By Robert Cribbin
It’s Semi-Final time in the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championships and with Cork already through to the decider Kilkenny and Tipperary are set to present a feast of high –class entertainment in Croke Park this afternoon for a 4pm start. With Clare, last year’s winners, and Limerick, winners in 2020-21-22-23 out of contention, new champions will be crowned for the first time since 2019 (Tipperary) on July 20. Kilkenny, who last won the All-Ireland title in 2015, last reached the final in 2023, losing to Limerick. Tipperary last reached the final in 2019, which they won by beating Kilkenny. Kilkenny won the Leinster title this year, while Tipperary finished third in Munster before beating Laois and Galway to reach the All-Ireland Semi-Final. *Kilkenny are in the Semi-Final for a seventh successive year. They won in 2019 (v Limerick), 2022 and 2023 (both v Clare); they lost in 2020 (v Waterford), 2021 (v Cork), 2024 (v Clare). *Tipperary beat Kilkenny by 2-25 to 1-19 in the Allianz League in March. Kilkenny finished with twelve players, Tipperary with fourteen. *Kilkenny manager, Derek Lyng played in four championship games against Tipperary, winning three and losing one. They won in 2002 (All-Ireland Semi-Final), 2003 (All-Ireland Semi-Final), 2009 (All-Ireland Final). They lost the 2010 All-Ireland Final – Lyng came on as a sub. CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 KILKENNY Kilkenny 3-24 Galway 0-21 (Leinster SHC) Kilkenny 2-30 Antrim 2-12 (Leinster SHC) Kilkenny 4-25 Offaly 2-16 (Leinster SHC) Kilkenny 5-19 Dublin 3-21 (Leinster SHC) Wexford 2-19 Kilkenny 1-15 (Leinster SHC) Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-20 (Leinster Final) Won 5, Lost 1 TOP SCORERS TJ Reid 5-26 (0-22 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’) Martin Keoghan 6-8 Eoin Cody 2-18 (1-11 frees) Billy Ryan 2-13 Adrian Mullen 3-6 LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS 2019: Tipperary 3-25 Kilkenny 0-20 (All-Ireland Final) 2016: Tipperary 2-29 Kilkenny 2-20 (All-Ireland Final) 2014: Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 2-14 (All-Ireland Final Replay) 2014: Kilkenny 3-22 Tipperary 1-28 (All-Ireland Final) Draw 2013: Kilkenny 0-20 Tipperary 1-14 (All-Ireland Qualifiers) LAST FIVE ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS KILKENNY 2024: Clare 0-24 Kilkenny 2-16 2023: Kilkenny 1-25 Clare 1-22 2022: Kilkenny 2-26 Clare 0-20 2021: Cork 1-37 Kilkenny 1-32 (aet) 2020: Waterford 2-27 Kilkenny 2-23