Never before had Offaly won an All-Ireland at the grade (or previously when under 21) and one of those losses was in one of the competition’s truly epic encounters, when Tipperary won a thrilling match in Portlaoise in 1989.
Cork started out as favourites to win the under 20 championship until Tipperary ambushed them in the Munster final a week ago, with a stunning winner from their top forward, Darragh McCarthy, hit first time from the sideline with no time to look up.
But Offaly were not to be denied and at the final whistle after an absorbing second half lit up with three goals in quick succession, they finished strongly with the last three points to seal a famous win. Predictably, their jubilant supporters rushed on to the pitch at the end to celebrate. The better side won; that is beyond dispute although Tipp fought to the death.
After the season Tipperary have had with their senior hurlers exiting in the Munster championship, the Munster minor win 24 hours later lifted their spirits and the under 20s raised them even more the following Friday. They were looking to win a first under 20 since 2018 and replicate the spirit shown in the Munster final that lowered Cork, even though they know they had some good fortune along the way.
Brilliant sunshine graced the evening, the opening day of June bringing just under 26,000 to the stadium which was marking the 100th anniversary of the death of James Nowlan, after whom it is named.
Less desirable attention focused on the poor state of the pitch for the recent Leinster senior championship game between Kilkenny and Wexford, a legacy of a Bruce Springsteen concert. It left the groundsmen with some work to do to repair the damage, and part of the ground remained visibly scarred and worn.
These are two teams a year ahead of time with the majority on both sides still eligible next year and many having met in the All-Ireland minor final in 2022, won in the last seconds with a goal from Paddy McCormack, ruled out here by injury, that broke Offaly hearts.
Some of those players were part of the run to the under 20 final last year and now they descended on Kilkenny, with a boisterous following, willing their team over the finishing line. All that pain was wiped away, with Adam Screeney scoring 0-12 and Durrow’s Dan Bourke finishing with 1-3.
Bourke’s goal in the 47th minute followed one by Tipp’s Senan Butler two minutes before, and another from Egan shortly before that in a crazy spell when the shackles were thrown off. Egan’s goal had Offaly eight points up, but Tipp were within three points of Offaly two minutes before the end of normal time. From there Offaly hit the last three, the final one from corner back Ruairí Kelly.
Offaly’s lead at half time didn’t flatter them, a 0-12 to 1-5 advantage after dominating save for a ten-minute scoreless spell which followed McCarthy’s goal after seven minutes from a penalty, won after he was fouled as he lined up to shoot.
Two Screeney scores had got Offaly off the a perfect start, the second an outlandish effort from near the sideline after Conor Doyle deferred to him by passing despite being in a better position to score himself.
But with two points from the excellent Ciarán Foley, who hit three in the first half, Tipp began to grow in confidence after the goal and Foley’s second point had them 1-3 to 0-3 in front with 15 minutes played.
From there to half time Offaly dictated and played controlled and intelligent hurling, against a more physical imposing opposition, outscoring Tipp over the second quarter 0-9 to 0-2. Screeney accounted for 0-8 of their 12 first half points, but Dan Bourke and Barry Egan also chipped in with an even share of the remaining four.
Screeney also had a goal attempt saved by Eoin Horgan, before pointing the resulting 65.
They made a nervous start to the second half, with Screeney missing his first free from well within his range and Tipp hitting the first two scores, a McCarthy free and a fine effort from Cathal English. But a Screeney 65 after ten minutes settled them.
Scorers — Offaly: A Screeney 0-12 (8fs, 3 65s), D Bourke 1-3, B Egan 1-2, C King 0-2 each, R Kelly 0-1. Tipperary: D McCarthy 1-5 (1-0 pen, 4 fs) S Butler 1-1, C Foley 0-3, O O’Donoghue 0-2, C English, S O’Farrell, C Martin 0-1 each.
Offaly: L Hoare; R Kelly B Miller, J Mahon; D Shirley, B Kavanagh, T Guinan; C Spain, C King; S Rigney, D Bourke, C Doyle; L Kavanagh, B Egan, A Screeney. Subs: A Kavanagh for Egan (50); E Burke for Doyle (54); D Ravenhill for Kavanagh (62); D Hand for Rigney (63).
Tipperary: E Horgan; C O’Donnell, A O’Halloran, P O’Dwyer; M Cawley, B Currivan, J Collins; S O’Farrell, A Daly; C English, C Martin, C Foley; D McCarthy, O O’Donoghue, S Butler. Subs: J Ormond for Cawley (49); J Egan for Foley (50); S Rowan for Daly (60).
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin).
