Bowing out with their honour intact
In the week after Tipperary’s run in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship came to a crushing end at the hands of Mayo at the semi-final stage, they still “stole the show in 2020”.
By Shane Brophy
This is according to county board secretary Tim Floyd in his annual report to County Convention, which takes place next Tuesday, 15th December.
The Newport clubman said Tipperary’s Munster Final victory over Cork which bridged an 85-year gap for provincial glory “won the hearts of Tipp and non-Tipp people” such was their performance on the weekend of the centenary of Bloody Sunday, on which they wore the iconic green and white hooped jerseys worn by Tipperary on that fateful day. However, their dreams of progressing to an All-Ireland Final were dashed last Sunday with a crushing 5-20 to 3-13 defeat to Mayo but Floyd says the scope is there for Tipperary to kick on in 2021.
“We can build on this progress and the positive good feeling that has been generated should be carried forward into 2021 with the same effort and commitment.
Commercial appointment
On the same weekend Dublin handed out another crushing defeat, this time to Cavan in the other All-Ireland football semi-final, the debate over the financial benefits Dublin have was raised again and Floyd’s annual report revealed the appointment of former Managing Director of Tipp FM Liam O’Shea as a Commercial Advisor to Tipperary County Board.
The Kilruane native has been heavily involved with Tipperary GAA in recent years as a selector with the under 21 hurlers, and is currently the logistics manager of the senior hurlers.
O’Shea recently retired from his roles with Tipp FM & Clare FM, and Tipperary County Board have been quick to avail of his commercial skillset and business experience and in his role will be charged with establishing a commercial framework which would position Tipperary County Board to best establish a commercial revenue stream through the promotion of the Tipperary GAA brand. O’Shea will also liaise with Semple Stadium, the Commercial Board, Tipperary Supporters Club and the Friends of Tipperary Football to maximise their income generation potential.
A strange year
2020 is a year that many will want to forget but for Tipperary football, as well as the Kiladangan club who won their first county senior hurling title, it will be one that will be cherished and Tim Floyd said the pandemic has finally forced the GAA to accept that a split season is what is required to allow both the club and inter-county games to thrive.
He said is it one of his five wishes for 2021 that the split-season “becomes a reality”.
“We cannot return to the old ways as have experienced and tasted continuity at both inter-county and club level in 2020, player will want this to be the norm,” he said.
“The feedback generated from the 2020 Covid Championships at both inter-county and club level has been positively favourable from clubs, players, supporters and even the GPA and the CPA.”
Motions
Twelve motions have been submitted by clubs for debate at convention, all of which relate to the underage grade changes that are coming on stream in 2021. However, any decision on what grade, or grades, to play after under 17 won’t be made on the night.