Kilkenny manager Brian Cody says playing Tipperary with 14 men was a bridge too far.
The Cats were dealt a massive blow four minutes from half-time yesterday after a straight red card for Richie Hogan changed the complexion of the game.
Tipperary ran out winners on a 3-25 to 0-20 scoreline to secure their 28th All-Ireland senior hurling title.
The result was Kilkenny’s heaviest defeat in a final since 1964.
A Decisive Factor
“It was a decisive factor, there’s no doubt about that, the first half obviously was very, very even”, said Cody post-match.
“They (Tipperary) played really well, I felt, their goal was important from the point of view of the score at half-time and that they came back, it brought them very, very close again”.
“I thought our hurling was very, very good and the sending off was going to make it a huge ask obviously.”
“The general opinion was, for us to take them on 15-on-15 was going to be very difficult but to try and take them on with 14 players proved to be a bridge too far definitely and that’s how it turned out”.
