Allianz Hurling League Division 1A – Tipperary 2-22 Kilkenny 1-13

Tipperary defeated Kilkenny by 2-22 to 1-13 in Round 4 of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A on March 15th at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Report – @TipperaryGAA qualified for the last eight and condemned @KilkennyCLG to the relegation play-off: http://t.co/N6vAAOrqdK #GAA

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 15, 2015

D1A Hurling: Tipperary ease past below-par Cats

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION I: TIPPERARY 2-22 KILKENNY 1-13

Allianz Hurling League champions Kilkenny have been plunged into a relegation play-off following Sunday afternoon’s 12-point defeat against Tipperary at Semple Stadium.

The Cats must fight it out for top-flight hurling in 2016 after suffering a third successive competitive defeat – the first time that has happened in Cody’s tenure at the helm. And Kilkenny’s final group outing against Clare next weekend could well turn out to be a dress rehearsal for a winner-takes-all clash to retain Division IA status.

Goals in either half from Séamus Callanan and Niall O’Meara made it three wins on the spin for Tipp – and confirmed their place in the quarter-finals. This was Tipp’s first victory over Kilkenny since a League success two years ago – and just their second in the last 12 League and championship outings against their ancient rivals.

Tipp had nine players on the scoresheet and by half-time, the hosts were seven points clear – 1-16 to 1-9. It was a gripping first half in front of 10,421 spectators, with the sides sharing 27 scores between them before the interval.

The scoring rate dropped substantially in the second half and with Tipp in cruise control, the closing stages were played at almost challenge match pace. But right from the start, there had been a championship feel to proceedings as both sides went at it. Kilkenny would ultimately suffer from the absence of key names but Hurler of the Year Richie Hogan was on his game, shooting all of Kilkenny’s first half points.

Hogan’s influence on proceedings was far less dramatic in the second half as Tipp plugged the spaces in which Hogan had excelled before half-time. And when Callanan set up O’Meara for a 54th minute goal, Tipp were eleven points clear, 2-18 to 1-10.

Tipp were 13 points ahead before the final whistle and won pulling up with 12 to spare in front of a triumphant home crowd. Callanan’s fourth minute goal set Tipp on the road to victory – after Jonjo Farrell had netted after just 16 seconds for Kilkenny.

***
Scorers for Tipperary: S Callanan 1-7 (3f, 1 ’65’), N O’Meara 1-2, J O’Dwyer 0-4, N McGrath 0-3, M Breen 0-2, P Maher 0-1, J Woodlock 0-1, J Forde 0-1, S Bourke 0-1.

Scorers for Kilkenny: R Hogan 0-10 (6f), J Farrell 1-1, M Kelly 0-1, J Power 0-1 (1 ’65’)

TIPPERARY: D Gleeson; P Curran, C O’Mahony, C Barrett; M Breen, P Maher, R Maher; K Bergin, J Woodlock; J O’Dwyer, B Maher, J Forde; N McGrath, S Callanan, N O’Meara
Subs: C O’Brien for Curran (inj, 29), S McGrath for Forde (51), J McGrath for O’Meara (59), S Bourke for N McGrath (62), D Egan for Gleeson (inj, 65).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; S Prendergast, P Murphy, J Tyrrell; B Kennedy, K Joyce, C Buckley; M Kelly, L Ryan; W Walsh, R Hogan, M Ruth; J Farrell, J Power, G Aylward
Subs: K Kelly for Aylward (h.t.), J Lyng for Ryan (48)
Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).
***
Report: Jackie Cahill for GAA.ie

New-look Tipp shake monkey with convincing win over Kilkenny | (LR) http://t.co/LLvU4NgGk3 pic.twitter.com/PZxNWsnn4J

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 15, 2015

Team News

The Tipperary Senior Hurling team to play Kilkenny in round 4 of the Allianz Hurling League Roinn 1A next Sunday, March 15th, in Semple Stadium has been announced. Manager Eamon O’Shea has elected to name the same 15 as announced for the Clare game last week as his side go in search of their third win in a row in the league.

Darren Gleeson (Portroe), Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), Conor O’Mahony (Newport), Conor O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty), Michael Breen (Ballina), Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Kieran Bergin (Killenaule), James Woodlock (Drom & Inch), John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Brendan Maher Capt. (Borris-Ileigh), Jason Forde (Silvermines), Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney), Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch), John McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)

Three changes on Kilkenny team.http://t.co/a23XKljdax

— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) March 13, 2015

We preview this week's #AllianzLeagues D1A hurling including @GaaClare vs @DubGAAOfficial #GAA http://t.co/zr63h4CsN7 pic.twitter.com/XzKtjghxo9

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 13, 2015