Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 2-10
Kilkenny are an hour from their first Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor hurling title success since 2014 after holding firm at Croke Park to secure a return to the final.
Richie Mulrooney's side will face Galway in the August 19 decider, a repeat of the quarter-final group stage tie that the westerners won by seven points.
Holders Galway, who beat Dublin yesterday, will go into the final as favourites though Kilkenny have shown their determined streak just to get this far.
The final will be their 10th game of a marathon summer having lost an incredible Leinster final to Dublin back in June when the sides shared 13 goals.
There was no such drama this time though Kilkenny did withstand a second-half Tipp rally to progress.
Kilkenny led by six points at the break but saw that lead reduced to two points late on as sub Mikey O'Shea sniped two goals for Tipp.
It was Tipp's sixth game of the summer compared to Kilkenny's ninth, and the Cats' third consecutive weekend of action as they took the circuitous route to the last four.
Yet there was no sign of fatigue on Kilkenny's part as they trailed briefly early on but otherwise set the pace.
The sides were level four times up to 0-04 apiece in an error ridden opening 22 minutes before Kilkenny put clear daylight between the teams.
A 1-03 burst without reply between then and half-time left them sitting pretty with a 1-07 to 0-04 advantage.
It was Tipperary's first outing since beating Limerick in the Munster final on July 1 and they struggled to catch a spark, scoring just two points from play in the first-half.
Devon Ryan and their prolific forward Sean Hayes scored those though it was Kilkenny who showed more attacking intent.
Points from Ciaran Brennan, Dan Coogan and Cathal O'Leary nudged them 0-07 to 0-04 clear before Brennan netted in first-half injury-time.
George Murphy played in the speculative ball from the left which evaded a ruck of players and broke kindly for Brennan to whip in with a rasping ground stroke.
Captain Conor Kelly went close with a goal chance also but his shot was well saved by Tipp 'keeper Aaron Browne.
Tipp came roaring back into the contest in the third quarter with a clear increase in energy and efficiency.
Sub O'Shea hauled them back into it with a 1-01 in a matter of minutes having only come on late in the first-half.
James Devaney did well for the goal, pulling the ball the back from the right endline for O'Shea to slam home from a central position.
With Kilkenny now under serious pressure, they coughed up possession close to goal for O'Shea to add a point shortly after the goal.
Kilkenny reopened a five-point advantage with seven minutes to go when O'Shea raced onto a clever pop pass and blasted in his second goal.
It left two between them but Tipp couldn't reel in that margin as Kilkenny held on for a battling win.
Kilkenny: Jason Brennan; Padraig Dempsey, Jamie Young, Dylan Crehan; Darragh Maher, Shane Staunton, Jamie Harkin; Conor Kelly (0-01, 0-01f), Cian Kenny; Ciaran Brennan (1-02), Jack Buggy (0-04, 0-02f), George Murphy; Cathal O'Leary (0-01), Jack Morrissey (0-04), Dan Coogan (0-01).
Subs: Killian Hogan (0-01) for O'Leary (41), Padraic Moylan for Coogan (48), Eoin Guilfoyle (0-01) for Moylan (52).
Tipperary: Aaron Browne; Kevin Hayes, Conor Whelan (0-02, 0-02f), Conor O'Dwyer; Johnny Ryan, Sean Phelan, Frank Hanafin; Max Hackett, John Campion; Cian O'Farrell, Ryan Renehan, Kian O'Kelly; Devon Ryan (0-03, 0-01f), Sean Hayes (0-01), James Devaney (0-01).
Subs: Jack Morrissey (0-01) for Hackett (25), Mikey O'Shea (2-01) for Renehan (28), Kevin Maher for Campion (46), Jack Lanigan (0-01) for Devaney (48), Keith Ryan for J Ryan (56).
Referee: Rory McGann (Clare).
