Premier hurlers and footballers set for season start

By Shane Brophy

The 2024 inter-county seasons will officially begin this week for the Tipperary footballers and hurlers as they face into their first competitive games of the campaign in the respective McGrath Cup (senior football) and the Coop Superstores Munster Hurling League.

MCGRATH CUP

Kerry v Tipperary

Austin Stack Park, Tralee

Wednesday, 3rd January

Throw-in @ 7.30pm

Referee: James Regan (Cork)

It is some baptism of fire for new Tipperary senior football manager Paul Kelly as his charges make the trip to Tralee this evening (Wednesday) to take on Kerry in the opening round of the McGrath Cup.

When the ball is thrown in it will be 211 days since Tipperary last lined out competitively in their Tailteann Cup group stage win over Waterford. It is very much a step into the unknown for Kildare native Kelly who succeeded David Power who stepped down after four years in charge.

It is hoped that a new voice in management will stem the downward spiral of Tipperary football who won just three games in 2023, all against Waterford, arguably the worst team in the country.

Tipperary failed to win a single game in the National League which resulted in relegation back to division 4 where there is no guarantee of an immediate promotion such is the losing run the premier are on. What would help in that respect is a promising McGrath Cup run, with a home game against Limerick following on January 13th.

The new Tipperary management team which includes Hugh Kenny, Adrian O’Brien, Michael O’Sullivan, Paul Fitzgerald, and Paddy O’Connor, will hope to generate some momentum in the coming weeks and while they were only appointed late, wasted little time in scouring the county for talent with a number of trials taking place.

A panel has not been confirmed as yet so we will get our first indication of who is in their plans with the players selected to face All-Ireland finalists Kerry who will also be keen to hit the ground running under manager Jack O’Connor.

COOP SUPERSTORES MUNSTER HURLING LEAGUE

Waterford v Tipperary

Fraher Field, Dungarvan

Sunday, 7th January

Throw-in @ 2.00pm

Referee: Simon Stokes (Cork)

Tipperary manager Liam Cahill has been very quiet in the aftermath of their 2023 season-ending defeat to Galway in the All-Ireland quarter final, so there will be a lot of eyes focused on his side when they begin their Munster Hurling League campaign against his former charges Waterford on Sunday

There’s no doubt that the manner of the championship defeats Waterford and Galway would have led to a lot of head-scratching as to why Tipperary were slow flat in games in the key portion of the season.

One argument is that the players were worked so hard early in the 2023 season due to their struggles the previous year, that they ran out of puff in the latter stages of the championship. While the championship ended in disappointing fashion, it glossed over the fact that when Tipp were at their best, they were as good as anyone, and indeed they were the only team in the championship that the all-conquering Limerick failed to beat.

So, from that place, a complete rebuild isn’t needed but Liam Cahill and his management have left no stone unturned since training began in late November in assessing players in challenge matches against Laois, Kerry, and SETU Waterford among others to add to a panel which is likely not to be much dissimilar from the one that finished the championship last year, apart from Seamus Callanan and Niall O’Meara who announced their retirements at the end of the last campaign.

Waterford/Tipperary games rarely need any added spice but the comments from Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald that he had a lot of work to pick things up in the Deise after the departure of Liam Cahill won’t have gone down well with the Ballingarry clubman.

Waterford got their Munster League campaign underway last night (Tuesday) away to Kerry and won 3-23 to 3-12, and their selection included Cillian Bonnar, son of former Tipperary manager Colm Bonnar, which will add another interesting aspect to proceedings if he lines out next Sunday against the county which father was removed from as manager after just one season in 2022.

Tipperary’s second Munster League game against Kerry takes place in Nenagh on Sunday, 14th January with a final scheduled for the following weekend if they qualify.