Tipperary GAA Scene
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
The Allianz Hurling League is up and running with Tipperary, in ascendancy for the entire first half and early stages of the second, just coming up short in their opening Rionn 1 Group A game with Limerick, which the Treaty men won on a 2-14 to 0-18 result. To have an excellent attendance of 11,867 present on the last Saturday night in January was most welcome and shows the huge level of interest and rivalry between the sides.
Congratulations to three Tipperary players making their starting league debut, Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill) and Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), while Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore), Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs) and Jamie Moloney (Drom-Inch) all made their league debut off the bench.
It’s another Saturday night match this weekend, February 1st, as Tipperary travel to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to take on Cork in Round 2 at 7pm. With Cork also losing their opening game away to Waterford, there should be plenty of competitive action on display in what is always an intriguing contest.
There have been 63 previous meetings between Tipperary and Cork in the National Hurling League, going back to May 2nd, 1926, when Cork won at Cashel, in the first playing of the competition. The Rebels went on to win the inaugural title, but it is interesting to note that these great rivals have not met in a final since 1960, when Tipperary were victorious at the Cork Athletic Grounds, now Páirc Ui Chaoimh. The all-time league record shows Cork on 30 wins to Tipperary's 28, with 5 draws.
The last ten games resulted as follows -
2011 Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork 1-14 Tipperary 1-14
2012 Semple Stadium, Tipperary 1-23 Cork 1-23 (Group match)
2012 Semple Stadium, Cork 1-25 Tipperary 2-15 (Semi-final)
2013 Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork 0-26 Tipperary 1-11
2014 Semple Stadium, Tipperary 3-25 Cork 4-10 (Quarter final)
2015 Páirc Uí Rinn, Tipperary 2-28 Cork 4-21
2016 Semple Stadium, Tipperary 2-27 Cork 2-15
2017 Páirc Uí Rinn Cork 0-26 Tipperary 3-16
2018 Semple Stadium, Tipperary 1-24 Cork 1-21
2019 Pairc Uí Rinn, Tipperary 1-29 Cork 1-16
We send best wishes to the team and management this weekend as they go in search of their first win of the campaign. Tickets are available pre-purchase price for €15.00 (save €5 before midnight on Friday) or on match day for €20 and juveniles (U-16's) go free.
The referee will be James Owens (Loch Garman)
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
New Tipperary football manager David Power got his Allianz Football League debut off to a solid start as his side drew 0-10 apiece with Down in their Allianz Division 3 fixture in Clonmel Sportsfield last Sunday. It was the least his side deserved from an entertaining game held before a very appreciative attendance.
This weekend they take the road to Drogheda for the first of two successive away fixtures. On Sunday they will take on Louth in Round 2 in the Gaelic Grounds where throw-in will be at 2pm.
No strangers to each other in recent times, in a division 3 encounter in 2017, Louth came to Thurles and went home with both points following a 0-16 to 0-12 result. Both sides would meet again in Croke Park in the league final where Tipp stole the show to lift the title with a 3-19 to 0-19 result where Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen) with 2-5 and Liam Casey (Cahir) on 1-1 were Tipp's goal scorers. Then in 2018, in Semple Stadium in the Allianz Football League Division 2, Tipperary recorded a 2-17 to 0-9 victory over Louth in the last fixture between the sides. A blistering start from Tipperary laid the platform for the success including goals from Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) and Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials).
We send best wishes to the team as well on Sunday and adult tickets are €10, juveniles (U-16's) go free.
The referee will be John Hickey (Ceatharlach).
2020 FBD INSURANCE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The draws for the 2020 FBD Insurance County Championships for senior and intermediate hurling and football took place in Thurles Sarsfields Social Centre on Monday night last and were broadcast live on air by Tipp FM with Ronan Quirke, on his hugely popular ‘Extra Time’ programme.
With huge interest generated in the draw beforehand, the various championships will garner even greater attention once they get going later in the summer.
Best wishes to all clubs in this year’s FBD Insurance County Championships.
LADIES GAELIC FOOTBALL
The Tipperary Ladies Gaelic Football team earned a deserved draw in the Lidl Senior National Football League against Dublin in Ballyboden last Sunday as the game finished 1-7 to 0-10 with Aishling Moloney (Cahir) the Tipp goal scorer.
Their next game is against Cork in Ardfinnan this Sunday, February 2nd, with throw in at 1pm.
CAMOGIE
Best wishes to the Tipperary senior camogie team as they get their Littlewoods Ireland National League underway also on Sunday next when they line out against Limerick in LIT Gaelic Grounds and throw-in here is at 4pm.
POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Commiserations to Our Lady's Templemore who were defeated in the Dr. Harty Cup U19A Hurling semi-final by St. Flannans College last Saturday on a 0-18 to 1-13 score-line.
In the Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm U19B Hurling semi-finals last Saturday, Cashel defeated St. Augustines 4-16 to 3-16 and will now meet Doon in the final as they defeated Borrisokane CC 3-21 to 2-15. Commiserations to Borrisokane CC.
Best wishes to Abbey CBS in the Munster Corn Dhonncha Uí Nuanain U19B football final this Saturday, February 1st, in Kilmallock where they will take on Patrician Academy Mallow at 12:30pm.
REFEREES
Best wishes to Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan) as he will referee the Electric Ireland HE GAA Sigerson Cup Final this Wednesday night between IT Carlow and DCU Dóchas Éireann in DCU Sportsgrounds.
TIPPERARY GAA CLUBS DRAW
The February Tipperary GAA Clubs Draw will be held on Friday week February 7th, in Byrnes Tavern, Emly in conjunction with the presentation of the €5,000 second prize to Alan O’Brien Cullen from the January draw. Last month’s star prize winner Pat Stapleton was presented with his €15,000 cheque last Sunday at his home in Mantle Hill Golden. We extend our best wishes to Pat at this time.
TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB
The Tipperary Supporters Club 33rd Annual General Meeting will be held this Thursday, January 30th in the Anner Hotel, Thurles at 8pm and all are welcome.
ALL-IRELAND JUNIOR B HURLING
Commiserations to Drom & Inch as they lost out 1-19 to 1-16 to St. Vincent’s (Dublin) in the All-Ireland Junior B Hurling tournament held in Raheenagh, Co. Limerick.
ELECTRIC IRELAND FITZGIBBON & SIGERSON CUPS
The final league rounds in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup took place last week with a quick review as follows.
In Group A Round 3, University of Limerick saw off the challenge of Maynooth University to reach the knock-out stages on a 0-21 to 1-13 score line. Tipperary inside forward duo of Cain Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) with 0-9 (6f) and Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) 0-6 did most of the damage for UL. Tipperary was strongly represented on the UL panel with Barry Hogan (Kiladangan), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), Jack Shelly (Mullinahone), James Ryan (Clonoulty-Rossmore), Padraic Campion (Drom & Inch), Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) all starting along with Darcy and Morris, while Shane Neville (Lattin-Cullen) was a second half introduction. For MU, Conor Stakelum and Cathal Moloney (both Thurles Sarsfields) lined out with Stakelum again on the score sheet with 0-1.
DCU already through to the quarter-finals defeated Trinity College 4-25 to 1-11.
In Group B Round 3, Mary Immaculate College defeated Waterford IT 2-11 to 0-15 to set up a home tie against UL this week. Cathal Bourke (Clonoulty-Rossmore) was in top form scoring 0-6 (5f) for Mary I. He was joined in the side by Craig Morgan and Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs) and Eanna McBride and Andy Ormond (JK Brackens). For WIT, Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch) was again at full back while Michael Whelan (Carrick Davins) was introduced after 10 minutes.
Turning attention to Group C Round 3 where NUI Galway reached the quarter-finals courtesy of a 1-15 to 0-11 defeat of Cork IT. Shane Fletcher (Roscrea) was Tipperary’s sole representative for NUIG while the Clonoulty-Rossmore trio of Ronan Heffernan, Enda Heffernan and Michael Ryan were central to the Cork IT cause.
Finally in Group D Round 3 UCD made it through to the quarterfinals with a 4-19 to 2-18 win over GMIT. Rory Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) scored 1-1 from play at centre-forward for UCD, while his brother Michael lined out at centre-back. Niall Heffernan (Golden-Kilfeacle) was also introduced in the second half. For GMIT, John Cahalane (Nenagh Éire Óg) came on early in the second half.
Wednesday 29 January 2020 Quarter Finals –
MICL Grounds at 2pm - Mary Immaculate College Limerick v University of Limerick
Mardyke at 6pm - University College Cork v University College Dublin
Thursday 30 January 2020
Carlow I.T. at 6:30pm - IT Carlow v N.U.I. Galway
Dublin City University Sportsgrounds at 7:30pm - DCU Dóchas Éireann v Waterford Institute of Technology
The Sigerson Cup Final goes ahead this Wednesday, January 29th in DCU at 7:30pm and will see DCU take on IT Carlow, which, as mentioned above, will be refereed by Derek O’Mahony (Ardfinnan).
The semi-final results were as follows – DCU 1-15 UCD 0-3 and IT Carlow 2-9 Letterkenny IT 1-9.
Elsewhere, in Freshers A Football, Rian Quigley (Moyle Rovers) was in superb form scoring 2-5 (1f) for UCC as they defeated Cork IT 2-20 to 0-5 last week.
ALL-IRELAND SCÓR NA nÓG FINALS
This Saturday, February 1st, in the INEC Theatre in Gleneagles Hotel in Killarney, the All-Ireland Final of Scór na nÓg 2020 will take place. Tipperary won no less than 4 Munster titles in Ovens Co. Cork on January 5th and we will be proudly represented by these young people as they take to the stage on Saturday afternoon. Newcastle’s Rince Foirne – Clara, Emma, Ellie, Orlaith, Sarah, Niamh Amy and Abbie under the tutelage of Kathy McGrath will be first to take to the stage. Cailin Creamer our lady from Portroe will then take to the stage in the Amhránaíocht Aonair followed by Canice Ryan from Seán Treacy’s who will represent us in Aithriseoireacht or Recitation. After the break Borris-Ileigh will take part in the Nuachleas competition –Niamh, Harry, Nicole, Liam, Kaylyn, Conor, Emily and Daniel with Paula and Clare as mentors will present their drama to the audience with great hilarity. We know all the competitors and their mentors have been working very hard and wish them all the best on Saturday. We also have a considerable number of supporters travelling and thank you all for your support. Go neirí go geal le muintir Thiobraid Árann Tipperary Abú Scoth na n-Óg
Scór Sinsear agus Scór na bPáistí
The County Final of Scór Sinsear will take place in Newport on 7th March 2020 and the County Final of Scór na bPaistí will take place on 5th April 2020 so bígi ag cleachtadh agus bí ullamh, be prepared.
AWARD 1 FOOTBALL COURSE
Tipperary Coach Education will offer an Award 1 Football course aimed at youth and adult under 14 to senior level club coaches. Please note, this course is all online with registration only via links below.
How to Register - Please register here https://learning.gaa.ie/lms/ and upload your personal registration details on the learning portal and follow outline below. Closing date for registration is February 14th