for the second successive year in 2003, tipperary maneuvered through the qualifiers to set up a penultimate meeting with reigning all-ireland champions kilkenny. after an even first half, kilkenny gained the initiative through the first of their three goals in the 44th minute, and moved up to a different level. the twelve-point winning margin might have been greater had kilkenny not been denied so many times in the second half by the absolute brilliance of brendan cummins in what was arguably one of the best exhibitions of goalkeeping in more recent times.