ALL-IRELAND UNDER-21 HURLING FINAL Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 0-15: A SUMMER of unrelenting stripeyness. Sunsets of amber and black. The year of the cat. It ended yesterday with the clean sweep of All-Irelands for Kilkenny who as a county stand alone now at the top of the game.

There was a 10-minute period at the start of yesterday's All-Ireland under-21 final when Tipperary, abetted by a decent breeze and the hopefulness of youth, looked as if they would place their boyish fingers in the dam and stop Kilkenny flooding the entire hurling summer.

That possibility was never fully extinguished in the hour of hurling which followed but in the end it wasn't to be. Kilkenny hurling is a hurricane this year. You stay or you get out of the way but you don't diminish the force.

For Tipp, it was perhaps too much to expect from a young side almost all of whom are eligible for the grade next year. They matched Kilkenny for a long while but soon felt the familiar force of Kilkenny's will just squeezing them out of the game.

Tipperary, despite have escaped the hangman's noose against Clare in the Munster final, brought some fine players to the party yesterday but Kilkenny, with the scalp of a Joe Canning-led Galway side already dangling from their belt, just have too much self- belief and too many good habits.

Most of this Kilkenny side were among those beaten by Dublin at minor level three years ago, a team which had to return to Kilkenny carrying the ignominy of not even having reached a Leinster final. The time since then has been devoted to getting it right.

Kilkenny yesterday had so many good habits and such a determined style of play that they were irresistible. The forwards, decorated by TJ Reid and Richie Hogan, both going through an ongoing audition process for senior stardom, followed their senior brethren's example and just went looking for goals whenever they needed them.

Two first half goals, both beautifully created and prosaically finished, were the width between the sides at the break yesterday and were enough to see Kilkenny home. Those goals as much as the margin they created seemed to drain the second half of much of its possibility.

The first goal went into Matt Ruth's account (as did the second) but it belonged in essence to Reid, who made a wonderful diagonal solo run in from the right wing before letting a short pass off at just the right moment. Ruth's task consisted of finishing from the edge of the square. That was the 13th minute and the sides were level at the time. Tipperary never got back on terms.

The second goal came 10 minutes later, good passing cutting through the Tipp defence before the ball was fumbled for Ruth again to force the ball into the net despite the vain efforts of Tipperary defenders on the line.

It was those goals and the work rate of their forwards which made the difference in the end. Kilkenny perhaps had less flair around the pitch than Tipp but played with a cohesiveness and confidence which was compelling.

Their sixth point was a perfect illustration of Kilkenny's work habits. Colin Fennelly with the familiar lope of his clan chased down a corner back and forced him to fluff his clearance. Matthew Ruth won it as it dropped and quickly saw John Mulhall who had made the run from the centre forward spot. Ruth hit a perfect lateral ball. Mulhall had the wisdom to know that a point was sufficient profit to extract.

Kilkenny duly got to the break with a six-point advantage, 2-7 to 0-7. Most of the hard work was done and if it was to Tipp's immense credit that they held their rivals to six points in the second half but their own inability to score goals proved costly.

Tipperary will particularly rue a moment in the second half when the ball broke loose invitingly in front of the Kilkenny goal. Séamus Callinan latched on to it but ended up hitting the ball tamely towards Colin McGrath in the Kilkenny goal.

There was three points between the sides at the time and to have pulled level then would have given Tipp serious momentum.

Another goal chance minutes before the end evaporated when Neal Prendergast tackled Patrick Maher from the right as he closed down on goal. Kilkenny duly went and closed down the game with two late points, one apiece from Reid and Richie Hogan, a fitting pair to add the grace notes.

And so Kilkenny secured their 11th title at the grade, putting them, inevitably perhaps, at the top of the roll of honour along with Cork. For three of the Kilkenny team, Reid, and the Hogan brothers, Richie and Paddy, this was a second medal in three years at this grade. Reid and Richie Hogan also won senior medals seven days ago.

KILKENNY: C McGrath; P Murphy, K Joyce, E O'Shea; L Ryan, P Hogan, N Prendergast; J Dowling (capt), N Walsh (0-1); C Fennelly, N Cleere, TJ Reid (0-2); M Ruth (2-2), J Mulhall (0-2), R Hogan (0-6, five frees). Subs: JJ Farrell for Cleere (35 mins), J Maher for Dowling (53 mins), M Bergin for Farrell (56 mins).

TIPPERARY: M Ryan; M Cahill, P Maher, K Maher; K Lanigan (0-1), T Stapleton, B Maher (0-1); G Ryan (0-3), S Hennessy (capt); P Maher, S Callinan (0-1), T McGrath; P Bourke (0-8, seven frees, one sl)M O'Meara, S Bourke (0-1). Subs: J O'Keeffe for K Lanigan (30 mins), D O'Hanlon for O'Meara (38 mins), P Ivors for S Bourke (47 mins), J Ryan for T McGrath (49).

Referee: J Owens(Wexford).