While Cummins had already captured an All-Ireland medal the best was yet to come for the Kilkenny team in the 1970s. 1971 saw Cummins capture a second provincial medal as Kilkenny began to assert their dominance over near rivals Wexford. The Leinster champions subsequently played Tipperary in the only eighty-minute final between these great rivals. The game has gone down in All-Ireland final folklore for a number of reasons. As the first All-Ireland final to be broadcast by RTÉ in colour, the nation saw Kilkenny's Eddie Keher score a remarkable 2 goals and 11 points and still end up on the losing side. The county'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, Michael 'Babs' Keating, played out the closing stages of the game in his bare feet. After a thrilling game Tipp emerged the victors on a score line of 5-17 to 5-14. In spite of this defeat Cummins’ brialliance at midfield was recognised when he was named on the inaugural All-Stars team.