Two monster injury-time frees from goalkeeper Eoin Murphy propelled Kilkenny to a thrilling 0-18 to 0-17 victory over Tipperary at Thurles.

The hosts had reeled off six unanswered points to lead by two coming up to the hour mark and Jason Forde’s pointed free on 68 minutes had them a point to the good again, looking on course for victory after a strong fightback.

However, Murphy came out of his goal and arrowed over a wonderful free from the right and then nailed a 74th-minute winner from the other side with the last puck of the game following an exchange between Noel McGrath and Richie Hogan.

Brian Cody’s charges led by the odd point from 17 at the end of a topsy-turvy first half where both sides performed only in patches.

The Cats led by three points to one inside seven minutes courtesy of three frees from Alan Murphy, whose midfield foil Padraig Walsh increased the gap before Billy Ryan ensured the visitors of a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage at the end of the first quarter, Seamus Callanan popping over an 18th-minute Tipp free, wing back Robert Byrne having opened the scoring in style.

Jason Forde (free) and Seamus Kennedy brought it back to a one-point game and an exceptional John O’Dwyer point on 22 minutes made it five points apiece.

Walter Walsh quickly restored Kilkenny’s lead and it was a three-point match again with ten minutes left in the first half after Murphy (free) and Padraig Walsh tacked on Cats scores.

Ger Malone cancelled out Niall O’Meara’s strike and the Premier County came back with points from Noel McGrath and Callanan (free), Michael Breen blazing a goal effort inches wide of the left post in between.

Kilkenny registered three poor wides at the tail-end of the first half but Murphy’s brace of frees trebled their advantage within five minutes of the restart.

Callanan smacked over a Tipp free in the seventh minute of the second half but Walter Walsh replied with a stunning individual effort and Murphy’s next free made it a four-point affair. Callanan’s strike from the left wing was one of the scores of the day and Tipp were level with 52 minutes played as Callanan (free) added to an excellent O’Dwyer brace, 0-13 each.

With 14 minutes left, O’Meara slotted the fifth successive Tipp point to push them in front and the outstanding O’Dwyer swept over an audacious point on the hour to double that lead. With five minutes left, Martin Keoghan brought an end to Tipp’s scoring streak and substitute Richie Leahy whipped over a sublime equaliser from a nigh on impossible position on the left sideline.

Forde (free) stroked over the lead point with two minutes of normal time remaining but, in the first of three added minutes, Cats custodian Murphy hammered over the leveller. McGrath brilliantly fired over from midfield but substitute Hogan replied within seconds.

The stage was set for Murphy to smack over the winner from the other wing to give this fantastic match a deserved denouement.

Kilkenny - E Murphy (0-2f); P Murphy, C Delaney, T Walsh; C Fogarty, P Deegan, J Cleere; P Walsh (0-2), A Murphy (0-7f); J Donnelly, W Walsh (0-2), G Malone (0-1); B Ryan (0-1), L Blanchfield, M Keoghan (0-1). Subs: R Leahy (0-1) for J Donnelly, J Maher for A Murphy, R Hogan (0-1) for G Malone, N Brassil for L Blanchfield.

Tipperary - P Maher; A Flynn, J Barry, R Maher; S Kennedy (0-1), Padraic Maher, R Byrne (0-1); N McGrath (0-2), W Connors; Patrick Maher, M Breen, John O’Dwyer (0-4); J Forde (0-2f), S Callanan (0-5, 4f), N O’Meara (0-2). Subs: J Morris for W Connors, Joe O’Dwyer for S Kennedy, J McGrath for Patrick Maher, G Browne for M Breen.

Referee - J Murphy.

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