After the All-Ireland final in 2009, Kilkenny had gone twenty-one championship games without a defeat and were chasing a record-breaking fifth successive All-Ireland triumph. Brian Cody's gamble on an injury-ravaged Henry Shefflin did not come off, and the Kilkenny ace was forced to retire injured after just twelve minutes. This compounded an already poor start, when Eoin Kelly had already swept over three frees before Lar Corbett pounced with his first goal in the tenth minute, his first of 3 that afternoon. Even Tipp goalkeeper Brendan Cummins got in on the act with a point from a massive free, and a further goal from Tipperary U21 ace Noel McGrath to add to Lars hat-trick, the first All-Ireland hat-trick in forty years, as Liam Sheedy's side produced a devastating attacking display to secure a 26th All-Ireland title for Tipperary and deny their old rivals Kilkenny a unique piece of GAA history.
