NHL DIVISION ONE FINAL: Kilkenny 2-26 Tipperary 4-17 THE CURTAIN came down on this year's Allianz National Hurling League Division One final after a dazzling encounter at Semple Stadium.

Holders Tipperary eventually lost their title after extra-time, but could console themselves that they had stayed toe-to-toe with the All-Ireland champions for virtually the entire 90 minutes and helped erase the unhappy memory of their thrashing in Nowlan Park just a few weeks ago.

It took extra-time to separate the teams. Noel McGrath’s goal, set up by Lar Corbett, pushed Tipp two ahead going into the second half of additional time, but Kilkenny adjusted their sights and rattled off six points, crowned by a whopper from his 65 from Eddie Brennan, to just one in reply, a hopeful thrash at goal from a free by goalkeeper Brendan Cummins which flew over for a point.

Kilkenny will have been pleased to rack up a 14th league title in a competitive match during which they ended up short half of last year’s All-Ireland winning team between injuries and yellow cards – which went some way to answering the question of exactly how the county’s second team would fare in national competition.

As the match looked to be hurtling beyond them in the early stages, they steadied and kept in touch on the scoreboard, exploiting Tipperary’s wariness, which at times looked to be paralysing them into waiting for the favourites to come back on to their shoulder.

Brian Cody and his management have particular reason to be satisfied with the input of less established players.

Richie Hogan, answering the reservations about his ability to translate enormous potential into a senior career, marked the occasion with an impressive display, calmly shooting the frees that got Kilkenny back into the match in the second half and scoring the team’s crucial first goal in the 38th minute within seconds of conceding a third to Tipp.

Brian Hogan’s suspected collar bone injury forced his early withdrawal, and John Tennyson, an unscheduled starter in the absence of captain and centrefielder Michael Fennelly who wasn’t well, moved in at centre back and gave a solid performance.

Aidan Fogarty has an All-Ireland final Man of the Match award on his cv, but he delivered another exceptional big-day contribution with 1-5 from play and had another goal disallowed after a thunderous finish because the ball had gone out of play earlier in the move.

There was an edge and an intensity to the match that sometimes spilled over into confrontation and incidents of ill-discipline, many of which went unpunished by referee John Sexton, who could have red-carded three players for offences he saw – a blatant pull by Hugh Maloney, a head-high charge by Eddie Brennan and, most egregiously, Tommy Walsh’s throwing his hurl at John O’Brien – which earned him a comical ticking.

But the match was fast, furious and undeniably exciting. Tipp manager Liam Sheedy was quick to point out afterwards that the county had contested a similar final in 2003 only to have a dismal championship. But in the absence of some key players yesterday the Munster champions performed well enough to give themselves a timely boost four weeks before they return to Thurles to face Cork in the first defence of their provincial title.

There were also some really encouraging performances from some of the younger players.

Pádraig Maher battled away at centre back, quickly losing his wing-men; Declan Fanning (who was yellow carded with Martin Comerford, himself on the field for only seconds at the time, in the 12th minute) and the injured Shane Maher.

Noel McGrath had an exceptional afternoon on his first senior final outing, ending up with 1-5, all but a point from play, and his pass for John O’Brien’s goal in the eighth minute was the genesis of the score, finished well by the Tipp captain after running at the Kilkenny defence.

Add in a goal in the fourth minute from James Woodlock, set up when James Ryall spilled the ball on taking a ferocious shoulder from Micheál Webster, whose physical presence was involved in many of Tipperary’s early scores.

Henry Shefflin, whose soaring early points got Kilkenny off to a good start, nailed a couple of dead-ball shots to keep his team in touch, but the holders kept the margin at five and six for most of the first half.

Shefflin nearly got a goal just before the break, but Cummins saved spectacularly and the ball was swept downfield for Noel McGrath to point for a 2-7 to 0-8 half-time lead.

Facing the wind, Tipperary started better, with Séamus Callanan taking a goal precisely once sent clear by Lar Corbett’s solo and pass.

Although Kilkenny could feel aggrieved at how difficult it was proving to get frees out of the referee, once they started to be awarded, Hogan seamlessly took over from the yellow-carded Shefflin and pointed seven to go with 1-3 from play. James Fitzpatrick got some game time and looked well on the way to recovery in time for the championship.

Fogarty’s 50th-minute goal moved Kilkenny’s comeback up a gear, and under severe pressure Tipperary conceded further inroads into their shrinking lead.

Hogan’s injury-time free pushed them a point ahead, but Noel McGrath was given the chance to respond just before the whistle for the end of 70 minutes.

KILKENNY: PJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, JJ Delaney, J Tyrrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, J Ryall; J Tennyson, M Rice; R Hogan (1-10, seven frees), H Shefflin (0-4, one free, one 65), E Larkin (0-1); E Brennan (0-2), TJ Reid (0-4), A Fogarty (1-5). Subs: M Comerford for B Hogan (11 mins), M Grace for Comerford (yellow card, 12 mins), J Fitzpatrick for Shefflin (yellow card, 42 mins), S Cummins for Kavanagh (yellow card, 79 mins).

TIPPERARY: B Cummins (0-1, f); P Stapleton, P Curran, C O'Brien; D Fanning, P Maher, S Maher; T Stapleton, S McGrath (0-2); J Woodlock (1-1), S Callanan (1-7, six frees, one 65), L Corbett; N McGrath (1-5), M Webster, J O'Brien (1-1). Subs: B Maher for Fanning (yellow card, 12 mins), H Maloney for S Maher (15 mins), B Dunne for Maloney (58 mins), S Hennessy for Woodlock (62 mins), D Fitzgerald for T Stapleton (70 mins), E Buckley for P Maher (89 mins).

Referee: J Sexton (Cork).