Tipperary GAA Scene

by PRO Joe Bracken

ALL-IRELAND SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

A significant weekend lies in store for Tipperary football as the senior panel head to Croke Park for their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Mayo, on Sunday next December 6th. Once more for a side which has enormous belief in their own faith and ability, destiny awaits.

There will be no crowd present to shout on the men in blue and gold as they run onto the field of battle. It hasn't hampered them yet and Sunday will be no different as the mind's focus will be on greater things, the lowering hopefully of the Mayo banner. It won't be easy either, but Tipperary has the artillery to scupper the red and green threat and make it to the promised land. That, however, will be for another day, one battle at a time is what it takes and if David Power's men approach it with the same conviction as in the Munster Final, anything and everything is possible.

This will be the sixth championship meeting between Tipperary and Mayo with the men from the west in front three to two from their five previous encounters.

Tipperary first beat Mayo in the semi-final of the 1918 championship which actually took place in the middle of January 1919 on a score-line of 2-2 to 1-4. The next instalment was also in the All-Ireland semi-final of 1922, when in June of that year Tipperary were victorious once more on a score-line of 1-5 to 1-0. Then there was a lull, and a quite long one at that, until July 28th, 2002, when Tipperary, after losing to Cork in the Munster Final replay seven days earlier, lined out to meet Mayo in Cusack Park, Ennis. In this round 4 qualifier Mayo took the spoils having encountered a stiff Tipperary challenge by 0-21 to 1-14. Mayo would later lose to Cork in the quarter-final.

The last time both sides met in the All-Ireland football championship semi-final was on August 21, 2016 in Tipperary's memorable championship run, where they lit up the campaign with their free flowing attacking brand of football. Mayo were pushed all the way by Tipperary that day as the Tipp lads fought gallantly before going down 2-13 to 0-14 in that Croke Park encounter.

The last championship meeting was in Round 2 of the All-Ireland football championship on Saturday 23 June 2018 in Semple Stadium, where another superb display by Tipperary was not enough to see them through to Round 3. On that occasion Mayo found an extra gear, spurred on by a fortuitous goal, to take the honours on a 1-19 to 1-11 score-line.

Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials) was the Tipperary goal scorer that day and also produced the score of the game when kicking a point into the town end goal after an outstanding display of skill.

Which leads us up nicely to the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park on Sunday next, as Tipperary look to continue another excellent championship run, coming on the back of two league victories since the return to play, after the earlier break in activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

Unfortunately, there will be none of the 53,212 present, which were in attendance in 2016 when Tipperary supporters got behind the side in tremendous numbers. Instead those same spectators and more will have to watch and listen from the comforts of their own homes as they get behind the lads again this weekend.

We send best wishes to the team and management ahead of this really important semi-final on Sunday where the referee will be David Gough (Meath) and throw-in is at 3.30pm.

CAMOGIE

Commiserations to the Tipperary senior camogie team which lost out to Galway last Saturday in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland senior championship semi-final, on a score-line of 1-11 to 0-8.

FIFTH TIPPERARY GAA CLUBS DRAW

The next GAA Draw will be held on Friday week, December 11th in Lar na Páirce, Thurles live on Tipp FM from 8:30pm.

MUNSTER GAA MATCH PROGRAMMES

After a memorable season of Munster Championship action in the months of October and November, printed match programmes from each of the 9 Munster Senior Hurling and Football Championship games can be purchased directly from Munster GAA. The 32-page commemorative edition of the Munster Football Final is particularly popular as a collector’s item given Tipperary’s memorable victory against Cork. All programmes cost €6 each (which includes postage) and can be ordered via the Munster GAA web site at www.munster.gaa.ie Alternatively, send a cheque or postal order for the amount in question made payable to Munster GAA and send to Munster GAA Communications Department, Newcastle, Castletroy, Limerick City, V94 NW83.

THE BALLAD OF MICHAEL HOGAN

To commemorate the centenary of Bloody Sunday, The Ballad of Michael Hogan, a song written back in 2007 by Seamus Doran was recently released on video by Seamus accompanied by singer Tadhg Maher.

Back in July, the Rebel Hearts band released their version of another older ballad of the same name and both videos can be viewed on YouTube and Facebook.

TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB

Tipperary Supporters Club Membership for 2021 is now available.

Membership is €40 per person. The supporters club are encouraging members to switch to direct debit payment by offering a €10 discount on the regular 2021 price to any member who pays via direct debit for the first time in 2021.

To join for 2021 log onto https://www.tippsupportersclub.com/join/

Tipperary Supporters Club are happy to announce that the membership gift for 2021 is a reusable three fold double layer safety face mask and it features the official Tipperary Supporters Club logo.

Membership also includes;

• 2021 Car Sticker

• Text alerts for all League and Championship team news

• 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 official 2021 Tipperary Senior Hurler of the Year award at the end of 2021 season.

Members will also be entered into:

• A draw for five sets of stand tickets for all Tipperary games in the Munster and All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

• In the event of Tipperary Senior Hurlers reaching the All-Ireland Final, one of the ticket winners will receive an additional bonus of 2 night’s accommodation for 2 people in the Four Star Louis Fitzgerald Hotel.

Supporters can join on line now on https://www.tippsupportersclub.com/join/ by credit card or debit/laser card. You can also pay by credit card over the phone by calling 086 3580718. Membership is €40 per person. Also on the website details are available of the direct debit facility; as the club is run on a completely voluntary basis it would be a great help if members could join by direct debit. As mentioned the TSC are encouraging members to switch to direct debit payment by offering a reduced charge of €30 for all new first time direct debit members in 2021. It’s easy to sign up for direct debit, just download the form on the TSC website, fill it out and send it to Jim Reidy.

Alternatively, if joining by post please send a cheque or postal order for €40 payable to Tipperary Supporters Club to Jim Reidy, 13 Castleknock Close, Dublin 15 (086 3580718), email: info@tippsupportersclub.com

Membership is also available in the following premises.

• Tipperary GAA Office at Lár Na Páirce, Thurles

• Elverys Tipperary GAA Shop in Thurles Shopping Centre

• Elverys Store, Pearse St., Nenagh

• Elverys Store, O’Connell St., Clonmel

• Moynihan’s Pub, Gladstone Street, Clonmel

• O’Donoghue’s, Pub, Main St, Cashel

• Carroll's Pub, Castle St., Roscrea

• Jackie Shanahan, Roscrea, 087 2626947