Tipperary Blue team lose out narrowly to Kilkenny in Celtic Challenge final

Electric Ireland Celtic Challenge Hurling Final 2024

Tipperary Blue 1-14

Kilkenny 1-18

By Liam Hogan

Fourteen-man Tipperary left it too late to produce the goods as they lost their title to Kilkenny in an entertaining Electric Ireland Celtic Challenge Hurling final played at Nowlan Park last Sunday afternoon.

Tipperary did all their good work in the second and third quarters. Trailing by seven points after sixteen minutes the team began to settle down and outscored the home side 0-6 to 0-2 in thirteen minutes cutting the margin to three, 0-11 to 0-8 before slack marking allowed the concession of 1-1 close to the interval which left them trailing 1-12 to 0-8 at half-time. 

The concession of the Kilkenny goal came after Tipp had a sideline ball inside their 20-metre line but Sean Walsh’s effort, after a second attempt, was intercepted by Fionn Mahony and the Kilkenny full forward weaved past the Tipp cover and punished the visitors.

Tipp were punished a second time a minute into the second half when Kyle O’Dowd was booked for a second time. Despite been a man down The Premier displayed some real spirit by cutting the deficit to five by the three quarter way mark. 

However, the numerical disadvantage meant it was a struggle to keep in touch and Kilkenny pinched vital scores coming down the home strait before a goal by Larry Collins put a gloss on the final scoreline as the Sean Treacy man raced unmarked past the Kilkenny cover before firing past Kilkenny keeper Conor Farrell.

Goalkeepers played a key part in the game as Farrell had earlier saved a penalty when Darragh Dunne‘s shot was hit straight at the keeper. At the other end, Tipp keeper Killian Franks got over one or two shaky moments before producing two splendid saves in the third quarter at a time when a goal would have put the game to bed. 

Killian Franks played behind a solid Tipperary full backline with Cathal Hannon a full back of real prospects. He formed a good line with Diarmuid Fogarty and Kyle O’Dowd in the corners. 

However, Tipp’s half-backline had difficulties in the opening quarter as Shay Gleeson, Tommy Blackmore and Sean Walsh conceded ground to a Kilkenny half-forward line of James Reid, Cathal Russell and Aidan Carroll as the trio had far too much time on the ball with Reid and Russell scoring three points each inside the opening eighteen minutes. 

Reid was particularly good at winning the aerial battle. The midfield pairing of Michael Collins and Billy O’Brien won a supply of ball but a lot of Tipp players were somewhat casual in their deliveries to the Kilkenny half and Kilkenny centre-back Thomas Langton had the freedom of the park in his sweeping roll and had far too much time to survey the land in front of him as he linked up with his team mates with ease. Kilkenny wingbacks Luke Lawlor and Jamie Tallon enjoyed much possession also. 

After Tipp had conceded five of Kilkenny’s first half dozen from play in the opening eighteen minutes they really got their game together with Shay Gleeson coming more into the game. 

Tony Maher was accurate from frees while also involved in setting up Jack Marnell with a score to make it 0-9 to 0-3 after 17 minutes.

Another Maher free was cancelled out by Russell’s third for the Cats but Tipp were going through the lines and winning frees up front as Tony Maher scored two frees either side of a well-taken point by Michael Collins.

Then in the 25th minute Cathal Russell careered through the Tipp defence but Shay Gleeson’s block was vital which yielded a sixty five and Aidan Carroll made no mistake to edge Kilkenny four in front 0-11 to 0-7 after twenty eight minutes. 

Good work by James Treacy saw Charlie Noonan pick off a vital score for Tipp and with half time approaching it looked as If Tipp were in a good place but disaster struck when Kilkenny fired home 1-1 including a well-taken point by wing back Luke Lawlor. Half time Kilkenny 1-12 Tipperary 0-8. 

Tipperary rang the changes at half time as Cillian Direen, Darragh Dunne and Conor Grace were drafted in but Kyle O’Dowd’s dismissal had Tipp on the backfoot within a minute of the restart. 

Tipp ignored the number deficiency and went about their business. Tony Maher pointed a free before the same player missed two vital frees soon after before Darragh Dunne take over the placed ball duty and his pointed free in the 42nd minute made it 1-12 to 0-10. 

Both sides pressed for scores and respective wing backs Jamie Tallon (K) and Sean Walsh (T) secured well-taken points before Kilkenny went six clear after Fionn Mahoney scored in the 38th minute. 

There were goal chances also and Kilkenny were denied by Killian Franks whose two great saves kept Tipp in the game. When Tipp turned defence into attack they won a penalty but Kilkenny netminder Conor Farrell was equally brave when saving Darragh Dunne’s effort from the 23-metre spot. By now the Kilkenny camp had emptied their bench and Callum Lawlor paid his selectors dividends with an excellent point from a forty metre sideline ball. The score got the Kilkenny support on their feet.

Substitutes from the Tipp bench earned their crusts as Conor Grace pointed for Tipp as another Kilkenny replacement Cian Doherty moved the Noresiders seven clear 1-16 to 0-12. 

James Butler hit back with a very good point but the extra man was telling now with Kilkenny moving eight clear after Jack Coogan (free) and Callum Lawlor, his second, made it 1-18 to 0-13 with play reaching the hour mark.

Yet, Tipp refused to settle for anything else and another Tipp substitute, Larry Collins hit back with Tipp’s lone goal quickly followed by a second point from the stick of wing back Sean Walsh. Too little too late. Full time, Kilkenny 1-18 Tipperary 1-14. 

Scorers: Tipperary: Tony Maher 0-6f; Larry Collins 1-0; Sean Walsh 0-2; Jack Marnell, Michael Collins, Charlie Noonan, James Butler, Conor Grace 0-1 each; Darragh Dunne 0-1f. 

Kilkenny: Fionn Mahony 1-1; James Reid and Cathal Russell 0-3 each; Jack Coogan 0-3f; Aidan Carroll (0-2, 0-1f, 0-1 65); Callum Lawlor (0-2, 0-1 sl-cut); Luke Lawlor, Jamie Tallon, Shane McDonald and Cian Doherty all 0-1 each. 

Kilkenny: Conor Farrell; Dara Behan, Pierce Costello, Jeff Tyrrell; Luke Lawlor, Thomas Langton, Jamie Tallon; Ciaran Hickey, Kieran Timmins; Aidan Carroll, James Reid, Cathal Russell; Jack Coogan, Fionn Mahon, Shane McDonald. 

Subs used: Cian Doherty for Tyrrell (45); Callum Lawlor for Timmins (50); Robbie Jackman for Russell (58); Oisin Mullally for McDonald (60).

Tipperary: Killian Franks (Shannon Rovers); Diarmuid Fogarty (Kildangan), Cathal Hannon (Newport), Kyle O’Dowd (Durlas Og); Tommy Blackmore (Ballingarry), Shay Gleeson (Capt) (Moneygall), Sean Walsh (J K Brackens); Michael Collins (Templederry), Billy O’Brien (Toomevara);  Charlie Noonan, Max Carroll, Tony Maher (Holycross Ballycahill);  Cian Broderick (J K Brackens), Jack Marnell (J K Brackens), James Butler (Sean Treacys). 

Subs used: Cillian Direen (Mullinahone) for Carroll (HT); Darragh Dunne (Carrick Swan) for Broderick (HT); Conor Grace for O’Brien (HT); Larry Collins (Sean Treacys) for Maher (45); Leelan Donoghue (Durlas Og) for Marnell (51); Riain Treacy (Upperchurch Drombane) for Noonan (57). 

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)