Lar Corbett’s stoppage time winner gave Tipp victory in an epic All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Croke Park.
A thrilling contest ebbed and flowed from start to finish, propelled by the passion and skill of two totally committed sides.
The scores were level on nine occasions before Liam Sheedy’s men pushed on in the closing stages to take the win and set up a semi-final clash with Waterford.
A crowd of 27,864 was transported on a roller-coaster of twists and turns which produced half a dozen goals and heroism in spades.
Eanna Ryan gave the Tribesmen a massive boost in the tenth minute when he burst through a gap in the Tipp defence to fire home a goal.
It was a much-needed score, given what had gone before, with the Munster men easing ahead with points from Patrick Maher, Lar Corbett and two from Eoin Kelly.
Damien Hayes gave Galway the lead for the first time on 13 minutes, but Tipperary succeeded in keeping Joe Canning quiet, the cover provided by corner backs Paddy Stapleton and Michael Cahill largely responsible for the Portumna ace’s failure to score from play in the first half.
Canning did bring the sides level for the third time from a 65 midway through the first half, but Tipperary immediately struck for a goal, Kelly drilling past Colm Callinan from Maher’s knock-down.
However, it was Galway who gained a fresh impetus from that score, scoring the next six points to go three clear.
Canning arrowed over a superb sideline cut, and tagged on a couple of frees, with Damien Hayes, Iarla Tannion and Ger Farragher, with a huge effort, also on target.
Excellent defending from Tony Óg Regan, Shane Kavanagh and David Collins kept Tipp scoreless for 16 minutes, but they finished the half with a 1-02 salvo to take a four-point advantage into the break.
Kelly and Brendan Maher knocked over points, before Noel McGrath’s flick sent substitute Seamus Callanan through for a stoppage time goal and a 2-08 to 1-09 lead.
Galway hit the front again with a sensational start to the second half. Damien Hayes took advantage of a rare Paul Curran error to get in for a goal, and points from Farragher and Canning made it 2-11 to 2-10.
A remarkable tie quickly took yet another twist, with Gearoid Ryan showing lightning pace to dart through for Tipp’s third goal on 43 minutes.
Corbett gave them the relative comfort of a four-point lead, but inevitably there was to be yet another goal.
Joe Canning was fouled and smashed home the penalty himself, and when Damien Hayes and Kevin Hynes tagged on points, the Connacht men were back in front.
Hynes and fellow sub Aengus Callanan added further points, but Tipperary refused to surrender, and late scores from John O’Brien, Ryan and Corbett saw them win a classic contest.
Tipperary: B Cummins, P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill, D Fanning, C O'Mahony, P Maher, B Maher (0-2), D Young, G Ryan (1-2), P Maher (0-1), S McGrath, N McGrath (0-1), L Corbett (0-3), E Kelly (1-7).
Subs: S Callanan (1-0) for Young, J O’Brien (0-1) for N McGrath, C O’Brien for Fanning, P Bourke for P Maher
Galway: C Callanan, D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning, D Barry, T Og Regan, D Collins, G Farragher (0-2), D Burke (0-1), E Ryan (1-1), K Hayes, A Smith, D Hayes (1-3), J Canning (1-5), I Tannian (0-1).
Subs: K Hynes (0-2) for K Hayes, A Callanan (0-1) for Ryan, J Lee for O Canning.
Referee: J Owens (Wexford).
