eight minutes for a foul on Kilkenny’s Bobby Brennan.
Tipperary’s 14 men gritted the teeth, with points from Adam Ryan and Eoghan Doughan giving them momentum before a Bill McDermott goal rocked them right back on their heels.
Towering above his opponents at well over six foot tall, the captain used his height to his advantage, catching a high ball in before finishing well.
Points from Eoghan Doughan and Stefan Tobin put Tipperary back in front before McDermott responded with a brace from play.
Kilkenny’s pacy full forward Conor Holohan scored his first of the day before Eoin Brennan got in on the scoring act, having had a hand in a number of his side’s scores in the first half.
Tipperary’s task became even more daunting in the 25th minute when their midfielder Darragh O’Hora was shown a straight red for a challenge on Jack Dollard. But that blow was countered by a fortunate goal two minutes later, when Eoghan Doughan’s under-hit 65 went straight into the Kilkenny net.
Tipperary were down two men, but the scores were level at the break.
Tipperary began the second half in inspired fashion with a brilliant brace from Euan Murray and a long range free from Jake Donelan Houlihan.
Conor Holohan and Jake Mullen (free) stemmed the tide for Kilkenny before Eoghan Doughan combined with Tiernan Ryan for the score of the day.
Then Robbie Doherty latched onto a break and scored a goal that would have broken a lesser team. Jake Mullen followed it up with a long range free but Tipp wouldn’t bend. Jake Donelan Houlihan nailed a long range free of his own before Euan Murray levelled it up with his third of the half.
Jake Mullen punched the air when his first from play put Kilkenny one up but Donelan-Houlihan levelled it up once more in the 54th minute with an inspirational score. It would prove to be the last of normal time with Kilkenny firing wide after wide before Tipperary missed a chance to win it. Onto extra-time we went.
The speedy Patrick Lacey put Kilkenny in front straight from the throw-in before Donelan Houlihan responded with another long-range free for Tipp. Billy O’Brien and Conor Holohan traded scores as the sides went into the break level.
If the first half hadn’t exploded into life, the second was quite the opposite.
Tipperary flew out of the blocks with three in a row from Cantwell, Murray and Duff but these were cancelled out by a goal from Kilkenny sub Anthony Clifford.
They looked to be kicking for home when Cian Byrne put them one up with six minutes to go, but then Billy O’Brien stepped up with the goal that would win the game.
Suddenly the pitch was a sea of smiling faces wearing blue and gold jerseys.
Scorers for Tipperary: Eoghan Doughan 1-3 (1-0 65, 1f), Euan Murray 0-4, Billy O’Brien 1-1, Jake Donelan Houlihan 0-4 (3fs), Stefan Tobin 0-1, Cillian Minogue 0-1, Austin Duff 0-1, Killian Cantwell 0-1, Adam Ryan 0-1.
Scores for Kilkenny: Bill McDermott 1-2, Robbie Doherty 1-0, Anthony Clifford 1-0, Conor Holohan 0-3, Jake Mullen 0-3 (2fs), Kevin Buggy 0-1, Cian Byrne 0-1, Patrick Lacey 0-1, Eoin Brennan 0-1.
Tipperary: Daire English; Shane Ryan, Cathal O’Reilly, Patrick Ryan; David Ryan, Owen O’Dwyer , Jake Donelan-Houlihan; Tiernan Ryan, Darragh O’Hora; Adam Ryan, Euan Murray, Billy O’Brien; Eoghan Doughan, Stefan Tobin, Cillian Minogue.
Subs: Austin Duff for Doughan (47), Aaron Cagney for Tobin (58), Killian Cantwell for Cagney (65), S Tobin for Murray (78).
Kilkenny: Jake O’Doherty; Oisin Henderson, Larry Phelan, Bobby Brennan; David Barcoe, Jack Dollard, Mikey Rohan; Robbie Doherty, Kevin Buggy; Jake Mullen, Bill McDermott, Jason Cody; Ollie O’Donovan, Conor Holohan, Eoin Brennan.
Subs: Cian Byrne for Cody (43) Louis Raggett for B Brennan (48), Patrick Lacey for O’Donovan (55), Anthony Clifford for E Brennan (68), Eoghan Cahill for Rohan (75), O’Donovan for Holohan (78).
Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).
