Kilkenny and Tipperary will reignite one of hurling’s greatest rivalries this Sunday in Croke Park when they meet in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final.
It’s a fixture steeped in history. The first championship meeting between the counties took place on 27 October 1887, when Kilkenny hosted Tipperary at Urlingford. Reports at the time noted that Frank Moloney “refereed with much difficulty” in that All-Ireland semi-final, which was played on a Thursday afternoon.
Since then, the teams have faced off 27 times in the hurling championship, with their most recent meeting coming in the 2019 All-Ireland final. On that occasion, Tipperary defeated Kilkenny to secure their 28th All-Ireland title—a match remembered for Richie Hogan’s straight red card after 33 minutes, a decision that remains a point of contention among Kilkenny supporters.
After nearly six years, those same supporters will finally get the chance to see the storied rivalry renewed on Sunday.
Kilkenny hurling legend Richie Power says it’s exactly the kind of game players and fans crave:
“They were always the games we really, really looked forward to, and really got up for. There has been quite a break in it, probably diminished a bit. We have not been talking about a Kilkenny–Tip rivalry. I think it’s brilliant—it will reinvigorate everyone’s imagination.
“People are saying it’s a 50-50 game, and probably going on form it is. It’s something to really look forward to. Hopefully it will light that fire between Kilkenny and Tipperary for years to come.”
Sunday’s clash will be broadcast live on KCLR, with coverage thanks to Laharts Garage on the Waterford Road, Kilkenny.
For even more build-up and expert analysis, the latest episode of the KCLR Hurling Podcast is now available. It features Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng, Tipperary selector Declan Laffan, Richie Power himself, as well as insight from Walter Walsh, Aidan “Taggy” Fogarty and Joe Fortune.
