TIPPERARY held off a second-half comeback from Dublin to emerge victorious in a high scoring senior hurling challenge at Geraldine Park, Athy, Co Kildare last night to commemorate the replayed All-Ireland final played between the counties at this venue in 1909.

THERE was a song sung by Tipperary substitute Pat Kerwick at the end of the game yesterday, The Galtee Mountain Boy – I think it was about the famous Tipperary revolutionary, Dan Breen.

LIAM SHEEDY has named an unchanged side for this Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final against Killkenny – and yet one that differs considerably to the corresponding fixture 12 months ago.

LIMERICK GAA chiefs are prepared to wait until the October meeting of the county board before ratifying their new hurling boss, insisting they won’t rush the Independent Appointments Committee into making a decision.

CORK beat Tipperary by 10 points in the Munster championship, then went on to two titanic battles with Waterford in the Munster final, losing only in extra-time.

TIPPERARY wing-forward Pat Kerwick has been ruled out of contention for a place in the All-Ireland semi-final clash with Munster champions Waterford on Sunday week in Croke Park and manager Liam Sheedy believes he may be out for the rest of Killenaule’s club season too.

Michael Cahill and Brian O'Meara will get their first taste of Championship action when Tipperary battle it out with great rivals Cork in Sunday's Munster SHC quarter-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh (throw-in 4pm).

MICHAEL CAHILL and Brian O’Meara will make their championship debuts for Tipperary in Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy has revealed tonight that Pat Kerwick is a major injury doubt ahead of the Premier County's Munster SHC opener against Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday week.

DONAL ÓG CUSACK has spoken of the hate mail his autobiography has provoked.

SEAMUS CALLANAN has rejected the suggestion that Tipperary’s half-forward line is a weak link that threatens to scupper the county’s ambitions of claiming a first All-Ireland title since 2001.

TIPPERARY are nursing a number of injury concerns ahead of the Munster SHC quarter-final showdown with Cork on Sunday week following a low key challenge outing against Clare in Thurles last night.

LAR CORBETT has played down the significance of Tipperary’s 25-point defeat of Dublin in a challenge match earlier this week.

Offaly 2-14 Tipperary 1-18

CORK AND Tipperary clash this Sunday in the National Hurling League, but one of the blue chip fixtures in the GAA calendar may be devalued as the counties embark on a potential three games in seven weeks.

Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy has named a team featuring no NHL debutants for tomorrow night's Division 1 opener against Kilkenny at Semple Stadium (throw-in 7.30pm).

CHAMPIONS Clare scored a notable early season victory with a hard-fought two-point win over Tipperary in the Waterford Crystal Trophy under lights in Borrisoleigh last night.

Kilkenny hurling legend Henry Shefflin will this year bid to join an elite band of just two players at the top of the leader-board for GAA All-Stars after being nominated for his ninth award last night.

THE all-conquering Kilkenny hurling team has received fewer Vodafone All Star nominations than Tipperary, the side they beat three times this season on their way to a historic four All-Ireland titles in-a-row.

BRIAN CODY has always lauded his opponents, no matter how inept the challenge or how heavy the defeat his side has inflicted upon them, but compliments for his own troops have been less forthcoming.

Kilkenny 2-22 Tipperary 0-23

YOU would think that given the week that’s in it, Declan Fanning would be utterly consumed by tomorrow’s All-Ireland final, that all that would be on Tipperary right half-back’s mind would be how to contain this Kilkenny attack, how to deal with reigning hurler-of-the-year Eoin Larkin especially.

AT Laffansbridge the first sign is spotted, nailed firmly to a telephone pole. The Killenaule club colours are prominent with the yellow background and red font, and the message is proclaimed simply: ‘Best of luck Declan, Festy and Gerry’.

NIALL CURRAN has revealed how his brother and Tipperary star Paul recaptured top form after being taken off in this year’s Munster hurling final.

NIALL CURRAN has revealed how his brother and Tipperary star Paul recaptured top form after being taken off in this year’s Munster hurling final.

THREE months ago to the day, May 16th, their league campaign over, Munster championship opener against Waterford still several weeks away, Limerick played Cork in a senior hurling challenge match.

1. TS and TN number-plates whizzed by – at 120kmph, if any gardaí are reading – as I drove to Dublin yesterday, and it struck me that this county was in a hurry.

AS I made my way from Croke Park yesterday I met a number of people, from different counties, and all were saying more or less the same thing – “shocking match, you won’t have much to write about.”

Tipperary 6-19 Limerick 2-07

Both Tipperary and Limerick make one change in personnel to their starting 15s for Sunday's All Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final.

I’M going to start this analysis not with the senior final – by which I wasn’t at all impressed, and more on that later – but with the minor game.

ARE Tipperary the new Waterford? On their day, and for several years, Waterford were the most attractive team in hurling, the most flamboyant.

THE TWO games I saw this weekend – Tullamore on Saturday and Tipperary against Clare in Limerick yesterday – have restored my faith in hurling.

Clare 1-22 Tipperary 3-18

BEFORE we get into any details, I want to address something here in general terms, namely the lack of buzz around the championship this year.

TONY BROWNE is named at midfield on the Waterford team for tomorrow’s Munster SHC semi-final replay against Limerick at Semple Stadium, the veteran Mount Sion clubman’s first championship start since last year’s All-Ireland final.

I met a man before the game yesterday, Eamonn O’Driscoll, originally from Christy Ring country in Cloyne but now living in Midleton, and he told me this was his 57th year following Cork in the Munster championship.

TIPPERARY duo Eoin and Paul Kelly are both ruled out of Sunday’s Allianz NHL final clash with Kilkenny.

TIPPERARY hurling manager Liam Sheedy wouldn’t allow Sunday’s chastening defeat to All-Ireland champions Kilkenny deflect them from their bid to retain their League title.

CELEBRATIONS, celebrations; the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the GAA, a clash of two of hurling’s most ancient and celebrated rivals, new floodlights being switched on in what many see as the true home of hurling, Semple Stadium.

WATERFORD 1-12 TIPPERARY 2-13

Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-18

Hugh Maloney, who has had injury problems with both shoulders this season, has been passed fit to play for Tipperary in Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final against Waterford.

MICHAEL WEBSTER is pushing hard for a place in Tipperary’s starting 15 for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Waterford.