Welcome along to Croke Park on this Saturday evening as we get set for round two between Kilkenny and Tipperary in the All-Ireland senior hurling final.

Here’s how Kilkenny will start:

1 Eoin Murphy Glenmore

2 Paul Murphy Danesfort
3 J J Delaney Fenians
4 Jackie Tyrrell James Stephens

5 Padraig Walsh Tullaroan
6 Kieran Joyce Rower Inistioge
7 Killian Buckley Dicksboro

8 Richie Hogan Danesfort
9 Conor Fogarty Erins Own

10 Michael Fennelly Ballyhale Shamrocks
11 Colin Fennelly Ballyhale Shamrocks
12 Eoin Larkin James Stephens

13 Richie Power Carrickshock
14 T J Reid Ballyhale Shamrocks
15 John Power Carrickshock

And here’s how Tipperary will line up:

1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)

2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)
3. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
4. Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh)

5. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh – Captain)
6. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
7. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)

8. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
9. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)

10. Gearóid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)

13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields).

So Tipperary are unchanged while Kilkenny make three changes as they bring in Padraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce and John Power for Joey Holden, Brian Hogan and Walter Walsh.

Here’s the Kilkenny subs:

David Herity, Brian Horgan, Joey Holden, Brian Kennedy, Lester Ryan, Tommy Walsh, Henry Shefflin, Aidan Fogarty, Walter Walsh, Mark Kelly and Jonjo Farrell.

And here’s the Tipperary subs:

Darragh Egan, Shane Bourke, Michael Cahill, Paul Curran, Jason Forde, Eoin Kelly, Denis Maher, Conor O’Brien, John O’Brien, Conor O’Mahony and Thomas Stapleton.

Offaly’s Brian Gavin is the referee here with James Owens and James McGrath the linesmen. Alan Kelly is the sideline official.

Spotted outside the Big Tree earlier on:

Pre match parade under way. Looks like there’s still plenty seats to be filled around the stadium.

Fans getting in the mood outside Croke Park earlier:

Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO

So call it, will we get a winner today and will it be Tipperary or Kilkenny?

Let’s do this, the players have set up and the ball is about to be thrown in.

Three early block downs by Kilkenny in quick succession.

Tipperary 0-1 Kilkenny 0-0
3 mins – There we have it, the first point of the day courtesy of Tipperary midfielder Shane McGrath.

Tipperary 0-2 Kilkenny 0-0
5 mins – Tipperary moving well. John O’Dwyer with neat stick work to play it across to Noel McGrath and he finishes with a deft touch off his left.

Tipperary 0-2 Kilkenny 0-1
8 mins – Kilkenny needed to get off the mark and a special score has done that. Richie Hogan on the mark,

Interesting to note Michael Fennelly at midfield today with Hogan at centre-forward.

Kilkenny 0-2 Tipperary 0-2
10 mins – All square now as Richie Hogan points.

Kilkenny 0-4 Tipperary 0-2
11 mins – Eoin Lark goes to hit off his right, but steps on to his right and clips over a lovely point. That sends Kilkenny ahead and their lead is quickly extended courtesy of TJ Reid as he converts a free following over carrying by Cathal Barrett.

Kilkenny 0-4 Tipperary 0-3
14 mins – Amazing point by John O’Dwyer as he grabbed a loose ball under the Cusack Stand and stuck in between the posts while under extreme pressure from the Kilkenny defence.

Tipperary 0-4 Kilkenny 0-4
16 mins – Now Seamus Callanan gets in on the scoring act as he nails a free from 50 yards following a foul by Padraig Walsh.

Kilkenny 0-5 Tipperary 0-4
17 mins – Good work by Michael Fennelly to make ground on the left flank and loft over a great point.

Goal chance for Tipperary as O’Dwyer releases Callanan and he races through only to be hooked at the death by JJ Delaney just as he was about to pull the trigger. Kilkenny clear to safety.

Bad miss by TJ Reid from a free for Kilkenny.

Kilkenny 0-6 Tipperary 0-4
21 mins – Great work by Colin Fennelly to win a free which TJ Reid converts.

Goal for Tipperary!

Tipperary 1-5 Kilkenny 0-6
28 mins – Huge boost for Tipperary as first of all Shane McGrath grabs his second point of the day and then they pounce for the first goal of the match. It’s created by Lar Corbett as he knifes through the heart of the Kilkenny rearguard and offloads to Seamus Callanan. The Drom-Inch man finishes neatly past the advancing Eoin Murphy.

Tipperary had missed a couple of goals chance before that strike but no mistake there from Callanan. What a boost for them.

Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO

Tipperary 1-5 Kilkenny 0-7
32 mins – A contrast in free taking there. At one end Callanan is off target, at the other end TJ Reid nails his chance. It’s a one point game again.

Tipperary 1-6 Kilkenny 0-7
33 mins – Callanan makes amends for that earlier miss by knocking over a free. Kieran Joyce was penalized for over carrying after great work rate by the Tipperary forwards.

Tipperary 1-6 Kilkenny 0-8
34 mins – Kilkenny display their intensity as Kieran Bergin’s attempted clearance is blocked down and Michael Fennelly strikes a point from the resultant breaking ball.

Tipperary 1-7 Kilkenny 0-8
35 mins – Really good marksmanship from both sides now. Noel McGrath weaves through to make space and taps the ball one handed out to Shane McGrath. He swivels and clips over his third point of the game.

Half-Time: Tipperary 1-7 Kilkenny 0-8

Narrow advantage for Tipperary at the break as they lead by a point. Here’s the first-half scorers:

Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 1-2 (0-2f), Shane McGrath 0-3, John O’Dwyer, Noel McGrath 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-3 (0-3f), Richie Hogan, Michael Fennelly 0-2 each, Eoin Larkin 0-1.

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Stat attack! Here’s the lowdown on that first-half.

Back under way here for the second-half.

Terrific save by Darren Gleeson to deny Colin Fennelly when a Kilkenny goal looked on the cards.

Tipperary 1-7 Kilkenny 0-9
37 mins – Kilkenny do raise a white flag though through a TJ Reid long-range free.

Kilkenny 0-11 Tipperary 1-7
39 mins – Kilkenny hit the front as TJ Reid nails a fee and Colin Fennelly swings over from play. They’ve started excellently in this second-half.

Kilkenny 0-12 Tipperary 1-7
41 mins – Kilkenny starting to move really well now. Colin Fennelly has emerged as their figurehead as he points again after being fed by a Cillian Buckley delivery.

Kilkenny 0-13 Tipperary 1-7
43 mins – Another TJ Reid free yields another point for Kilkenny.

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny 0-13 Tipperary 1-8
46 mins – Badly needed point for Tipperary from Noel McGrath.

Kilkenny 0-13 Tipperary 1-9
48 mins – Seamus Callanan on target with a free for Tipperary after excellent work by Noel McGrath to engineer the free. Tipp back in it as they only trail by a point.

Kilkenny 0-14 Tipperary 1-9
50 mins – Fantastic passage of Kilkenny defensive work as they halt Tipperary’s scoring attempts. Jackie Tyrrell clears the ball and John Power collects before turning to rifle over a lovely point.

Kilkenny 0-14 Tipperary 1-10
50 mins – Great Tipperary response courtesy of an excellent John O’Dwyer point.

Huge goal chance for Kilkenny as Richie Power releases his brother John but James Barry comes across to heroically block the shot.

Midway through the second-half, Kilkenny lead by a point. How is this going to conclude?

The huge roar going around the stadium is because 22. on the Kilkenny panel is getting set to come on. That is Mr Henry Shefflin, ladies and gentlemen.

Kilkenny 0-15 Tipperary 1-10
54 mins – Eoin Larkin on the mark as he stretches Kilkenny’s lead to two.

Michael Cahill getting ready to come on for Tipperary.

Sub: Cahill comes on for Tipperary for Shane McGrath.

Penalty to Tipperary as Bonner Maher is tripped!

The Kilkenny defence and fans aren’t happy with that decision. Who’s going to take it for Tipperary though?

Kilkenny 0-15 Tipperary 1-11
57 mins – Seamus Callanan takes it and is happy to tap over the point.

Sub: What a roar around Croke Park as Shefflin comes on for Kilkenny for Richie Hogan.

One point game again, real tension here now.

Goal for Kilkenny by Richie Power!

Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 1-11
59 mins – Is that the decisive moment in this All-Ireland final? Richie Power fields a sideline cut from TJ Reid, turns and lashes a low shot to the net past Darren Gleeson.

Shefflin gets on the ball on the right wing but is harassed by the Tipperary defence and concedes a sideline.

Ten minutes left for Tipperary to over turn this four point deficit.

Kilkenny 1-15 Tipperary 1-12
61 mins – Inspirational run forward from defence by Brendan Maher and he wins a free for Tipperary which Callanan duly converts

Goal for Kilkenny from John Power!

Kilkenny 2-15 Tipperary 1-12
63 mins – That could well be that. The ball pings around the goal mount and eventually springs into the air where John Power rises highest to bat to the net. Then Tipperary go downfield where Michael Cahill feeds Callanan but his shot is blocked on the line by Paul Murphy.

Subs: Changes for Tipp as Shane Bourke and Conor O’Mahony come in for Lar Corbett and Gearoid Ryan.

Kilkenny 2-15 Tipperary 1-13
65 mins – O’Dwyer slots a ’65 for Tipperary.

Kilkenny five points up and five minutes away from Cody and Shefflin celebrating a tenth All-Ireland senior hurling triumph.

Kilkenny 2-16 Tipperary 1-13
66 mins – Rousing point by Padraig Walsh as he tears up field for Kilkenny.

Subs: Kilkenny bring in Lester Ryan for Michael Fennelly, Tipperary replace Noel McGrath with Jason Forde.

Kilkenny 2-16 Tipperary 1-14
67 mins – Brendan Maher knocks over a point for Tipperary off his left.

Goal for Tipperary by Seamus Callanan!

Kilkenny 2-16 Tipperary 2-14
69 mins – Tipperary aren’t dead yet! Callanan whips to the net after Bonner Maher’s shot was half blocked with the ball deflecting towards Callanan.

Sub: John O’Brien on for Tipperary for John O’Dwyer.

Three minutes of injury time to be played as Jason Forde hits a shot high and wide for Tipperary when attempting to get a point.

John Power wide for Kilkenny with a point on.

One minute left, Kilkenny still lead by two.

Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 2-14
72 mins – Colin Fennelly points for Kilkenny.

That looks to be it.

Kilkenny are the champions!

Full-Time: Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 2-14

A gripping match ends with a three-point win for Kilkenny. The Cats just held on at the death as they withstood some ferocious Tipperary attacks.

That’s all from us this evening, thanks for joining in as Kilkenny were crowned the 2014 All-Ireland senior hurling champions.