During Larkin's absence from the team Kilkenny won two more All-Ireland titles, however, he returned to the starting fifteen in 1971 as "the Cats" began their complete dominance of the provincial championship. A 6–16 to 3–16 defeat of Wexford gave Larkin his third Leinster medal. On 5 September 1971 Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland final, the first to be broadcast in colour by Telefís Éireann and the only eighty-minute meeting between the two sides. Kilkenny's ever-dependable goalkeeper, Ollie Walsh, had a nightmare of a game in which he conceded five goals, one of which passed through his legs, while that year's Hurler of the Year and Larkin's direct opponent, "Babs" Keating, played out the closing stages of the game in his bare feet. Eddie Keher set a new record by scoring 2–11, however, it wasn't enough as Tipperary emerged the victors on a score line of 5–17 to 5–14.