Tipperary GAA Scene
By PRO Jonathan Cullen
Allianz Hurling & Football Leagues
The Tipperary senior hurlers made the trip to Mullingar last Sunday where they played Westmeath in the penultimate game of the Allianz Hurling League and ran out winners 4-27 to 0-16.
Attention now turns to the final round game which takes place in Walsh Park in Waterford next Sunday at 1.45pm. Tipperary will be approaching this game in the knowledge that a win will them topping the table in Division 1A. The game will be the last competitive outing for both sides so one would expect that both sets of players will be giving their all in an effort to stake a claim on a championship starting spot.
Our senior footballers are also in action next Sunday as they travel to Glennon Brothers Pearse Park to play Longford in the Division 3 relegation decider at 3.45pm. This is a very tricky assignment for David Powers charges as Longford will be a very formidable challenge on their own home soil. However, this bunch of players have shown in the past that no challenge is out of their reach, and they will be doing everything they can to come away with a victory.
Both games are scheduled to be shown live on the GAAGO platform as well as on Tipp FM, Tipperary GAA social media will also keep you up to date with all the action throughout the day.
Under 20 and Minor
The various Tipperary underage teams continue their preparations ahead of the commencement of both the Minor and Under 20 championships. The four management teams have been extremely busy as they steadily increase the intensity of each and every training session and challenge game, making sure that every player is given ample opportunity to show their wears and claim a spot on the various panels.
First into action will be the Tipperary Under 20 Footballers when they play Limerick in Semple Stadium on July 8th. Four days later on July 12th it will be the turn of the Under 20 Hurlers when they welcome Waterford to Semple Stadium. On July 14th it will be the turn of the Minor Hurlers as they travel to Limerick to take on Kerry and then on July 21st, Limerick will again be the venue when our Minor Footballers play the home side. The panels for the various teams are expected to be finalised in the coming weeks and they will be published at that point in time.
Club Championships and Leagues
This weekend will see a feast of club activity throughout the county as the various leagues get under way. In total there are 22 games scheduled to take place between Thursday 10th & Tuesday 15th June. There will also be action at divisional level with a number of leagues in both Senior and Junior taking place. A number of competitions which were unable to be completed in 2020 will also be on the agenda.
At underage level the various competitions from under 13 upwards have also commenced, so we wish all involved the very best of luck and we thank them for their ongoing commitment to the GAA. A full list of fixtures can be seen via the Fixtures and Results section of the Tipperary GAA Website.
The draws for the Tipperary County Championships are due to take place on Monday 21st June and has been the case for a number of years now, the draws will take place live on Tipp FM from 7.00pm.
Juvenile Return to Play
After a long layoff we are now back playing juvenile games. We would remind people this pandemic is not gone away so please follow all COVID guidelines when you are attending games or training, practice; socially distance while watching training/matches and please wear masks at least entering and leaving pitches. It is important to remain vigilant to ensure our boys and girls can continue to play games.
Our U11 program of Hurling and Football is run by each division under guidelines set down by County Coiste na nOg. These games which are non-competitive will be refereed by young whistlers. Please ensure these young whistlers are protected from any form of abuse from the sideline and we expect any such bad behaviour will be reported to the divisional chairperson who will deal with it. There will be serious consequences for individuals and clubs if any such behaviour occurs. Please remember you are dealing with very young boys and girls playing at this age and all we want them to do is enjoy their Hurling and Football.
Referee Recruitment
With restrictions now lifting, an online Foundation Course for new referees will be becoming available very soon. Details on how this course will be delivered will be communicated in due course in line with Covid and GAA guidelines.
Owing to a shortage of referees, we would urge you to make a special effort within your club to try and encourage someone suitable to undergo the course. Clubs are being encouraged to get the word out through meetings/newspapers/media platforms etc that you are actively looking for a referee from your club.
In Tipperary, we have clubs who currently do not have any qualified referee for adult/juvenile games. In fact, in the complete county of Tipperary, 20% of our clubs do not have an active referee in their set up. This means that the workload on the current pool of referees is very high and getting to the point where it is becoming unmanageable. We are asking for all clubs to provide at least one attendee for the course.
Course module content as follows: 1 - First stage will be online workshops, 2 - Second stage will consist of in person training workshops.
If you or someone in your club is interested in becoming a referee. You are asked to make contact with your divisional referee’s coordinator through your club secretary.
Tipperary Clubs Draw
The eighth draw of the 2020-2021 clubs draw took place last Friday in Lar Na Pairce. The first prize of a car or €15,000 went to the Upperchurch-Drombane club and their member Declan Boland. Congratulations to all the 32 winners whose names were drawn on the night. The next draw will take place on Friday 25th June and as usual it will be broadcast live on Tipp FM from 8.30pm.
Moyne-Templetuohy GAA Drive-in Bingo
Thursday 10th June sees the launch of a Drive-in Bingo by Moyne-Templetuohy GAA Club. The event will be held in their grounds in Templetuohy. Prizes of up to €2,800 for the bingo games whilst someone could also walk away with our Draw the Joker jackpot which stands at €2,700-so potential winnings of €5,500 on the night!
The bingo itself will begin at 8.00pm. Bingo books from €5 half books for the kids, €10 single books, €20 double books and jackpot sheets will all be available. Attendees can buy their bingo books on the way in from the comfort of their car and stewards will guide them to their parking spot. The bingo game will be broadcast on speakers but will also be on a tuned station on your car radio in case windy conditions hampers the amplification.
The club’s Joker tickets which are available to buy locally and on the night are sure to be a big hit too with the draw taking place during the bingo. The club, which has always been a stronghold for bingo, hopes for a big attendance from neighbouring parishes also so please support.
GAA National Inclusive Fitness Day 2021
On 23rd September 2021, the GAA invites all clubs to open their doors to the wider community and support GAA National Inclusion Fitness Day.
The event falls during the European week of sport (23rd – 30th of September) and aims to promote sport, physical and healthy lifestyle activity to everyone regardless of age, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, nationality or fitness level.
Inclusion means people having a sense of belonging, of being comfortable in being part of something they value. Diversity means being aware of, accommodating, and celebrating differences.
A simple 6 Steps process, including access to all necessary resources, has been developed for clubs interested in participating in the GAA’s National Inclusive Fitness Day, a process that will also support their journey in becoming a more inclusive club
For more information contact geraldine.mctavish@gaa.ie
Health & Wellbeing
Ballina Health & Wellbeing, as part of their community outreach initiative, are supporting the Irish Dementia Café Network who have announced that Nenagh, Ballina/Killaloe are about to become the newest locations for Clare and Tipperary.
A dementia café is a monthly meeting that provides support for people who are living with dementia and their families. In order to promote this worthwhile initiative, there will be a free virtual information session on Monday 14th June at 7.00pm with keynote speaker Sinead Grennan of Irish Dementia Café Network.
This information session will give information on the upcoming dementia cafes in your area, where and when they will take place, be it virtually, or when allowed in a face to face setting.
The number of people being diagnosed with dementia is increasing annually and those affected can find it hard to access information and the supports associated with living with dementia.
The cafes aim to provide a space to facilitate this led by a team of volunteers that have experience and interest in supporting people living with dementia and their families. The county committee are encouraging all clubs to promote this event in their club and community.
Tipperary GAA Scene
If there is anything you feel should feature in this column going forward, please feel free to forward it to pro.tipperary@gaa.ie