the first meeting between the two teams occurred on 27 october 1887, when kilkenny hosted tipperary at urlingford. that all-ireland semi-final was played on a thursday afternoon, after both teams turned up at clonmel the previous sunday but were not allowed to play as other games were in progress and because the south tipperary board was in dispute with the central council. in the circumstances, the teams arranged to play on the following thursday in urlingford. tullaroan objected to some of the thurles players before the game started on the grounds that they were not from the parish. this was accepted but thurles had no difficulty getting replacements from among their supporters. there were plenty willing to take the place of those who could not play. it was reported that frank moloney "refereed with much difficulty".