Paddy McCormack goals inspire Tipperary to All-Ireland under-20 hurling title

All-Ireland Under-20 Hurling Final: Kilkenny 1-16 Tipperary 3-19

After the heartbreak of missing their All-Ireland Under-20 final defeat last year, Paddy McCormack was Tipperary’s goalscoring hero to bring silverware back to the Premier county with a nine-point victory over Kilkenny.

In a game dictated by the wind, all four goals arrived in the second half. McCormack blasted 2-01 before Conor Martin’s clincher completed his 1-04 tally in front of 14,455 fans at Nowlan Park. Marty Murphy bagged a consolation goal in stoppage time for Kilkenny.

Tipperary’s first under-20 success since 2019, and 12th in total, moves them level with Kilkenny in second on the roll of honour.

Thirty years after he first lifted the trophy as a player, Brendan Cummins was reunited with the James Nowlan Cup, this time as a winning manager.

Final games of SFC round-robin format will be more fun than a piñata at a children’s party

Armagh give wasteful Dublin a hard lesson in the new world order

The Schemozzle: Tiered hurling system sending ill-prepared counties round in circles

Nowlan Park has become a happy hunting ground for Tipperary teams, adding this under-20 crown to the minor titles won at the venue in 2022 and ‘24.

The wind strength was emphasised by Kilkenny’s first two pointed frees. Both times, Tipp were penalised for thrown passes. Michael Brennan came back inside his own half and converted each one. He would end with 0-11 to his credit.

Tipperary's Oisin O'Donoghue with Kilkenny's Darragh Vereker. Photograph: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

But even with the conditions, the Cats were set up to contain Tipp rather than build a score. The Premier puckout wasn’t stressed as they retained 100 per cent. Martin scored the first point from play to level.

When Kilkenny did get back into Murphy, he caused trouble. He caught one high ball for a point and in the next play, lost his marker for a shot at goal, which Eoin Horgan saved.

Oisín O’Donoghue and Brennan traded points before Tipp threaded together five on the spin.

O’Donoghue was fouled for 1-04 in the Munster final and he won two quick-fire frees for Darragh McCarthy points. In between, the Cashel targetman notched a point of his own. When Cathal English and McCormack arrowed over, they led 0-08 to 0-04 after 22 minutes.

Kilkenny picked their way back into the contest with four of the next five points, including three Brennan frees. Jeff Neary had picked up plenty of ball in a sweeping role, but he got further upfield to split the posts.

They sought a leveller, but Adam Daly sent Tipp in with a 0-10 to 0-08 advantage.

Tipperary's Aaron O'Halloran and Kilkenny's Marty Murphy. Photograph: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

Martin got them up and running with the second-half breeze straight from the throw-in.

Brennan and Murphy kept Kilkenny in contact either side of an O’Donoghue sideline cut and Sam O’Farrell’s long-range effort.

In the 38th minute, Tipp couldn’t be contained any further. In the battle for possession under a long puckout, McCormack swept on to the loose sliotar, sidestepped towards goal, and bounced his finish to the net. A long-range Daly point made it 1-14 to 0-10.

Four Brennan points kept Kilkenny’s faint hopes alive as far as the 51st minute. Then, O’Donoghue turned over Neary and fed McCormack for a low finish to lead by 2-17 to 0-14.

And in the 56th minute, Martin secured a turnover before finishing off the move after taking the final pass from McCarthy.

Kilkenny went for goal in stoppage time, netting one when Murphy grabbed a high ball and drove it to the net, but the cup was already in Tipperary hands.

KILKENNY: S Manogue; D Vereker, R Garrett, I Bolger; E Lyng, T Kelly, C Hickey; T McPhillips, J Neary (0-1); E Lauhoff, A McEvoy, M Brennan (0-11, 0-8f); E McDermott (0-1), M Murphy (1-2), R Glynn.

Subs: J Dollard for McPhillips (14-20 mins, temp), A Ireland Wall for McEvoy (40), Dollard for McPhillips (50), G Kelly (0-1) for Hickey (51), S Hunt for McDermott (54), J Hughes for Glynn (58).

TIPPERARY: E Horgan; C O’Reilly, A O’Halloran, S O’Farrell (0-2); A Ryan, P O’Dwyer, J Ryan; J Egan, A Daly (0-2); C English (0-2), C Martin (1-4), D Costigan; D McCarthy (0-5f), P McCormack (2-1), O O’Donoghue (0-3, 0-1slc).

Subs: C Fitzpatrick for Costigan (50 mins), M Cawley for Egan (54), J Ormond for Martin (57), S Butler for McCormack (59), P Phelan for Daly (60).

Referee: S Hynes (Galway).