In hard-hitting comments Daly said Tipp's performance was a big let down.

"Make no mistake about it, this was a big let-down. The second half was a no show from Tipp. Going into Nowlan Park is never easy but this was a chance for Tipp to finally make a statement after the serial beatings at the hands of their great rivals. And Tipp effectively rolled over. Again.

"There was no bite to their play. No anger. No statement. Kilkenny just wanted it more. Again. It was the same old stuff against Kilkenny, which must be absolutely sickening for the Tipp supporters. Like, now much more as a Tipperary player — or supporter — can you really take?

The former Clare captain went on to suggest there was "no ferocity or intent on the line either from Tipperary."

"There was almost an acceptance of defeat from Tipp all afternoon. Mick is never going to do a Liam Sheedy, and go shouldering Cody like he did in a league game almost 10 years ago in Thurles, but there was almost a passiveness to everything about Tipp yesterday.

"When you go into the lion’s den in Nowlan Park, you have to bare your claws in some way.

Daly went on: "Some of the decisions on the line too baffled me. After giving an exhibition last week against Limerick, and looking like he was really offering something new and different to Tipp at midfield, Ronan Maher was pushed back to centre-back. He was given a dossier with TJ Reid’s name on the front but that move certainly didn’t work out as Tipp had planned.

"TJ was man of the match but, it was surely even harder for Tipp to stomach when Padraic Maher was shifted out of his favourite No. 6 position to facilitate that move. What’s more, Padraic was given plenty of trouble all afternoon by Martin Keoghan."

Read Anthony Daly's full column here.

- Digital Desk