Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 1-16:Kilkenny are All-Ireland champions for the fifth time in six years, and 33rd overall, after reclaiming their title from Tipperary with a dominant display at Croke Park. Goals from Michael Fennelly and Richie Hogan, plus eight points from Henry Shefflin, were simply too much for Tipp.
They were outplayed and outfought from the off by Kilkenny, while their stars failed to shine like they did last year when blowing today's opponents away with Lar Corbett's three goals.
“We’ve had this day in our sights for 12 months and it’s great to have it back again,” said Kilkenny manager Brian Cody afterwards.
His opposite number, Declan Ryan, was gracious in defeat.
“It’s very disappointed dressing room,” said . “We were perhaps fortunate to be only five points down at halftime. Hats off to Kilkenny, I think they showed they were real champions.
He added: “We struggled to get out of the blocks today for whatever reason … but I’m very proud of the guys, they’ve won the blue and gold with pride all year.”
The Cats bossed it from the start and raced into a five-point lead, as Shefflin scored two frees and Hogan, Richie Power and Eoin Larkin found their range. In the backline, Tommy Walsh was immense, fielding everything that came his way, while Jackie Tyrell began as he meant to continue, keeping Corbett quiet for the duration.
It took 16 minutes for Tipp to score through Noel McGrath and they set about reeling Kilkenny in, with Brendan Maher replacing John O’Keeffe to stem the amount of ball heading crossfield from Walsh to Shefflin.
They closed the gap to two but it was scarcely deserved and Kilkenny stretched their lead again with a Fennelly’s goal after a popped hand-pass from Hogan found him bursting through the middle to fire past Brendan Cummins in the Tipp net.
Kilkenny took a five-point lead in at the break and it looked ominous for Tipp after the break as well, despite the best efforts of their replacements Pa Bourke and Benny Dunne, for whom Seamus Callanan and Shane McGrath made way.
Dunne pointed after Bourke missed his first attempt. Shefflin responded it went tit-for-tat for a while, with Eoin Kelly and Conor O’Mahony pointing for Tipp as well.
Tipp’s fate seemed sealed, however, when Eddie Brennan’s run and hand-pass found Richie Hogan in space. With one touch from his hurl he teed it up and sent his second touch rifling into the far top corner.
Noel McGrath clipped over a sideline ball as Tipp struggled to get a sight of the posts, but they got their break in the 55th minute when Corbett found Bourke in space and the substitute struck his shot under David Herity from distance.
Kelly and McGrath kept plugging away for the defending champions but the points that came were hard work and, every time they were scored, Kilkenny responded, through Shefflin, TJ Reid and Colin Fennelly.
When Gearoid Ryan fired over an injury-time score there was a goal in it but, true to form, Kilkenny had a man to answer back and this time it was Eoin Larkin - his late point heralding Brian Cody’s eighth All-Ireland as manager and the return of the Cats.