Goalkeeper Eoin Murphy was the hero for Kilkenny when he landed a free in the third minute of injury-time from 75 metres to snatch victory at Semple Stadium.
They seemed poised for an 18th draw in 72 league meetings when Richie Hogan levelled in the second minute of injury-time but there was still time for the Cats to snatch their second win of the campaign.
The tempo of the opening half didn’t rise to any great heights between these two old rivals but there was still just a point between them at the break after both sides were guilty of missing a lot of chances.
Tipperary struggled to get scores, and while wing-back Robert Byrne pointed inside 60 seconds, they didn’t score again for 17 minutes.
By then Kilkenny opened up a 0-05 to 0-01 lead thanks to three frees from Alan Murphy and a couple of points from play from Padraig Walsh and Billy Ryan.
Tipperary finally got moving with Seamus Callanan, who got little change from Conor Delaney, and Jason Forde landing frees and then wing-back Seamus Kennedy and John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer hit good efforts from play to tie the sides at 0-05 each after 22 minutes.
Kilkenny responded well with Walter Walsh, Murphy and Walsh hitting points before Niall O’Meara and Ger Malone exchanged efforts.
That left a goal between them which Michael Breen should have wiped out but his effort from a Callanan cross flew high and wide.
However, they cut the gap to the minimum when Noel McGrath and Callanan hit points to leave it 0-09 to 0-08 to the Cats at the break.
Kilkenny made the better start to the second-half and two more frees from Murphy extended their lead to a goal.
Callanan reduced the margin with a free but then Kilkenny opened up a 0-13 to 0-09 lead with Walsh and Murphy hitting the range.
Tipperary then got moving with Callanan, who was off target with a few frees, hitting a brilliant point from play on the left wing.
O’Dwyer then struck two excellent efforts before Callanan tied the match with a free going into the final quarter at 0-13 apiece.
Tipperary enjoyed one of their best spells as Niall O’Meara landed his second point of the afternoon and the impressive O’Dwyer got his fourth to push Tipperary 0-15 to 0-13 in front with ten minutes remaining.
Martin Keoghan got Kilkenny’s first score in 21 minutes when he scored with five minutes left and then Richie Leahy tied the scores after a good ball across from Richie Hogan.
Jason Forde responded with a free for Tipp to restore their lead but then Murphy went out and landed the first of his points from halfway on the right.
The Tipp fans were sure they had won it when Noel McGrath edged them in front in the first minute of injury-time but Kilkenny came with a final rally.
Hogan landed the equalising point in the second minute of added time before Murphy snatched it at the death when hit the winner from 75 metres on the left wing.
Tipperary: Paul Maher; Alan Flynn, James Barry, Ronan Maher; Séamus Kennedy (0-01), Paudie Maher, Robert Byrne (0-01); Michael Breen, Noel McGrath (0-02); Patrick Maher, Willie Connors, Jason Forde (0-02, 0-02f); John O’Dwyer (0-04), Séamus Callanan (0-05, 0-04f), Niall O’Meara (0-02).
Subs: Jake Morris for Connors (42), Joe O’Dwyer for Kennedy (48), John McGrath for Patrick Maher (55), Ger Browne for Breen (67).
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy (0-02, 0-02f); Paul Murphy, Conor Delaney, Tommy Walsh; Conor Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jason Cleere; Padraig Walsh (0-02), Alan Murphy (0-07, 0-07f); John Donnelly, Walter Walsh (0-02), Ger Malone (0-01); Billy Ryan (0-01), Liam Blanchfield, Martin Keoghan (0-01).
Subs: Richie Leahy (0-01) for Donnelly (42), Richie Hogan (0-01) for Malone (52), James Maher for Murphy (52), Niall Brassil for Blanchfield (68).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
