Mauling by rampant Cats makes it a long, long day for Tipperary

Kilkenny 3-20 Tipperary 2-11

The confident Cats often toyed with a hopelessly out-of-touch Tipperary en route to a National Hurling League final meeting with Limerick next Sunday.

This was as chastening a hurling lesson as Tipp have received in a long time. In the opening half in particular, when Kilkenny laid the foundations for their eventual decisive win, Tipp were often outplayed alarmingly.