Allianz NHL- Four players see red as Tipperary get the better of Kilkenny

It was a dramatic afternoon in UPMC Nowlan Park as Kilkenny received three sending offs in their second home league defeat of the Allianz League against Tipperary.

David Blanchfield (Straight Red), Mikey Carey (Straight Red) and Jordan Molloy all received their marching orders in a 10 minute second half spell while the visitors also had Alan Tynan dismissed in an eventful afternoon for Dublin official Sean Stack.

The Blanchfield and Carey incidents were both for head high challenges while O'Loughlin Gaels player Jordan Molloy went off on a second bookable offence.

The three pronged sending off ended any chance of Kilkenny realistically getting something from the game but the writing may have already been on the wall after Tipperary opened up a six point half-time lead on the back of goals from Craig Morgan and Oisin O'Donoghue.

A Gearoid Dunne goaled effort kept the Cats in touch going into  the second half but Tipperary were still on top prior to Alan Tynan's red card for a head high challenge on Cian Kenny.

LISTEN: Kilkenny People Sport Podcast - Post-Match Reaction 

The floodgates then opened afterwards as Kilkenny were reduced to 12 players in double quick time and while they threatened to attempt a comeback with Mossy Keoghan again to the fore, the Premier county soon resumed their dominance as they won out on a 2-25 to 1-19 scoreline.

It was in both defence and attack that the Cats had an off-day as they only had two players score from play throughout the contest as they relied on a 13 point tally from TJ Reid.

The result means that Kilkenny are still not out of relegation trouble ahead of their final game against Limerick on St Patrick's weekend.

Teams and Scorers

Tipperary- Darragh McCarthy (0-12, 0-11fs); Oisin O'Donoghue, Craig Morgan (1-0 each); Sam O'Farrell (0-3); Ronan Maher, John McGrath, Noel McGrath (0-2 each); Bryan O'Mara, Joe Caesar, Alan Tynan, Willie Connors (0-1 each)

Kilkenny- TJ Reid (0-13, 0-11fs and 0-2 65's); Gearoid Dunne (1-1), Martin Keoghan (0-4), David Blanchfield (0-1, 0-1f)

Tipperary- Barry Hogan; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Bryan O'Mara; Sam O'Farrell, Ronan Maher, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Joe Caesar; Gearoid O'Connor, Jake Morris, Alan Tynan; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Oisin O'Donoghue.

Subs: Andrew Ormond for O'Donoghue, h-t; Dylan Walsh for J.McGrath, 52 mins; Willie Connors for Caesar, 57 mins; Noel McGrath for O'Connor, 64 mins; Seamus Kennedy for Morris, 71 mins.

Kilkenny- Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Padraic Moylan, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan; Peter McDonald, Jordan Molloy; Martin Keoghan, Cian Kenny, Billy Ryan; Billy Drennan, Gearoid Dunne, TJ Reid.

Subs: John Donnelly for Drennan, h-t; Shane Murphy for Walsh, h-t; Richie Reid for McDonald, h-t; Fionan Mackessy for Dunne, 58 mins; Zach Bay Hammond for Kenny, 66 mins.

Referee- Sean Stack (Dublin)

Hear post-match reaction on the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast: