This Saturday 25 October at 3pm in Borris-Ileigh, Kiladanagan and Holycross/Ballycahill go head-to-head in the 2025 Tipperary Junior A Championship final for the D P Walsh Cup.
Full preview, paths to the final, standout players, club records and power rankings below.
Match Day
The County Final of the 2025 Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship, the fight for the D P Walsh Cup — is set for this Saturday, 25 October 2025. The throw-in is at 3:00pm. Venue: Borris-Ileigh. Referee: Michael Kennedy.
The two finalists are Kiladangan (North division) and Holycross/Ballycahill (Mid division). Both clubs bring hunger, pride and strong campaigns to this decider.
Road to the Final
Holycross/Ballycahill
Holycross/Ballycahill booked their place in this final with a gripping semi-final win over Nenagh Éire Óg. The final score was 1-16 to 1-15 in favour of Holycross/Ballycahill. That narrow victory was sealed when Jack Dwan calmly converted a free in injury time.
Earlier in their Mid division campaign they retained the Mid Junior A crown by defeating Moycarkey Borris 1-18 to 1-15 in the Mid final at The Ragg. Trailing 1-8 to 0-06 at half-time, they came out strong in the second half; a “lucky” goal from Tony Leahy in the 47th minute swung the momentum. Jack Dwan chipped in with major scoring and late composure.
In the county knockout quarter-final they posted a scoring-flurry win of 5-25 to 2-16 over Cashel King Cormacs.
These results underline that Holycross/Ballycahill combine attacking fire-power with nerve in the closing stages of big games.
Kiladangan
Kiladangan’s route to the final has been built on consistency, defence and attacking efficiency. They claimed the North Junior A title by defeating Nenagh Éire Óg 1-17 to 2-10, signalling strong intent. Then in the county series they beat Cahir 0-21 to 0-17 in the quarter-final and overcame Moycarkey-Borris 1-17 to 1-12 in the semi-final. In that North title win, key scorers included Shane Gleeson (0-10 with 8 frees) and Darren Moran (1-00), with other contributors stepping in when required.
Their campaign reflects a strong blend of a steady defence, a reliable free-taker and forwards capable of big scores when it matters.
| Holycross-Ballycahill – Path to the Final (Mid & County) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Opponent | Result |
| Round 1 | Moycarkey-Borris | 2-27 to 1-18 |
| Round 2 | Boherlahan-Dualla | 0-20 to 0-17 |
| Round 3 | Upperchurch-Drombane | 1-20 to 1-17 |
| Mid Semi-Final | Thurles Sarsfields | 3-19 to 1-18 |
| Mid Final | Moycarkey-Borris | 1-18 to 1-15 |
| County Quarter-Final | Cashel King Cormacs | 5-25 to 2-16 |
| County Semi-Final | Nenagh Éire Óg | 1-16 to 1-15 |
| Kiladangan – Path to the Final (North & County) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Opponent | Result |
| Round 1 | Borris-Ileigh | 1-22 to 1-09 |
| Round 2 | Borris-Ileigh | 2-22 to 3-12 |
| Round 3 | Ballinahinch | Walkover (Ballinahinch conceded) |
| Round 4 | Nenagh Éire Óg | 2-11 to 1-20 |
| Round 5 | Roscrea | Walkover (Roscrea conceded) |
| Round 6 | Toomevara | 4-18 to 1-18 |
| North Semi-Final | Kilruane MacDonaghs | 1-25 to 1-16 |
| North Final | Nenagh Éire Óg | 1-17 to 2-10 |
| County Quarter-Final | Cahir | 0-21 to 0-17 |
| County Semi-Final | Moycarkey-Borris | 1-17 to 1-12 |
Players to Watch
Holycross/Ballycahill
- Jack Dwan: The free-taker who delivered the match-winning point in the semi-final and showed major scoring under pressure.
- Jamie Woods: Clinched the goal in the semi that swung momentum.
Kiladangan
- Shane Gleeson: A major scorer and free-taker; his tally in the North final underscores his value.
- Darren Moran: A leader on the field when goals are needed.
- DJ McGrath: Known for turning up at the business end of matches and making finishing contributions.
- Stephen Mulvihill: Defence-anchor who shuts down threats and provides composure.
- Matthew Cleary & Ronan Ducie: Rising players adding depth and impact.
- Johnny Horan: Reliable forward contributing scores and momentum.
Club Records in the Junior A Grade
Holycross/Ballycahill
The club has claimed the Tipperary County Junior A Hurling Championship on four occasions — years 1941, 1974, 1988 and 2010. Their last win in this grade was 2010, meaning they arrive into this final with historic success in the competition.
Kiladangan
Kiladangan’s recent Junior A success includes the county title in 2016, when they beat Ballybacon-Grange 1-18 to 1-16 after extra-time. That experience of winning high-pressure finals at Dan Breen level gives them a psychological edge heading into this one.
Power Rankings – Top 8 Clubs of 2025
Here is how the top eight contenders stack up, based on form, knockout results, squad strength and club history in the Junior A grade:
- Kiladangan – Top spot this year. Their consistency, defensive strength and scoring capacity make them favourites.
- Holycross/Ballycahill – Strong challengers with attack flair and late-game composure.
- Nenagh Éire Óg – A club with solid campaign and just short of the final, showing they are in the elite tier.
- Moycarkey-Borris – Semi-finalist with meaningful challenge this season.
- Clonmel Óg – South divisional champions and strong campaign, worthy of this ranking.
- Rockwell Rovers – West division champions, edged their final by narrow margin and showed resilience.
- Cahir – Quarter-finalist; competitive but slightly behind those above in this season’s form.
- Cashel King Cormacs – West finalists but earlier heavy county knockout defeat means they sit in this slot.
These rankings help explain just how significant the Final is and why the top two deserve their place.
Final Showdown – What to Expect
This County Final promises to deliver.
Attack vs Defence: Holycross/Ballycahill will look to unleash their forward line early, aiming to score goals and build momentum. Kiladangan will aim to stay structured, defend smartly and deliver steady scores through their free-taker and forwards.
Key moments: The match may turn on just one goal, one late free, one momentum swing. Holycross have shown they can win tight games, Kiladangan that they can handle pressure and deliver.
Prediction: On balance Kiladangan hold a slight edge thanks to their consistent campaign and prior title experience. However if Holycross/Ballycahill start quickly, convert early chances and sustain momentum, they stand a strong chance. Expect a close game decided by a goal or a late point.
| Metric | Kiladangan | Holycross-Ballycahill |
|---|---|---|
| Scored | 12-153 (189 pts) | 13-145 (184 pts) |
| Conceded | 10-114 (144 pts) | 7-116 (137 pts) |
| Average scored per game | 23.6 | 26.2 |
| Average conceded per game | 18.0 | 19.6 |
| Scoring difference | +45 total, +5.6 per game | +47 total, +6.7 per game |
| Goals scored | 12 | 13 |
| Goals conceded | 10 | 7 |
| Best defensive concession | 1-09 v Borris-Ileigh (Round 2 North Championship) | 0-17 v Boherlahan-Dualla (Round 2 Mid Championship) |
| Played/Won | 10/9 | 7/7 |
Kiladangan’s loss was to Nenagh in Round 4 of the North Championship 1-20 to 2-11,They were also given 2 walkovers by Ballinahinch in Round 3 and Roscrea in Round 5 of the North Championship,which we have included here as Wins.
Final Word
The 2025 Tipperary Junior A Championship has already given us drama, standout players and club pride. Now the final for the D P Walsh Cup brings the best of the grade together: Kiladangan vs Holycross/Ballycahill. Two clubs, two styles, one trophy.
Supporters of both sides will be there ready to roar their team on. Neutral fans of Tipperary hurling should not miss this one. Tune in or attend at 3pm this Saturday, 25 October at Borris-Ileigh.
⚖️ Prediction Breakdown
- Holycross will chase early goals, trying to open up space with fast delivery inside. Their attacking threat is higher, but if Kiladangan contain the supply line and force them to shoot from distance, their accuracy could dip.
- Kiladangan will likely dominate structured play and frees, grinding scores gradually. Their scoring spread and set-piece discipline should keep them in touch even if Holycross strike early.
- The difference could come down to Kiladangan’s control versus Holycross’s volatility — one team builds steady pressure, the other bursts in waves.
🟡🔵 Predicted Outcome
Kiladangan 1-23 (26 pts)
Holycross-Ballycahill 2-18 (24 pts)
Kiladangan to edge it narrowly by two points, using defensive structure and efficiency to absorb Holycross’s goal threat.