Tipperary GAA Scene
Tipperary GAA Scene
PRO Joe Bracken
ALLIANZ LEAGUES
This weekend sees the commencement of the Allianz Leagues with Tipperary in action on Saturday in the hurling league and on Sunday in the football league.
Starting then in Semple Stadium, which is the setting for the Allianz Hurling League Rionn 1 Group A fixture between Tipperary and Limerick, which throws in at 5:15pm, this Saturday, January 25th. It will no doubt bring a large attendance to the stadium as the Field of Legends plays host to the clash of the current All-Ireland and Allianz League champions.
Both counties have met on 62 occasions in the league with Tipperary ahead on 35 wins to Limerick’s 20 and 7 draws bringing up the balance.
A quick review of the last ten meetings ranges from 2003 up to 2019 as follows; 2003 in Semple Stadium - Tipperary 1-17 Limerick 1-8, 2004 in LIT Gaelic Grounds - Tipperary 2-21 Limerick 1-12, 2005 again in LIT Gaelic Grounds - Tipperary 4-14 Limerick 3-11, 2006 LIT Gaelic Grounds - Tipperary 2-15 Limerick 2-15,
2007 in MacDonagh Park Nenagh - Limerick 2-13 Tipp 0-16, 2008 in Semple Stadium - Tipperary 2-20 Limerick 2-9, 2009 in Semple Stadium - Tipperary 1-17 Limerick 1-11, 2010 LIT Gaelic Grounds - Tipperary 2-24 Limerick 0-8, 2018 in Semple Stadium - Tipperary 2-31 Limerick 1-31 (Semi-final after extra time) and 2019 in LIT Gaelic Grounds - Limerick 1-21 Tipperary 1-14.
Liam Sheedy and his management team will certainly be hoping for a huge Tipperary support to welcome his side back to competitive action and more importantly to get behind the panel and support them in their journey for the year ahead.
Saturday’s referee will be Patrick Murphy (Carlow).
Turning the attention to the Allianz Football league, the Tipperary footballers open their Allianz Division 3 campaign in Clonmel Sportsfield on Sunday next, January 26th at 2pm, when they go toe to toe with Down.
The last meeting between the sides in the league was on March 31st, 2018, when the deferred fixture took place due to snow on the original date. Tipperary signed off on their Division 2 league run that day, losing out by a single score 2-11 to 1-11.
With both sides eager to make progress and be in contention for promotion, Sunday’s game should be a hugely competitive encounter and we ask supporters to come out in great numbers in support of the team and to manager David Power and his management team in their first league game in charge..
Ahead of that game, David Power has announced his panel for the 2020 Allianz Football League.
Team Captain for 2020 is Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen) and Vice-Captain is Steven O’Brien (Ballina).
The referee for the match on Sunday will be Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).
We send best wishes to both our teams and request our supporters to come out in force behind the teams on Saturday and Sunday.
AIB CLUB HURLING ALL-IRELAND FINAL
Heroic all year through, Borris-Ileigh once again did themselves proud last Sunday in Croke Park, though unfortunately it was Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) who took the honours in winning the AIB Club Hurling All-Ireland Final by 0-18 to 0-15.
Tipperary people were ‘Borris’ people for the day and that tremendous support for the parish will live long in the memory of those who followed the action last Sunday. While we commiserate with Borris-Ileigh on the loss in the final, the success of the journey taken in their campaign, coupled with County and Munster victories, will far outshine the loss when the history of this wonderful excursion is written and retold.
ANDREW CORDEN CUP
Congratulations to the Tipperary U20 football panel and management who last weekend collected the first silverware of 2020 for the Premier County as they won the Andrew Corden Cup following a 1-12 to 0-13 defeat of Carlow. This represents a milestone achievement for Tom McGlinchey’s side, bearing in mind that the decision to bring forward the U20 championship this year was made relatively late in 2019. Captain, Darragh O’Leary (Ardfinnan) collected the cup from members of the Corden family.
Tipperary get their Munster Under-20 championship campaign up and running on Wednesday, February 19th, when Limerick will provide the opposition at LIT Gaelic Grounds.
POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Best wishes to Our Lady's in the semi-final of the Dr. Harty Cup U19A Hurling against St. Flannans College this Saturday, January 25th at 1pm, in Nenagh. Also, best wishes to Borrisokane Community College and Cashel CBS who are in opposite semi-finals in Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm U19B Hurling this Saturday. Borrisokane take on Doon in Newport at 12:30pm while Cashel take on St. Augustines also at 12:30pm in a venue yet to be confirmed.
Well done to Abbey CBS on reaching the Munster Corn Dhonncha Uí Nuanain U19B football final following their 2-8 to 0-11 defeat of Causeway (Kerry) last week.
Congratulations to Rockwell College on winning the County U15 Hurling Final last week. In the final the defeated Colaiste Mhuire Thurles 4-12 to 3-7.
REFEREES
Best wishes to our referees on duty this week. In the Electric Ireland HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Group B on Thursday, Peter Carroll (Burgess) will referee the game between Mary I and WIT. Then first into action this weekend is Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers) as he takes charge of the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship between Na Gaeil and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in Croke Park at 3:15pm.
Turning attention to the Allianz Leagues, Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan) will referee the Roinn 3 football fixture between Cork and Offaly on Saturday evening at 6pm. While at 7pm in the hurling league, Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams) will watch over the meeting of Laois and Wexford in Roinn 1 Group B.
Derek O’Mahoney was also on duty last weekend as he refereed the Sigerson Cup relegation final between IT Tralee and Athlone IT.
MUNSTER JUNIOR B HURLING
Congratulations to Drom & Inch as they defeated Garryspillane 2-23 to 2-17 in the Munster Junior B hurling final replay in Raheenagh, Co. Limerick last Saturday.
MUNSTER JUNIOR B FOOTBALL
Killenaule are through to the Munster Junior B Football Final following their 2-8 to 1-9 win over Grange (Cork) last Sunday.
In the final Killenaule will play either Banogue (Limerick) or Scartaglen (Kerry) with the final set for Sunday 2nd / 9th February TBC.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Congratulations to the large number of clubs in the county who have organised participation in Ireland Lights Up over the coming weeks. The event encourages people of all ages and mobility to come out and exercise once a week within their local community. For anyone attempting to get back to fitness the key is to start slowly as muscles and tendons don’t like to be suddenly overloaded, think long term and be realistic about the level of fitness you hope to achieve. Moderate exercise can be of huge benefit regardless of age to our physical and mental wellbeing.
January is ‘Walk Your Dog Month’. What can be better than taking your four-legged friend out for a stroll and enjoy the many walks and trails the county has to offer. Meet other dog walkers and enjoy the wellbeing this brings to you and your furry friend.
An important date for your diary is April 28th in the Horse & Jockey Hotel where Tipperary Health and Wellbeing Committee are hosting ‘The Tilda Roadshow’ which is being promoted by the GAA in association with Irish Life Health / Trinity College and delivered by Professor Rose Anne Kenny. This seminar will cover the secrets of positive and the GAA plans to hold the seminar in every county. More information to follow in the coming weeks.
ELECTRIC IRELAND FITZGIBBON & SIGERSON CUP
A short review of last week’s action in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon and Sigerson Cups is as follows;
In Group A Round 2 of the Fitzgibbon Cup, DCU defeated Maynooth University 1-20 to 1-12 to make it to the quarter-finals. Conor Stakleum (0-1) and Cathal Moloney (both Thurles Sarsfields) lined out for MU. In the other match in the group University of Limerick got their first win helped by two goals from Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) as they saw off the Trinity College challenge 3-21 to 0-13.
In Round 2 of Group B Round 2, Mary I won the local derby by defeating LIT 4-24 to 1-19. Tipperary players were to the fore for both sides with Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens) and Cathal Bourke (Clonoulty-Rossmore) both scoring 0-4, Eanna McBride 0-3 (JK Brackens) and Darragh Peters (0-1) (Kilruane MacDonaghs) all contributing to the Mary I score line. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs) was the other Tipp player on the starting team at full back for Mary I. For LIT, Billy Seymour (Kiladangan) was again his sides top score with 0-6 (3f), while close on his tail were Robert Byrne on 0-5 (incl. 1f, 1 s/l) and Ross Bonner (Cashel KC) with 1-1. Evan Fitzpatrick (Roscrea) was introduced at half time and ended up with 0-2 for his efforts. The other Tipp players to feature for LIT were Ronan Tucker (Burgess) in goal, Conor McCarthy (Nenagh Éire Óg) right corner back with Darren Moran (Kiladangan) beside him at full back. Rian Doody (Cappawhite) was at right half forward while Paul O’Heney (Emly) saw action late in the match.
Waterford IT had a 4-23 to 0-12 win over TU Dublin and will meet Mary I in the last round game on Thursday to decide who will have home advantage in the quarter-final. Michael Whelan (Carrick Davins) scored 0-1 from midfield for WIT where Tom Hayes (Moycarkey-Borris) lined out once again at right corner back with Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch) beside him at full back. Cian Flanagan (Newport) was the only Tipp representative for TU Dublin as he lined out at midfield.
A Cork derby in the Group C Round 2 fixture, saw UCC overcome CIT 0-22 to 0-15. Killian O’Dwyer (Killenaule) started for UCC while Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) and Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens) were both introduced off the bench with Kehoe on the score sheet with 0-1. The Clonoulty-Rossmore trio of Ronan Heffernan, Enda Heffernan and Michael Ryan all contributed well for CIT with Ryan scoring 0-2 of his sides tally.
Finally in Group D Round 2 last Friday, IT Carlow defeated GMIT 1-16 to 1-13.
In the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals last weekend, just two games were of interest from a Tipperary perspective. Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch) came off the bench in the second half to help his UCD side defeat St. Mary’s Belfast 2-10 to 2-6 to progress to the semi-final. Emmet scored 0-1 on his introduction.
In the other game of note Paudie Feehan (Killenaule) was in the starting XV for UCC who exited the competition following a 3-9 to 0-14 loss to IT Carlow.
The semi-final pairings this Wednesday are as follows – DCU v UCD and IT Carlow v Letterkenny IT.
TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB
The Tipperary Supporters Club 33rd Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday week, January 30th in the Anner Hotel, Thurles at 8pm and all are welcome