Tipperary and Kilkenny give signal for summer scorchers

Tipperary 2-17 Kilkenny 3-14: An epic draw which few would dispute that Kilkenny, based on their billing coming into the game, won, even if the result was a just end to a scintillating contest.

Eight points down after 22 minutes, Kilkenny put themselves into the lead for the first time in the 66th minute through the inspirational Cillian Buckley only for Tipperary sub Steven O’Brien to fire over the equaliser.

Tipperary were wayward with several point attempts in the dying minutes and Eoin Murphy had saved well from John McGrath, while Seamus Callanan put Murphy’s parry wide prior to Buckley’s point.