All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship Final – Tipperary 2-14 Kilkenny 2-11

Tipperary defeated Kilkenny by 2-14 to 2-11 in the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship Final on Saturday August 31st at Nowlan Park Kilkenny.

Tipperary opened the scoring through Willie Ryan followed by two Niall O’Meara points and led for most of the first quarter. By the 23rd minute however, Kilkenny drew level at 5 points each. Tipperary hit the front again in the 26th minute courtesy of a Ruari Gleeson goal only to see Kilkenny raise a green flag of their own on the stroke of half-time through Jonjo Farrell to leave Tipperary in front by 1-7 to 1-6 at the interval.

It took six minutes of the second half to register a score, a point by Timmy Hammersley followed a minute later by another goal by Ruari Gleeson. As the game entered the final quarter, Tipperary had stretched their lead out to 6 points (2-10 to 1-7) and looked set for victory.

Kilkenny fought hard to get back in to the game and scored a goal (again by Jonjo Farrell) in the 56th minute to leave just two points between the sides (2-13 to 2-11). The next score would be crucial and it fell to Ruari Gleeson to add a point in the 59th minute to give Tipperary some breathing space and the Premier County held out for a 3 point victory to retain their title.

Tipperary scorers – Ruari Gleeson 2-1, Timmy Hammersley 0-5 (0-3 frees, 0-1 65), Niall O’Meara 0-4, Conor Kenny, Danny O’Hanlon, Darragh Egan (free), Willie Ryan 0-1 each

All-Ireland Intermediate success for Tipp hurlers

Report from the GAA.ie web site

All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship Final: Tipperary 2-14 Kilkenny 2-11

Tipperary were crowned All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Champions on Saturday evening, with a 2-14 to 2-11 victory over Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. It was the Premier County’s second title in a row in the competition, and their seventh overall, as they swept past Kilkenny courtesy of goals either side of the break from Ruairí Gleeson. The game was level at 0-5 apiece when Gleeson found the net for the first time on 26 minutes. However, a Jonjo Farrell goal for Kilkenny just shy of half-time left Tipperary just one ahead at the interval, 1-7 to 1-6.

Gleeson’s second goal helped Tipperary into a 2-10 to 1-7 lead, and they looked to be in total control until a second Farrell strike left just two points between the sides for the closing stages. Tipperary held firm though, and fittingly it was Gleeson who hit the final point of the game to wrap up the win.

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Scorers for Tipperary: R Gleeson 2-1, T Hammersley 0-5 (2f, 1 ’65); N O’Meara 0-4, D Fox 0-1 (1f), W Ryan 0-1, D O’Hanlon 0-1, C Kenny 0-1

Scorers for Kilkenny: J Farrell 2-0, R Hickey 0-5 (3f), L Harney 0-1, C Phelan 0-1, D Langton 0-1, J Brennan 0-1, D Walton 0-1, P Holden 0-1

Tipperary: D Egan; S O’Brien, M Butler, T Treacy; J O’Keeffe, D Young, P Heffernan; B Fox, W Ryan; O Quirke, T Butler, N O’Meara; R Gleeson, D O’Hanlon, T Hammersley. Subs: J McLoughney for O Quirke (29), P Molloy for D O’Hanlon (HT), C Kenny for M Butler (46), P Shortt for P Molloy (59).

Kilkenny: R O’Neill; S Cummins, M Walsh, S Prendergast; L Harney, P Hartley, M Moloney; B Kennedy, D Langton; B Beckett, R Hickey, C Phelan; J Brennan, J Farrell, D Walton. Subs: J Lyng for B Beckett (38), P Holden for D Walton (45), S Donnelly for J Brennan.

Fixture Details