Will the real Tipperary team please stand up. The despairing plea from bemused and disillusioned followers of the reigning National League title holders among the attendance of 11,989 was a valid one at Semple Stadium yesterday.
Kilkenny, chastened by defeat at the hands of Waterford in their last match, were resilient and fast, too much so for an erratic Tipperary. But, above all, the Leinster champions had two sharp-shooters in debutant Eddie Brennan and Henry Shefflin who Tipperary, reduced to 14 players from midway through the second half, could not quite match.
True, Thomas Dunne finished up with all but five points of the losers' tally, but even he looked unsure of himself too often when trying to deliver the final shot.
Untypical mishits and 25-yard clearances out of defence and from midfield didn't help Tipperary's cause. "We were terrible," said former Tipperary star Donie Nealon. Tipperary manager Nicholas English now knows that a lot of work lies ahead if the desired improvement is to be forthcoming.
To focus on Tipperary's shortcomings and ignore Kilkenny's superior play in a scrappy match would be to distort the truth. The fact remains that Tipperary hurled as well as they were allowed by a well-conditioned, experimental Kilkenny. DJ Carey, currently nursing a shoulder injury which he feels will keep him out of the game for some weeks yet, was very impressed by Brennan's display.
The Graigue-Ballycallan forward, who broke a collar bone in last year's All-Ireland under-21 final, made a huge impact in his first league appearance. Using his great pace, he scored two brilliant first-half goals and a point to stretch Kilkenny's lead to five points, 2-3 to 0-4, against the wind.
His second goal was a work of sheer hurling art, regaining possession of a Stephen Grehan pass from just above the top of David Kennedy's head before careering forward to give Brendan Cummins no chance. Later, Brennan had two vital points in the 22nd and 23rd minutes of the second half to equalise and give his team the lead.
During that opening quarter of the second half Tipperary looked threatening. Thomas Dunne had hit his second goal unchallenged and Paul Shelly clipped over two rapid points to give the home side the lead, 2-9 to 2-6 with 12 minutes gone. But Tipperary could not manage another score. Denis Byrne, switching to midfield, uplifted Kilkenny's showing in the final quarter.
Eddie Tucker, a first-half substitute, showed Tipperary frustration when putting in an illegal tackle on Kilkenny wing back Aidan Cummins for which he was instantly red-carded by Limerick referee Pat O'Connor 15 minutes into the second half.
Kilkenny established a notable dominance from this point, but it had little to do with Johnny Butler enjoying the loose man role in the winners' full-back line as Tipperary attacks rarely got that far.
Shefflin, thanks to panic and petty fouling in the Tipperary defence, began building towards his personal tally of 10 points, nine frees, from an early stage. His consistency was quiet awesome from varying angles. Kilkenny, forced to replace the injured Pat O'Neill with Canice Brennan at centre back, truly laid the foundations for victory when playing into the wind in the first half. They led by 2-6 to 1-6 at half-time, but had lost James McGarry (John Carroll was booked for the harsh tackle) through injury after 15 minutes. Later, Carroll also had to retire injured.
McGarry was stretchered off and was brought to Cashel hospital with concussion.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody was very impressed. "We did well against the wind and this was crucial. Tipp came back at us for a while in the second half, but we hit back with great conviction," he said.
KILKENNY: J McGarry; J Butler, S Meally, N Hickey; M Kavanagh, C Brennan, A Cummins; A Comerford, P Barry; H Shefflin (0-10, nine frees), S Grehan, B McEvoy; N Moloney (0-1), D Byrne, E Brennan (2-3). Subs: M Carey for McGarry (15 mins).
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; D Fahy, P Maher, M Ryan; B Horgan, D Kennedy, N Morris; E O'Neill (0-2, frees), E Enright; M O'Leary, J Carroll, A Moloney (0-1), P Kelly, P Shelly (0- 2), T Dunne (2-4, two pointed frees). Subs: E Tucker for Carroll (25 mins); G Maguire for P Kelly, P Ormonde for Fahy (half-time); B O'Meara for O'Leary (51 mins).
Referee: P O'Connor (Limerick).
