REPORT: Red mist descended on Nowlan Park as Tipperary defeat 12-man Kilkenny

Allianz National Hurling League - Division 1A - Round 5

Tipperary 2-25

Kilkenny 1-19

A red mist descended on UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon's round 5 Allianz National Hurling League clash between Tipperary and Kilkenny, with no fewer than four red cards being brandished in a nine minute period early in the second half.

Those dismissals came between the 43rd and 52nd minutes with Alan Tynan the first to walk, before Kilkenny completely lost their composure; David Blanchfield striking Andrew Ormond in the head a minute later and this completely sent Kilkenny off track with Mikey Carey and Jordan Molloy all sent off.

Prior to that though, Tipperary were in control of the game and when they took the lead with the first point from a Darragh McCarthy free, they led from start to finish; although the flow of the game was completely thrown off kilter after those red cards.

What this result means is that Tipperary remain on top of the Division 1A table with one game to come, but should Clare defeat Cork in their game currently underway at the time of typing, they would be virtually assured of a league final with one game to spare.

There was a lot to like about Tipperary in the first half of this one. In the early minutes of the game, the sharper team, Tipp raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after six minutes with two men at opposite ends of their careers trading frees; Darragh McCarthy and TJ Reid.

Sam O’Farrell, operating at midfield and making his first start since the Galway game in round one, got on the scoreboard in that flurry while Darragh McCarthy and Alan Tynan fired over fine scores; Tynan’s in particular had a strong run preceding a well-struck effort.

Without the services of their main man Eoin Cody after he pulled his hamstring in training during the week, Mossy Keoghan was proving to be their only threat in the first half and he had Bryan O’Mara in some trouble, the Tullaroa man scoring two fine points as Kilkenny’s main source of scores in the game would be TJ Reid placed balls.

O’Mara did bag a fine effort going the other way in the 14th minute to give Tipp a 0-7 to 0-4 lead but Kilkenny bounced back with three in a row, with Keoghan’s two points and a TJ Reid free levelling the game after 18 minutes.

The second quarter would belong to Tipp, though with that three-point lead restored with Darragh McCarthy and John McGrath making hay in the inside line; McCarthy hitting two frees and providing McGrath with an assist for his first from play.

A Craig Morgan goal in the 25th minute put clear daylight between the teams when the Kilruane MacDonaghs player showing great pace to burst into the Kilkenny rearguard and, from an acute angle, managed to squeeze his effort past Eoin Murphy.

Sam O’Farrell was linking up nicely in the middle with Morgan as the pair dominated the battle there in the first half, and the Nenagh man hit the first of his three points soon after. But Kilkenny responded well to the goal all told with two TJ Reid frees and a fantastic third for Mossy Keoghan making it 1-11 to 0-10.

However, Tipp landed a second goal two minutes before the break when Darragh McCarthy turned his marker close to goal and with the cover coming back to stop his route to goal, he fed Oisin O’Donoghue on his shoulder who finished with aplomb from close range.

Kilkenny did manage to get a vital score before the break to bring back the deficit and give them a much needed shot in the arm with Billy Ryan providing Gearóid Dunne with the easiest of goals, offloading to him in front of goal after burning Bryan O’Mara.

Still, further points from McCarthy (free) and Joe Caesar sent Tipperary into the break in a strong position, ahead 2-13 to 1-10.

The biggest talking points of the game were yet to come though, with the four red cards sure to be a hot topic in the analysis of this contest.

The sides traded four points between them in the opening salvo of the restart but the avalanche of red cards would soon come, the first to Alan Tynan who left a shoulder in on Cian Kenny near the sideline, and given the recent number of high tackles, referee Séan Stack produced the red.

Leading by just six points at 2-15 to 1-12 at that time, this could have been a turning point in the game but it turned out to be anything but for Kilkenny.

David Blanchfield lost his senses after conceding a free by dragging Andrew Ormond and, in the act, swung his hurley at the head of the JK Brackens man, less than 90 seconds after Tipp were reduced to 14 and it left Stack with no choice but to brandish red.

Incredibly, that wouldn’t be the end of it with Kilkenny completely taking leave of their senses soon after, with Mikey Carey seeing red for a strike on Darragh McCarthy - again right after fouling his marker - to give Tipperary the numerical advantage after 46 minutes.

It was hard to keep up with the action with players and supporters heads spinning in the next few minutes and just seven minutes later, Jordan Molloy received a second yellow for clipping Eoghan Connolly on the head as the Cashel man was making a clearance downfield.

It was a surreal ten minutes and with the minor final between these counties less than a year ago making similar headlines, these sides are making a habit of it in Nowlan Park.

The remainder of the game was completely thrown out of all rhythm but Kilkenny did have a small purple patch in the next seven or eight minutes, reducing the arrears to five points at one stage.

But it was just a case of Tipperary making full use of the possession from here and with Noel McGrath being introduced in the final ten minutes, Liam Cahill’s players settled down and found the assurance scores to see out a win, and a vital two points that could go a long way to securing a first league final since 2018 for the Premier.

Scorers: Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy (0-12, 0-11f), Sam O’Farrell 0-3, Craig Morgan, Oisin O’Donoghue 1-0 each, John McGrath, Ronan Maher, Noel McGrath 0-2 each, Alan Tynan, Bryan O’Mara, Joe Caesar, Willie Connors all 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: TJ Reid (0-13, 0-11f, 0-2 65s), Mossy Keoghan 0-4, Gearóid Dunne 1-1, David Blanchfield 0-1f.

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Bryan O’Mara; Joe Caesar, Ronan Maher, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Sam O’Farrell; Gearoid O’Connor, Oisin O’Donoghue, Alan Tynan; Jake Morris, Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, 

Subs used: Andrew Ormond for O’Donoghue (HT); Dylan Walsh for J McGrath (51); Willie Connors for Caesar (57); Noel McGrath for O’Connor (64); Seamus Kennedy for Morris (70).

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Padraic Moylan, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan; Peter McDonald, Jordan Molloy; Mossy Keoghan, Cian Kenny, Billy Ryan; Billy Drennan, Gearóid Dunne, TJ Reid.

Subs used: John Donnelly for Drennan (HT); Shane Murphy for T Walsh (HT); Richie Reid for McDonald (HT); Fionan Mackessy for Dunne (58); Zach Bay Hammond for Kenny (66).

Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)