What a group of players.
To get to one Electric All-Ireland minor final in a season is a wonderful achievement, but to secure your place in two, with a significant overlap of players, is simply remarkable.
The Tipperary minor footballers disposed of Kildare by 0-11 to 0-9 on Sunday afternoon in an impressive showing to set up a Munster final repeat with Kerry on September 20th.
They were made to work hard for the win, which was achieved despite having lost wing-back Emmett Moloney to a second yellow with over 15 minutes to go.
We’ve taken a look at three key factors we feel were vital in their two-point win.
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Kildare’s missed goal chances
Tipperary had several chances themselves to raise green flags but they survived without a major, but they did cough up at least two great chances for a green flag to their opponents.
The Lilywhites were unlucky with a number of their efforts, but they could find no way past Charlie Manton in the Premier’s last line of defence.
Their first chance came on 24 minutes when they failed to hit the net when it seemed easier to score.
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And the second chance, at a crucial period in the game, was a major turning point.
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It was the second successive shut out by Tipperary, after only conceding 0-6 to Galway in the quarter-final and it will surely be an area that the Kerry management will be looking at over the next three weeks.
2. Alan Tynan and Jack Kennedy
We saw just two weeks ago what a talent Alan Tynan is as hurler, and on Sunday he confirmed his status as one of the best young GAA players in the country.
Whoever said that the era of the dual players is over needs to get a DVD of this game and watch it at least twice.
Powerful in possession as well as a having a wonderful eye for a score, the Roscrea teenager was effortless in his striking of some lovely long range frees as he grabbed 0-3 in the first half alone.
His physicality was a big asset against a large Kildare midfield diamond, but his running as well as accurate passing lit up Croke Park.
Scor alainn by Alan Tynan to make it 0-6 each at the break #ThisIsMajor pic.twitter.com/QHRIa8399K
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 30, 2015
His team-mate Kennedy is not quite at the physical domination stakes yet, but his workrate at full-forward as well as his languid kicking style was a joy for all supporters to watch.
He kicked a beaut of a ’45 after the break as well as fantastic point to put his side three up after 43 mins and force his side into a lead they never relinquished.
Kennedy was rightly named man-of-the-match and any chance that Tipperary will have against Kerry will rest largely on his shoulders
3. Croke Park experience
We mentioned in the build up to this game how important having played in Croke Park in August would be.
Kildare were there for the Leinster semi-final and the provincial decider, but players like Tynan and Brian McGrath enjoyed a white hot battle against Dublin just a fortnight ago.
That experience showed, especially in the second half as Tipperary went more direct and with Michael Connors in the full-forward line more ball began to stick inside.
Even the loss of Emmett Moloney didn’t derail the game plan and manager Charlie McKeever also mentioned in his post match comments how crucial having played Kerry in the Munster final was in his side’s development this season.
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