PREMIER BOUNTY

Fans in ecstasy as Liam goes back to home of GAA | Team pays an emotional tribute to tragic ace Dillon

- BY PAT FLANAGAN and DEREK FOLEY

TIPPERARY fans were in blue and gold heaven last night after their side crushed Cork in one of the most thrilling All-Ireland hurling finals ever seen at Croke Park.

It was the triumph of hope over expectations as the underdogs came from behind to bring Liam MacCarthy back to where the GAA began being founded in Thurles in 1884.

Despite being massively outnumbered by Rebel yells, it was the Premier County's fans in fine voice at GAA HQ.

There were also emotional scenes as Tipperary captain Ronan Maher paid tribute to former player Dillon Quirke, who died aged just 24 during a club match in 2022.

Maher said: "We carried your spirit with us every step of the way. You were in the dressing room, you were on the field, you were in our hearts.

"And we hope we did you and your family proud today." Tipp manager Liam Cahill became visibly upset as his captain paid tribute to the late hurler.

While there were many complaints about a scarcity of tickets in the run-up to the match, Cork fans didn't have many problems acquiring them.

Huge tracts of Croker were a wall of red with just pockets of blue and gold in the stands.

NOISE However, as the second half progressed and Tipp racked up the scores it was those clad in blue and gold who were making all the noise.