Kilkenny 3-17 Tipperary 1-14: KILKENNY ADVANCED to the All-Ireland minor final, ending Tipperary's hopes of a third successive title, with a nine-point semi-final win at Croke Park yesterday.

The Leinster champions were 2-6 to 0-8 up at half-time, with Walter Walsh scoring both goals. They roared away to lead by 11 points, 3-15 to 0-13, with 11 minutes remaining, with Martin Gaffney getting the third goal.

KILKENNY: E Murphy; D Healy, M Walsh, A Cuddihy; C Fogarty, R Doyle, M Moloney; C Kenny (0-3), J Gannon (0-1); J Brennan (0-8, four frees), W Walsh (2-1), R Hickey (0-1); M O'Dwyer, T Breen (0-2), M Gaffney (1-0). Subs: P McCarthy (0-1) for O'Dwyer (35 mins), C Maher for Fogarty (55 mins), D Purcell for Gaffney (59 mins).

TIPPERARY: B McCormack; L Butler, K O'Gorman, S O'Brien; L Burke, A Ryan, J Barry; P Acheson, J Gallagher; N McGrath (0-9, four frees, one 65), C Lorigan, P Murphy; J O'Neill (0-1), T Butler (0-2), K Shelley (0-1). Subs: R Gleeson (0-1) for Gallagher (27 mins), J O'Dwyer for O'Neill (half-time), M Sheedy for Lorigan (38 mins), K Morris (1-0) for Murphy (48 mins), D Kennedy for L Butler (60 mins).

Referee: A Kelly (Galway).