Tipperary GAA Scene

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE

The Allianz hurling league swings back into action this weekend after its short recess with Tipperary playing host to high flying Wexford in Semple Stadium in Division 1A Round 3on Saturday evening next, February 17th at 7pm.

Last year both sides met in Nowlan Park in the semi-final with Tipperary scoring five goals on their way to victory. All that will count for nought as Tipperary look to secure a second home win of the league in what will be a busy three weeks ahead for Mick Ryan's men, with a trip to Nowlan Park to play Kilkenny next up followed by the visit of Cork to Thurles in the last league round.

A brief history of the Tipperary and Wexford rivalry will show that there has been 41 league meetings between the sides, with the Model county marginally ahead on 20 wins, while Tipperary have won on 18 occasions with 3 drawn.

Of the previous 13 games played in Thurles, Wexford again edge the scales on 6, Tipp have 5 wins with 2 draws, where interestingly enough 2011 was the last time the sides met in the league in Thurles.

The last ten league fixtures therefore resulted as follows; 19/4/1998 at Enniscorthy, Wexford 2-13 Tipperary 0-10, 21/3/1999 at Thurles, Tipperary 1-16 Wexford 1-8, 12/3/2000 at Enniscorthy, Tipperary 0-20 Wexford 1-15, 18/2/2001 at Thurles, Tipperary 1-16 Wexford 1-12, 18/3/2002 at Wexford Park, Wexford 3-13 Tipperary 1-10, 16/3/2003 at Nenagh, Tipperary 3-21 Wexford 1-11, 14/3/2004 at Wexford Park, Tipperary 4-18 Wexford 1-13, 13/3/2005 at Thurles, Wexford 2-19 Tipperary 2-15, 17/4/2011 at Thurles, Tipperary 0-17 Wexford 1-14 and finally last year 16/4/2017 at Nowlan Park, Tipperary 5-18 Wexford 1-19 (AHL semi-final).

Best wishes to the team and management this weekend as Semple Stadium holds centre stage once again. The referee on Saturday will be James McGrath (Westmeath)

Tickets are on sale at GAA.IE, selected SuperValu and Centra stores and usual outlets - adults €15 and U16's go free. Buy before match day and get 20% off adult tickets.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE

On what was a difficult afternoon the Tipperary footballers came away from Cusack Park with a valuable point following their 0-11 to 0-11 drawn match with Clare in round 3 of the Allianz Football League Division 2.

Sitting midway in the table the team have a free weekend coming up though some players will still be involved with Sigerson Cup duty. Next up on Saturday week, February 24th, is an evening fixture in Semple Stadium at 7pm as Tipperary welcome Meath for round 4.

Best wishes and a speedy recovery to Tipperary selector Shane Stapleton (Golden-Kilfeacle) who received medical attention pitch side and further observation in University Hospital Limerick following a fall in the course of the match on Sunday. Special thanks to the Tipperary and Clare backroom medical teams for attending to Shane so promptly and ensuring the best of care for him.

ALL IRELAND JUNIOR B HURLING

Best wishes to Thurles Sarsfields who will play Kilnadeema-Leitrim (Galway) in the All-Ireland Junior B hurling final on Sunday next February 18th in Raheenagh, Co. Limerick.

REFEREE

Best wishes to our referees in action this weekend where first up on Saturday, Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams) takes charge of the Dr. Harty Cup Final in Mallow GAA Complex between Ardscoil Ris and Midleton CBS at 1:30pm. Fergal has a bit of a breather before he is back in the middle on Sunday when Waterford and Kilkenny meet in Walsh Park in the Allianz Hurling League Roinn 1 at 2pm.

On Saturday in the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship semi-final Derek O'Mahoney (Ardfinnan) will rule proceedings when Corofin and Moorefield meet in Bord Na Mona O Connor Park at 2pm.

Later that evening in the Allianz Hurling League Roinn 1B, Johnny Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla) will watch over affairs when Limerick and Dublin meet in the Gaelic Grounds at 7pm.

GRADAIM AN UACHTARÁIN 2018

Congratulations to Séamus King (Cashel King Cormacs) on receiving a Gradaim an Uachtaráin 2018 award at a function in Croke Park last Friday night, in the company of his family and Cashel KC club colleagues as well as Tipperary county secretary Tim Floyd.

The citation for Seamus on the GAA website reads as follows; Seamus King is a name synonymous with GAA excellence. He was a renowned club administrator and was the chairman of his beloved Cashel King Cormac’s from 1985 to 1992 – a period which saw the Tipperary club enjoy magnificent success that included a county senior crown and a Munster club championship in 1991.

Off the field, Seamus King has given extraordinary service to the GAA in the work he has done producing historical books and record books that have preserved the heritage of our Games for future generations and is an exemplary figure in this regard. A former winner of the prestigious GAA MacNamee award in 1993 for his journalism, he now receives further recognition for his lifetime of service.

POST PRIMARY ACTION

Best wishes to Cashel CS as they prepare for the Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm (18.5 B) Hurling Final where they will meet CBS Mitchelstown in Clonmel Sportsfield this Saturday, February 17th at 12:30 pm.

Commiserations to Presentation Thurles who lost their All-Ireland PPS Senior A Camogie semi-final to Cross and Passion Ballycastle last Saturday on a score line of 4-10 to 3-4.

SCÓR NA nÓG

All roads lead to Sligo this weekend as the All-Ireland Final of Scór na nÓg takes place in the IT College. Best wishes to Loughmore-Castleiney who will represent us in Tráth na gCeist and to Newcastle who will represent us in Rince Foirne. We wish Kathy and Murt ádh mhór as they prepare our young finalists for the national stage. Go neirí libh.

LAOCHRA GAEL TG4

With the launch of the new series of Laochra Gael on TG4 came the news that Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields) will feature in one of the upcoming episodes. With two All-Ireland medals in his posession, the programme featuring the former Hurler of the Year will be one to be watched by all Tipperary supporters. The series commences on February 28th next on TG4.

FITZGIBBON CUP

In the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup DCU knocked out defending champions Mary I by two points 0-20 to 2-12. Though DCU have Liam Fahey (Rockwell Rovers) and Steven O'Brien (Ballina) in their ranks neither took part while Chris McCullagh (Moycarkey-Borris), Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs), James Mackey (Nenagh Éire Óg) and Pa Ryan (Newport) all lined out for Mary I.

IT Carlow including Mark Russel (Lattin-Cullen) (0-1) and Tommy Nolan (Drom & Inch) came from behind to defeat LIT in a gripping contest 1-19 to 0-18. LIT had a fine sprinkling of Tipperary talent which included Sean Ryan (Sean Treacys), Robert Byrnes (Portroe), Willie Connors (0-1), Darren Moran, and James Quigley (all Kiladangan). Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams) refereed the match.

DIT assisted by Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha) defeated fellow Dublin rivals UCD 0-19 to 0-17 to set up another capital derby as they progressed to meet DCU in the semi-final. John Joe Ryan (Clonakenny) and Rory Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) were on the defeated UCD side.

In the remaining quarter-final University of Limerick had a comprehensive 4-18 to 0-8 victory over UCC to well and truly cement their place in the other semi-final against IT Carlow. Jason Forde (Silvermines) scored 2-1 including a penalty for UL with Paul Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) scoring 0-2. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg) and David Gleeson (Ballinahinch) also featured for UL. While for UCC Michael Breen (Ballina) was the sole Tipperary representative on the day.

The semi-finals are as follows, Tuesday February 13th at WIT Sports Campus - University of Limerick v IT Carlow and at Parnell Park - Dublin Institute of Technology v DCU Dóchas Éireann with both games throwing in at 7pm. The final is fixed for Saturday week, February 24th at 3pm in Mallow GAA Complex.

SIGERSON CUP

In the Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup quarter finals last week, the fixtures with Tipperary interest resulted as follows; Ulster University defeated University of Limerick 4-6 to 0-11 with Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers) in the UL starting fifteen.

DIT with Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) on board travelled to Austin Stack Park to take on home side IT Tralee and came away with the spoils on a 3-17 to 1-7 score-line.

UCD with Charlie Manton (Fethard), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule) and Liam Casey (Cahir) (0-1) progressed to meet Ulster University with a 0-16 to 1-9 win over DCU who had Steven O'Brien (Ballina) (0-1) at midfield until he had to be withdrawn through injury.

Finally, NUI Galway had five points to spare over UCC at the Mardyke leading all the way in a 1-9 to 0-7 victory. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials) was in midfield for UCC. NUIG now meet DIT in the other semi-final.

A recap on the semi-final line up is as follows, Wednesday February 14th at Inniskeen - Ulster University v University College Dublin and in Portarlington - N.U.I. Galway v Dublin Institute of Technology both throwing in at 7pm. The final is fixed for this Saturday, February 17th at Santry Avenue with a 3:30pm start.

EQUIPMENT NIGHT

All schools have been emailed order forms for the Tipperary Cumann na mBunscol forthcoming equipment night. Please access the website http://cnmb.tipperary.gaa.ie/ if you need any further information. All other items of equipment ordered and paid for, must be collected in Scoil Ailbhe Primary School, Thurles, between 4.00pm and 7.00pm on Friday, March 23rd, 2018.

TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP 2018

Click here to join: http://www.tippsupportersclub.com/join/adult-members/

The Tipperary Supporters Club member’s gift in 2018 is a specially produced Tipperary Supporters Club cap, in the traditional blue and gold and featuring the Tipperary Supporters Club official logo.

Members will also receive:
· Membership card with which you can avail of a 10% discount in the Tipperary GAA Shop Lár na Páirce
· 2018 Car Sticker
· Text alerts with team announcements for all Tipperary Allianz Hurling League and championship matches
· Regular news to your email about all the latest in Tipperary GAA circles
· Paid up Tipperary Supporters Club members will be eligible to vote for the new official 2018 Tipperary Senior Hurler of the Year award at the end of 2018 season.

All proceeds from membership go directly towards the preparation and training of the Tipperary senior hurling team.

FRIENDS OF TIPPERARY FOOTBALL

If you would like to be entered into the draw for some fantastic prizes the Friends of Tipperary Football are now selling membership for 2018 and once again it is a very reasonable €20.

If you would like to join online you can do so at http://www.friendsoftipperaryfootball.com/join/ or contact any Friends of Tipperary Football committee member.