Kilkenny 3-22
Tipperary 1-28

The All-Ireland hurling final has gone to a replay for the third year-in-a-row after Kilkenny and Tipperary fought out a thrilling draw at Croke Park.

It was a fitting result to a magnificent contest that was level 11 times and could have gone either way. Tipp, who came from three points down in the closing stages to regain parity, almost snatched victory with the last puck of the game from a 97-metre John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer free. Amid incredible drama and unbearable tension, Hawk-Eye deemed that his effort was merely inches wide of the target and Kilkenny lived to fight another day.

The replay has been fixed for Saturday, September 27 at 5pm.

This All-Ireland final had everything a hurling fan could ask for. Played at a ferocious pace throughout, Tipp opened up a six-point lead at the start of the second quarter and would have been further ahead if Seamus Callanan hadn't had a penalty saved.

Kilkenny fought back to trail by 1-11 to 1-13 at half-time, and then looked to have taken control after TJ Reid and Richie Power grabbed second half goals. But Eamon O'Shea's charges - who shot a whopping 1-24 from play - dug deep to earn another bite at the cherry, despite having a second penalty saved with 11 minutes remaining.

TJ Reid finished as the game's top-scorer with 1-8, with his Kilkenny team-mates Richie Power and Richie Power posting 2-1 and 0-6 respectively. Seamus Callanan and O'Dwyer were Tipp's scorers-in-chief with 0-7 each.

Both teams lined out as selected on a perfect day for hurling. The contest was just 45 seconds old when Hawk-Eye was called upon to adjudicate on a Colin Fennelly shot. The big screen showed that the Ballyhale's man effort was just inside the post and Kilkenny were off the mark.

John O'Dwyer hit an instant equaliser for Tipp before Eoin Larkin restored the Noresiders' lead with barely two minutes on the clock. O'Dwyer continued his bright opening by landing a long-range free and James Woodlock followed up with another point into the Hill 16 end to edge Tipp ahead for the first time.

Richie Hogan supplied Larkin for a seventh-minute equaliser before Michael Fennelly had a half chance of a goal. Conor Fogarty picked up the game's first yellow card for a high challenge on Kieran Bergin as the play swept from end to end.

TJ Reid and Seamus Callanan (after Patrick 'Bonnar' Maher had almost put him through on goal) traded points before Reid and Lar Corbett traded further scores to leave the sides level for the sixth time with 13 minutes played.

Noel McGrath nudged the Premier men back in front after Eoin Larkin should have had a free at the other end. Reid levelled again with his first from a free before Tipp assumed control with an unanswered 1-3 in a blistering five-minute spell.

Callanan (free) and Shane McGrath had points before 'Bonnar' Maher out-fielded Brian Hogan and set off on a solo-run which culminated in him beating Eoin Murphy for the game's opening goal in the 21st minute. The centre forward was in the thick of things again a minute later when he was taken down by Brian Murphy for a penalty.

However, Callanan's shot was comfortably saved by Eoin Murphy. It may well have been a case of justice being done as the foul on Maher looked to be just outside the large parallelogram.

After Hawk-Eye decreed that a Conor Fogarty effort was wide, veteran Corbett fired over a brilliant point on the run to give Tipp a six-point advantage, 1-9 to 0-6. The big questions were now being asked of Kilkenny and, as ever, they were able to answer them.

Richie Hogan started the comeback with a point before TJ Reid caught a high ball and fed the unmarked Richie Power who showed a cool head to dink the sliothar past Darren Gleeson with his first touch and finish to an empty net with his second.

That goal came in the 27th minute and Kilkenny could have had another moments later when Gleeson denied Reid with his arm. Michael Fennelly sent over another point after a frenetic passage of play to leave the minimum in it before Callanan's third white flag momentarily halted the Cats' momentum.

Conor Fogarty, with his first championship point, reduced the arrears again, only for Noel McGrath and John O'Dwyer to reply for Tipp. Reid slotted over a pair of frees to make it a one-point game once again, but the Munster side had the final say when Callanan converted a free on the stroke of half-time.

But Kilkenny were back in front within 40 seconds of the restart, 2-11 to 1-13, when TJ Reid sent a bullet of a shot to the net after Michael Fennelly had done the spadework. Shane McGrath levelled again before Reid (free) and Noel McGrath traded points.

Walter Walsh got in on the scoring act to edge the Cats back in front, but they then had two major let-offs when as Corbett rattled the crossbar and 'keeper Murphy denied Callanan.

O'Dwyer and Richie Hogan - who was now flourishing on the '40' - swapped points before efforts from Gearoid Ryan and O'Dwyer (free) gave Tipp the lead again, 1-18 to 2-14.

Power then took centre stage by equalising before crashing home his second goal in the 48th minute after another superb first touch from Michael Fennelly's pass. Richie Hogan extended the Cats' advantage, but Tipp weren't giving up the ghost as sub Michael Cahill and Noel McGrath kept them in touch with points.

The two Hogans, Richie and Brian, split the posts either side of a Callanan effort from play. Callanan scored again before Reid and Richie Hogan pushed the Leinster champions into a 3-20 to 1-22 lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Eoin Murphy came to Kilkenny's rescue again when he tipped over 'Bonnar' Maher's rasper for a point. Tipp were then presented with the chance to draw level when the rampaging Corbett was dragged down by Jackie Tyrrell and a penalty was awarded. But just as in the first half, Murphy was able to save from O'Dwyer.

It looked as though that miss would cost Tipperary when Richie Hogan popped over his sixth point after TJ Reid's free had come back off the upright. But points from Callanan and corner back Paddy Stapleton continued to keep them in touch.

Reid brought his tally to 1-8 from a 20-metre free before Henry Shefflin entered the fray to a deafening roar with four minutes remaining. At that stage, the 35-year-old had a record 10th All-Ireland medal within his grasp, but Tipp didn't read the script and restored parity with a trio of scores from O'Dwyer (two) and sub Jason Forde.

It was anybody's game now and when Brian Hogan was harshly adjudged to have charged into Padraic Maher, 'Bubbles' was handed the opportunity to win Liam MacCarthy for Tipp. But despite having the distance, his huge free drifted agonisingly wide of Eoin Murphy's left hand upright and it's back to Croke Park again in three weeks' time.

Kilkenny: E Murphy; J Tyrrell, JJ Delaney, J Holden; P Murphy, B Hogan (0-01), C Buckley; R Hogan (0-06), C Fogarty (0-01); C Fennelly (0-01), M Fennelly (0-01), E Larkin (0-02); R Power (2-01), TJ Reid (1-08, 0-06f), W Walsh (0-01). Subs: A Fogarty for W Walsh (49), P Walsh for Holden (61), H Shefflin for C Fennelly (67), J Power for R Hogan (70+2).

Tipperary: D Gleeson; C Barrett, J Barry, P Stapleton (0-01); K Bergin, B Maher, Pádraic Maher; S McGrath (0-02), J Woodlock (0-01); G Ryan (0-01), L Corbett (0-02), Patrick Maher (1-01); J O'Dwyer (0-07, 2f), S Callanan (0-07, 2f), N McGrath (0-04). Subs: M Cahill (0-01) for Ryan (50), E Kelly for Woodlock (64), J Forde (0-01) for S McGrath (66), J O'Brien for Callanan (70+1).

Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).

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