There was heartbreak for Offaly as Tipperary stole the All-Ireland minor hurling final at the death in an instant classic at Nowlan Park.
The game was intense and frantic throughout and served as a fantastic advertisement for the game of hurling; compared to yesterday's drab All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Kilkenny, this was a colossal hit.
Offaly asserted themselves towards the end of the first half and went in six points in front at the break.
Tipp rallied as the second half began and looked to be mounting a comeback but Offaly realigned themselves with the momentum and fought off the Tipperary assault.
They were once again six points in front with just three minutes of normal time left but Tipperary didn't leave it there.
Jack O'Callaghan, Sam O'Farrell and Paddy McCormack all struck points for Tipp as time ticked down.
Screeney hit back with another score but Tipp weren't quitting and Darragh McCarthy and Aaron O'Halloran struck to make it a two point game with just seconds left.
Tipp were awarded a free in in the next phase of play and as it was floated in on top of the square, the fate of the game depended on the best swing of a hurl.
And the prevailing swing came from the fantastic Paddy McCormack who ghosted in from the left and batted a brilliant effort which nestled in the back of the net to the delight of all in blue and gold.
There was time for no more and as the final whistle blew, Offaly's heartbroken soldiers fell to their knees as Tipperary's rose to heights they couldn't have dreamed of just minutes beforehand.
It was a heartbreaking end to what had been looking like the perfect afternoon from an Offaly perspective; they had been the better team and played the better hurling, but one fateful swing of a hurley diverted the ball into the net and the Irish Press Cup to Tipperary.
Tipperary's hero McCormack was naturally elated afterwards as he praised the raucous crowd in attendance at Nowlan Park.
He said: “It wasn’t great all game [for me].
. “I missed a goal and I put a few wide, but I stuck in there and got a flick in the end, and thankfully it went in.
“We’ve done this all year. We have great heart and determination. There is a never-say-die attitude. We did it against Clare in the Munster final.
“We always stick in there, and it worked out for us thank god.
“It’s definitely the biggest crowd that I have ever player in front of, and the atmosphere was electric. When the goal went in at the end the crowd went crazy.
“It was the best feeling ever.”
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