So then, these two again. For all of the Deise potential, for all of Clare’s promise, it was Tipperary – the Ahab to Brian Cody and Kilkenny’s black and amber whale.
Tipp have rightly been seen as Kilkenny’s biggest challengers over the last decade. They have actually managed to spear the great beast once or twice and they entered this game as the slightest of favourites. How Kilkenny – chasing a three in a row and victors ten times in these teams last twelve meetings - managed to crawl on the surface of the radar in the lead up to this game is a mystery and a tribute to Cody’s relentless excellence at the expectation game.
Kilkenny now 6/5 outsiders with bookies.
Kilkenny - Outsiders
The great world spins on a new axis #AllIrelandFinal #KILvTIPP— Roy Curtis (@RoyCurtis68) September 4, 2016
Ronan Maher lords it
The teams were level at 6 points apiece after 15 minutes and it was Ronan Maher - in his first All Ireland final that stood out in that period - one bone shuddering hit on Liam Blanchfield the highlight:
Tipperary full forward line was sensational and made serious use of space afforded to them but Ronan Maher was a performance..
— Peter O'Leary (@poleary7) September 4, 2016
Jesus, Ronan Maher's hit on Blanchfield, right in line with it, even I'm shook. #GAA
— Tommy Rooney (@TomasORuanaidh) September 4, 2016
Can't be stressed just how good Ronan Maher is performing. Brian Cody has targetted him, asking different questions via Hogan & Reid. #GAA
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) September 4, 2016
Callanan on fire
Tipperary seemed to be getting on the end of every broken ball, their vaunted inside forward trident had all registered scores from play by the 25th minute and Seamus Callanan was feasting on Joey Holden. One wondrous point before half time drew gasps:
Seamus Callanan having a Maurice Fitz #OnFire #KKvTIPP
— Brian Murphy (@BrianMurfie) September 4, 2016
Tipp happier at the half
The teams were level on ten occasions in that first half but it was Tipperary with a two point lead and a bank of big plays that had to be happier as the half-time whistle went:
Kilkenny not doing 'tactics' coming back to bite them with how easily their full-back line is being pulled apart in that first half.
— Colm Keys (@KeysColm) September 4, 2016
0-14 for Tipperary and they’ve hit 8 wides along with Callanan’s free going short. Attack is having big impact.
— Fintan O'Toole (@fotoole13) September 4, 2016
26 points in one half. Level on 10 occasions. Superb stuff. #GAA
— Niall McCoy (@McCoyNiall) September 4, 2016
The Crucial third quarter - the Beast awakens
Kilkenny predictably stormed out of the gates to open the half. Debutant Kevin Kelly - this year's Walter Walsh, first passed up a glorious goal opportunity before poking home to an empty net. After that stellar first half, Tipperary were two points down in the blink of an eye:
Kevin Kelly scores a goal. Of course he does.
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) September 4, 2016
Kelly goal. Inspired choice! #GAA
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) September 4, 2016
Brian Cody could spring Phil Hogan for an All-Ireland and he'd finish with 2-3 from play#AllIrelandFinal #KILvTIPP
— Roy Curtis (@RoyCurtis68) September 4, 2016
...but Tipp's forwards charged back
Rather than be broken by the inevitable Kilkenny fightback, Tipp stormed back into the game. It was John 'Bubbles' O'Dywer who put any notion of Tipp meekly accepting their fate to bed with a sensational goal after 47 minutes. Tipp had seen the Kilkenny second half charge and they raised it:
That's some response from Tipp. They'd be best to try to drive on if they can. Cracking game.
— Edwin McGreal (@edmcgreal) September 4, 2016
1-4 without reply from Tipp since Kilkenny's goal #KKvTIPP #AllIrelandFinal
— Mark Dinan (@Mark_Dinan) September 4, 2016
There's more goals in Tipp for sure #TippvKK
— Steven McDonnell (@StevenMcD13) September 4, 2016
The Seamus Callanan Final
A breathless Michael Duignan described Callanan's performance as one of the greatest in All Ireland final history after the full forward plundered his 8th point from play in the 56th minute. Joey Holden was having every full back's nightmare as we started to wonder why Brian Cody wasn't trying to stop the deluge:
Hard to think of a better All-Ireland final performance than the one Seamus Callanan is putting on. #GAA
— Kevin Coghlan (@kevin_coghlan) September 4, 2016
Big Seamus Callanan having a ridiculous game! Won't be hard to pick the man of the match on @TheSundayGame tonight👍🏻 #AllIrelandFinal
— Caolan Donaghy (@caolandonaghy) September 4, 2016
Master class from Séamus Callanan. #GAA #KILvTIPP
— Jason Farrell (@Jay_farrell86) September 4, 2016
The final flicker of life: the Hogan goal keeps Kilkenny in it. Just.
After John McGrath seemed to inflict the final blow on the Champions, Richie Hogan swept in a terrific goal to keep Kilkenny breathing. All over the field though, the black and amber was being engulfed. Tipp led by seven with seven minutes left:
A seven point deficit with 7 minutes left would be enough to right off any team. Except Kilkenny. #GAA #allirelandfinal
— Adam Maguire (@AdamMaguire) September 4, 2016
Ah here this is nuts. What a game. #TippvKK
— John Greene (@johnjgreene) September 4, 2016
The game is up for the champs
In the end, it wasn't close. Kilkenny kept it relatively close on the scoreboard for so long because they have been that good. Not even Brian Cody - wizard that he is - could conjure a performance that could live with Tipperary in this form.
Tipperary can look back on an incredible year. They filleted Waterford, answered character questions against Galway and frankly blew away Kilkenny here. A new tyrant might be about to sweep across the Hurling landscape, one spearheaded by the monumental Seamus Callanan - 0-13 points in total.
Big Seamie is at it...#outrageous #TippvKK
— Conor McManus (@ConorMcManus_15) September 4, 2016
Séamus Callanan giving the best attacking performance I have ever seen at Croke Park. Magnificent #KKvTIPP #AllIrelandfinal #SundayGame
— Peter McNamara (@PeterMcNamara_) September 4, 2016
Has there ever been a more complete performance by a full forward line #tipp
— Paddy Bradley (@PaddyB14) September 4, 2016
