Tipp return to the pitch after seven month hiatus
By Shane Brophy
2025 is upon us and the GAA inter-county season is set to get underway.
Training, both gym and collective, has been underway for some time now but from New Years Day challenge matches are permitted for the first time.
With the pre-season competitions such as the Munster League in hurling and McGrath Cup in football having been removed from the schedule this year, county managements will have to devise their own pre-season which has both its positives and negatives.
On the plus side, managements can set their own schedule of how many games they play, while also working around players that have third level competitions in the coming weeks.
There is also the flexibility to arrange challenge games at times that suit them rather than provincial bodies, which is what Tipperary are doing this Saturday evening when they take on All-Ireland champions Clare in St Sheelan’s Park, Templemore at 6.00pm, in their first competitive game since they lost to the Banner in the final round-robin game of the Munster Championship on May 26th last.
The proceeds of this game will be donated to Marys Meals, a global charity whose mission is to give every child one meal a day in a place of education which is the road out of poverty. Mary’s Meals feeds almost 2.5 million children in the poorest countries of the world. Entry fee is €10 by cash or card.
This challenge game will be used as serious preparation for the upcoming league with both managers fielding near full strength teams. The very competitive National Hurling League commences on January 26th away to Galway. Tipperary will also play Wexford, Limerick, Cork, Kilkenny, and Clare.
The flip side of no pre-season competition comes for the likes of the Tipperary senior footballers who would get access to games against Cork and Kerry in Munster but plying their trade in division 4, they wouldn’t be as appealing as challenge match opponents as they would have been in recent years.
Tipperary manager Liam Cahill and his management team have announced the following team and subs for the game:
1.Rhys Shelly – Moycarkey/Borris
2.Michael Corcoran – Silvermines
3.Eoghan Connolly – Cashel King Cormacs
4.Bryan O’Mara – Holycross/Ballycahill
5.Sam O’Farrell – Nenagh Eire Og
6.Ronan Maher – Thurles Sarsfields
7.Conor Stakelum – Thurles Sarsfields
8.Willie Connors – Kiladangan
9.Kieran Cummins – Moycarkey/Borris
10.Josh Keller – Nenagh Eire Og
11.Conor Martin – Cappawhite
12.Gearoid O’Connor – Moyne-Templetuohy
13.Andrew Ormond – JK Brackens
14.Billy Seymour – Kiladangan
15.Conor Bowe – Moyne-Templetuohy
Subs:
16.Barry Hogan – Kiladangan
17.Johnny Ryan – Arravale Rovers
18.Craig Morgan – Kilruane MacDonaghs
19.Michael Breen – Ballina
20.Darragh Stakelum – Thurles Sarsfields
21.Sean Kenneally – Moneygall
22.Sean Ryan – Templederry Kenyons
Notice to All supporters attending Charity Hurling challenge match between Tipperary and Clare in Templemore on 4th January @ 6pm. Parking in and around the grounds at Páirc Shíleáin E41FY84 will be restricted.
Parking will be available around the environs of the town and a number of additional areas
Templemore Mart E41NA46
Our Lady’s School E41EA48
Templemore Golf Club E41TN66
Please follow the Gardaí and stewards directions to various Parking areas.