Tipperary GAA Scene

By Jonathan Cullen PRO

FBD Insurance County Championships

Newport played host to the Junior ‘B’ footballers of Kilruane MacDonaghs and Cappawhite last Sunday as both sides met to decide who would qualify to play Boherlahan-Dualla in the County Final. While it was the Cappawhite men who registered ten scores to their opponents seven, the West men still found themselves behind by the narrowest of margins on a full-time score of 2-5 to 0-10.

This Saturday will see the curtain come down on the Junior ‘B’ football championship when Boherlahan-Dualla and Kilruane MacDonaghs will meet in the final in Templederry at 2.00pm and tickets for the game are now available via the tickets section of the Tipperary GAA website.

Munster Club Championships

It was football all the way last weekend, with three Tipperary clubs in Munster semi-final action.

First out were the Thurles Sarsfields junior footballers who welcomed Kilmurry to Templetuohy on Saturday. This game was always going to be challenging for the Thurles men, but many felt that they still had a every chance of progressing to the final, ultimately it was the Cork side’s ability to convert the goal chances that was the difference as they emerged victorious on a full-time score of 2-11 to 0-12.

On Sunday, Tipperary intermediate champions Ballina travelled to Kilmallock to play Na Piarsaigh. This was a very low-scoring game with only the narrowest of margins between the sides for lengthy periods of the game which went all the way to extra time and just as it looked as if the Tipp men were going to claim victory, it was another Tipp man who drew the game level for Na Piarsaigh. With time just up in extra time, former Loughmore/Castleiney and Tipperary player Evan Sweeney put over a fine point to send the game to penalties and it was the Limerick side who proved to be more accurate from the spot as they won by 4 penalties to 2 and in the process ending Ballina’s hopes of progression in the competition.

At the same time in FBD Semple Stadium, Clonmel Commercials faced Limerick champions Newcastle West in their Munster senior championship semi-final.

Having disposed of Nemo Rangers in the quarter final, Commercials were fancied to progress, but the Limerick side had other ideas as they showed absolutely no fear of the men in green and yellow as they went on to win 1-16 to 1-11, after extra time.

Hard luck to all three Tipperary teams who to their credit represented the county very well and can be very proud of their achievements in 2022.

This Sunday, Tipperary’s Premier Intermediate hurling champions Roscrea will travel to Pairc Uí Rinn in Cork where they will play Limerick’s Monaleen in the Munster Intermediate hurling final at 1.00pm.

Having already accounted for Ballysaggart and Inniscarra in the previous rounds, Roscrea will be full of confidence as they head in to what should be a very exciting and close game. We wish the players and management the very best of luck as they aim to bring the Munster title back to Tipperary.

There are also two other Munster club championship finals taking place this weekend that will have a Tipperary involvement. Firstly, on Saturday the Munster club senior hurling final between Ballygunner and Ballyea takes place in FBD Semple Stadium and the man in charge of the whistle will be Newcastle’s Michael Kennedy.

The Munster club junior hurling final also takes place on Saturday in Mallow and again Tipperary will be represented by Silvermines clubman Conor Doyle who has been given the honour of refereeing the final. We wish both referees and their team of officials the very best of good luck in what will be big occasions for both of them.

Laochra Gael Awards

The Dome at FBD Semple Stadium was a hive of activity last Sunday as the annual Tipperary GAA Laochra Gael awards presentation took place.

The awards are presented to honour people over 70 years of age who have given significant service to the GAA in whatever capacity – player, official, groundsman, jersey-carrier, tea-maker, referee, umpire, etc. This was the first year since 2019 that the awards were presented because of the Covid pandemic.

In all, 26 people were honoured this year and they are: Dick Buckley - Killea, George Corcoran - Rosegreen, Dick Egan - CJ Kickhams Mullinahone, Sean Fogarty – Moyne-Templetuohy, Mary Godfrey – Fethard, John Harkin – Drom & Inch, Willie Hayden – Silvermines, Jack Hennessy – Emly, Eddie Hosty - Holycross/Ballycahill, Liz Howard – Burgess, Deirdre Lane - Lorrha Dorrha, Jimmy Looby - Rockwell Rovers, Billy McCarthy, Clonmel, Tess Moloney Moton – Roscrea, Roger Mounsey- Toomevara, Pakie Mullins – Clonmel, Micheal O’Connor - Fr. Sheehy’s, Tom O’Donoghue - Arravale Rovers, Laoise and Joseph O’Keeffe - Clonoulty/Rossmore, Patsy Tynan – Killenaule, Timmy Ryan - Clonmel Commercials, Margaret Ryan - Moycarkey/Borris, Kitty Savage – Ardfinnan, TF Stapleton - Borris-Ileigh, Tony Tierney – Nenagh and Eddie Webster – Loughmore-Castleiney.

Munster Senior Football Medal Presentation

With Covid 19 having scuppered previous arrangements, the 2020 Munster Senior Football championship winning Tipperary players will be honoured at a gala banquet and medal presentation which will take place in Hotel Minella, Clonmel on Friday December 23rd.

With many people not able to attend the 2020 Munster Final game or the very scaled down celebrations due to Covid restrictions, it is anticipated that there will be a high demand for tickets for this event which is sure to be a fantastic occasion. Tickets, €60, are now available to purchase from Lar Na bPairce, so if you would like to be part of this very special occasion contact the GAA office on 0504-22702 and purchase your tickets.

County Tipperary Primary School GAA Quiz

Ardcroney National School are County Primary Schools GAA Quiz champions following their win at The Dome, Semple Stadium last Sunday.

Bridging a gap of fourteen years, Ardcroney have been in the shake up for many years since and they finished joint first 58 points out of a possible 64 before getting over Scoil Ailbhe, Thurles in a play-off. Upperchurch NS came third with 57 points and Newport Bous NS finished fourth on 54.

St. Colmcille’s PS Templemore won fifth position on 51 points after winning a three-way play-off with Carrig NS Ballycommon, Nenagh CBS Primary and Ballytarsna NS. Twenty schools took part, five from each division and the remainder of the top ten was made up of Gaelscoil Cluain Meala, St Mary’s Clonmel and Kilruane NS.

2023 National Clubs Draw

Dozens of clubs have signed up for the GAA’s National Club Draw for 2023 which is on course to smash previous records.

The GAA’s National Finance department have confirmed that there has been a flurry of interest in the draw since tickets became available again for the next draw. The millions that have been raised for clubs since this draw was initiated have played a crucial role in driving the growth and development of the Association and they expect 2023 to be a bumper year for the draw.

The draw celebrates its tenth year in 2023 and to date has raised more than €14.5m and raised more than €1.2m in 2022. Tickets are €10 and all money raised by a club in ticket sales is retained by the club.

The 2023 National Club Draw (NCD) will take place on 15th March 2023. Tickets for the draw have now been distributed. A club can sell up to 2500 tickets. There is no financial cost to the club to get involved, all costs of tickets and prizes are covered by central council. In addition to retaining the proceeds for all tickets sold by the club, any club who sells a minimum of 200 tickets automatically goes into a draw to win €1,000. If your club requires additional tickets or were not included in the initial allocation, please contact nationalclubdraw@gaa.ie

The 2023 Main Draw prizes include a brand-new Dacia Duster Car and All -Ireland Final ticket packages. A draw will take place whereby 3 clubs will receive €5,000. • Another draw will take place whereby 1 club in each county will receive €1,000. • The club with the highest ticket sales in each province will receive €1,000 To qualify for these draws a club must abide by the following terms and conditions: 1. Sell a minimum of 200 tickets 2. Record all sold tickets on the online ticketing system. 3. Account for all funds raised through the draw separately in the club accounts 4. Adhere to all terms and conditions of the draw which are outlined on the back of the tickets.

Ceremony in Canada to mark the final resting place of Carrick-on-Suir’s JP Ryan

A ceremony has taken place in Cranbrook in Western Canada to mark the final resting place of one of the GAA’s founders, JP Ryan.

Former GAA President John Horan represented Croke Park at a ceremony where an ornate new grave and headstone was unveiled which marks Ryan’s historical significance to the GAA.

Joseph P Ryan was an athletics enthusiast and a friend of the GAA’s first president Maurice Davin and also hailed from Carrick-on-Suir. His friendship with Davin is thought to have been instrumental in Ryan, a solicitor based in Callan, being one of the seven men in the billiards room of Hayes Hotel in Thurles where the GAA was officially formed on November 1, 1884. Michael Cusack, John Wyse Power, John McKay, Thomas St George McCarthy and JK Bracken were the others present.

Ryan’s active involvement in the fledgling GAA in Ireland was brief as he emigrated not long after and eventually settled in Canada in Cranbrook in British Columbia where he became immersed in local life and was a journalist and a magistrate. A project spearheaded by Canada GAA and supported by the GAA’s History Committee led to the grave unveiling to mark the resting place of one of the Hayes Hotel Seven, with a hurling club based in Vancouver also commemorating Ryan’s GAA link. A delegation from across Canada GAA also attended the ceremony in Cranbrook where a lone piper led the cortege.

Tipperary GAA Scene

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