Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 0-15:Kilkenny hurlers continued to dominate at Headquarters this afternoon as their under-21s added the fourth trophy the Cats' cabinet with an unusually narrow win over Tipperary.
With the senior, minor and intermediate titles already secured, the pressure was on the side that had so comfortably seen off Dublin, Offaly and Galway on their way to another final.
Expectation is no stranger to a Kilkenny hurler, however, and the response was a familiar one, though credit must go Tipp for outpointing their opponents and keeping the deficit to four points.
As is the case with the senior side, Kilkenny's under-21s can produce match-winners from all over the pitch and today's hero was Matthew Ruth, who scored 2-02 in the first half to put the Cats in control after a bright Tipp start.
The Premier County registered early points through with Pa and Shane Bourke and right-half back Kevin Lanigan but they were gradually pegged back, with providing the crucial score to level it at four points apiece.
TJ Reid, who featured for the senior side against Waterford last week, was also to the fore and his hand-pass afforded Ruth his first sight at goal which he did not pass up, smashing the ball past Tipperary goalkeeper Matthew Ryan.
Kilkenny built on the lead quickly and ruthlessly through Richie Hogan and John Mulhall before Ruth hit the net again in the 29th minute.
Tipp refused to lie down and Brendan Maher and midfielder Gearóid Ryan pointed to cut the deficit at the break to two goals and emerged defiant in the second half to outscore their opponents as Pa Bourke cause havoc.
The Cats could only manage one point in the opening quarter from Hogan as the Tipp Fullback line of Michael Cahill, Pádraig Maher and Kevin Maher refused to budge and there was just two between the sides entering the final 15.
As is so often the case, however, the Cats got their claws out and sealed a fourth title of the year, their first at this level since 2006.
Kilkenny: C McGrath; P Murphy, K Joyce, E O'Shea; L Ryan, P Hogan, N Prendergast; J Dowling, N Walsh (0-1); C Fennelly, N Cleere, TJ Reid (0-2); M Ruth (2-2), J Mulhall (0-2), R Hogan (0-6, 6f). Subs: JJ Farrell for Cleere (35); J Maher for Dowling (54); M Bergin for Farrell (60)
Tipperary: M Ryan; M Cahill, P Maher, K Maher; K Lanigan (0-1), T Stapleton, B Maher (0-1); G Ryan (0-3, 1 sl), S Hennessy; P Maher, S Callanan (0-1), T McGrath; P Bourke (0-8, 7f 1 sl), M O'Meara, S Bourke (0-1). Subs: J O'Keeffe for Lanigan (30+2); D O'Hanlon for O'Meara (38); P Ivors for S Bourke (47); J Ryan for McGrath (50)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)