YOU reckoned, o reader, that Tipperary, the hungrier and better team last Sunday, had blown their chance of All Ireland under-21 glory by failing to close the deal first time around? You were right. There wasn't much in it in the replay either, but the little edge in sharpness and desire that was the underdogs' six days earlier belonged to Kilkenny yesterday. Paddy Hogan's 21st-minute goal was the key score in a dour yet absorbing struggle. Unlike in the drawn game, the better team . . . barely . . . won.

A low-key opening 10 minutes yielded only three scores.

The home side managed two of them in the shape of a sharp Richie Ruth point following a move started by Paddy Stapleton winning a ball way back down the field in the right corner of the Tipp defence and a good individual effort by Danny O'Hanlon. Austin Murphy replied with a sixthminute point for Kilkenny, Paddy Hogan the creator.

Slowly the game opened up slightly. But only slowly and only slightly. The visitors looked the better team in those moments the game became stretched, not least in the 14th minute when they went within a cat's whisker of bagging the opening goal.

Gerry Kennedy saved Richie Hogan's effort well but couldn't prevent the in-rushing Richie Power getting a touch that put the sliotar over the bar.

Seven minutes later, Kilkenny made no mistake. Murphy created the opening with a handpass for Paddy Hogan to run onto down the left, cut inside and uncork a low shot that found the net. Kilkenny 14 Tipperary 0-5.

Not that Tipp were without their consolations, not least in the form of O'Hanlon, who was giving John Tennyson plenty of it on the edge of the Kilkenny square. But Darragh Egan, who finished the half with four pointed frees to his name, was achieving little from general play while James Woodlock, man of the match in the drawn game, was barely seen at midfield, where Cha Fitzpatrick came more into things as the half wore on despite driving three wides.

All in all, an interval lead of two points in favour of the visitors (1-6 to 0-7) constituted a reasonably accurate picture of the proceedings.

The locals restarted with a fine point from substitute Philip Austin, to which Fitzpatrick replied with an equally good effort from the left at the other end. A Power free put Kilkenny a goal ahead, a distinct gap in such a hardfought encounter, but the flying Austin again did his thing on the right flank with a splendid point.

The closing quarter was attritional but never less than engrossing. Tipp were unable to breach the Kilkenny halfback line, Kilkenny unable to extract much change from the Tipp full-back division. Another Power free, this one from a tricky angle on the right, gave the favourites a 1-10 to 0-9 lead with seven minutes left, though Woodlock steamed forward to cancel it within 60 seconds. Egan closed the gap, but Richie Hogan restored Kilkenny's one-goal lead from 50 metres off his left hand.

Tipp had one last chance, a 25-metre free Egan stood up to in the depths of lost time. His shot was swallowed up amid the mass of black and amber bodies protecting Liam Tierney's goal. That was that. Tipp are entitled to find solace in their pride, which was immense. But they don't give out medals for pride.

KILKENNY
L Tierney; K Joyce, J Tennyson, S Cummins; P Hartley, J Dalton, D Fogarty; J Fitzpatrick (0-1), M Fennelly (c); TJ Reid, A Murphy (0-3), P Hogan (1-0); R Hogan (0-1), R Power (0-6, 0-4 frees), D McCormack Subs A Healy for McCormack, 52 mins
TIPPERARY G Kennedy; P Stapleton, A Byrne, C O'Brien; D Young (c), JB McCarthy, S Horan; J Woodlock (0-1), S Lillis; R O'Dwyer, N Teehan, D Sheppard; R Ruth (0-1), D Egan (05, frees), D O'Hanlon (0-2) Subs P Austin (02) for Sheppard, 27 mins; K Lanigan for Horan, half-time; D Hickey for Teehan, 37 mins; K Quinlan for Lillis, 50 mins

Referee B Gavin (Offaly)