Kilkenny's young hurlers retained their Erin U21 All-Ireland crown, gaining a retribution of sorts for their senior disappointment of six days ago, as they defeated Tipperary 3-21 to 1-6 at Nowlan Park.
A ninth title at the grade, Martin Fogarty's class of 2004 joined the 1974-75 Cats in the double-winning ranks as skipper James 'Cha Fitzpatrick, Willie O'Dwyer and Conor Phelan bagged goals, as former minor star Richie Power rounded out the 21-point win with seven points.
Munster champions Tipp simply had no answer, and lost full-forward Tony Scroope - scorer of 5-16 in their previous three games - to a late dismissal. Fitzpatrick and O'Dwyer netted early as Fogarty's charges lead 2-8 to 0-1 after just 18 minutes.
UCC student Fitzpatrick sustained a right arm injury minutes before the break, but Kilkenny ploughed on without him, beginning the second half with a 2-12 to 1-1 buffer. Phelan and Power opened Kilkenny's account in the first half, and Fitzpatrick managed to bat Power's fourth minute free to the Tipp net for a speedy start.
O'Dwyer, Sean O'Neill and Fitzpatrick ran Kilkenny's tally up to 1-5 before Joe Caesar, easily the Premier's stand-out player, opened their scoring. Fitzpatrick's hook on Tipp senior Diarmuid Fitzgerald, saw Kilkenny in for a second goal as the ball broke free for O'Dwyer to drill past net minder Patrick McCormack.
Tipp nipped in for a goal when trailing 2-8 to 0-1 as corner forward Mickey Farrell's low shot beat out David Herity in the Cats goal on 21 minutes. Four points without reply from O'Dwyer, O'Neill and Power (0-2, 1f) sent Fogarty in happy at the break.
Despite early concessions to O'Dwyer and Power, Tipp hit three in-a-row as Caesar (0-2) and Scroope hit some form. Kilkenny just upped the tempo and replied with four of their own, through Power (0-2f), midfielder Shane Hennessy and the tireless O'Dwyer.
With three minutes remaining, substitute Eoin Larkin set up Phelan for a third Kilkenny goal, and the nail in the Tipp coffin. Willie Ryan and Michael Rice, becoming Kilkenny's tenth scorer, exchanged points before Brian Dowling ended the contest. Scroope's sending off, for reckless challenge on senior star Tommy Walsh, took the fight out of Seamus Power's side.
