Loughmore aim to stop Sarsfields from regaining their perch
By Shane Brophy
If county titles are decided on tradition, Thurles Sarsfields should be winning another Tipperary senior hurling championship on Sunday.
The aristocrats of Tipperary hurling are going for their 37th title, however, their near neighbours in Loughmore/Castleiney will have a lot to say as they chase just their fourth title. However, all three of their previous successes have come since 1987 as the once football stronghold has become a powerhouse of Tipperary GAA in both codes.
There’s no doubting that Loughmore/Castleiney will garner much of the neutral support on Sunday, particularly after the agony of losing both senior hurling and football finals last year, so to get back to both finals within twelve months is an achievement in itself. Indeed, it is something manager Frankie McGrath remarked on following last Saturday’s come from behind senior football semi-final win over Moyle Rovers.
“The lads showed today exactly what’s in them,” he said.
“This time last year, we had a difficult period with the two county finals, and I suppose the whole country said how can Loughmore possibly come back from that, well we’re back and we’re back on the double.
“There’s a spirit there within the group, it’s not that we are better than anybody but there’s something special there within the group, it’s probably something that has been handed down through the generations.”
And it is that spirit that will carry them along way if they are to win the Dan Breen Cup on Sunday, as they will be underdogs against Thurles Sarsfields whose record against Loughmore/Castleiney is an impressive one, with no one in living memory able to remember when Loughmore last defeated Sarsfields in a match at Semple Stadium.
It promises to be a cracking weekend of county hurling finals with no more than four titles up for grabs. The O Riain Cup final between Templederry Kenyons and Killenaule is the curtain-raiser at Semple Stadium on Sunday, in what has the makings of a high-scoring game if the occasion doesn’t get to either team.
The senior final will be live on TG4 from 3.15pm while the O Riain Cup final will be live-streamed on the Tipperary GAA website from 1.00pm.
On Saturday, Moyne-Templetuohy and Kilsheelan/Kilcash clash for the intermediate title, while Holycross/Ballycahill and Skeheenarinky square off for the junior ‘A’ crown. Both those games, along with various junior ‘B’ and relegation games on Saturday and Sunday morning will come under a special GAA weekend package for spectators where for €25, you can attend any game on Saturday as well as Sunday’s senior finals at Semple Stadium. Packages can be bought at any of the Saturday matches or online.