Doyle remained with the Tipperary under-21 team, combining the final season of his tenure in 1997 with the position of selector with the Tipperaty senior team. That year Tipp were narrowly defeated by Clare in the provincial decider. Clare subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland decider, however, due to the introduction of the "back-door" system Tipperary provided the opposition in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final. The game itself was one of the best of the decade. Clare were well on top for much of the game, however, Liam Cahill and Eugene O'Neill scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes. John Leahy missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide. At the full-time whistle Clare won by a single point by 0–20 to 2–13.