Tipperary GAA Scene
By Jonathan Cullen PRO
All Ireland Hurling Championship
Our senior hurlers year came to a disappointing end in the TUS Gaelic Grounds last Saturday as they went down to Galway in the All-Ireland quarter final, 1-20 to 1-18.
It was not the ending that we all hoped for to the year, but that is sport and as they say, there can only be one winner and there has to be a loser. That said there will be no one more disappointed by last weekend’s result than the players who will know that they just did not perform to the level they know that they can and indeed they have already this year.
We thank the players for the effort that they all put in since the beginning of the year and we now look forward to watching them all playing with their respective clubs in the upcoming divisional and county championships. We also acknowledge and thank the team management and backroom team for all they have done with the group of players in 2023 and again we look forward to what the future may hold.
Tipperary GAA Cúl Camp Launch 2023
Tipperary GAA formally launched our ‘Tipperary GAA Kellogg’s Cúl Camp’ Program for Summer 2023 in Scoil San Isadóir, Boherlahan last week.
A very excited group of children also got to cast their eye over five prospective Camp kits for Summer 2024, along with each child getting to vote as to their preferred choice. Sean Gannon, National Cúl Camp coordinator, who was in attendance, will bring the Boherlahan children’s votes, representing Tipperary, back to Croke Park for deliberation, along with data from other selected counties across Ireland before the final selection is made later this year.
Joe Kennedy - County Chairperson, Kevin Halley - County Games Manager and Denis O’Mahoney - Mid Tipperary GDA were on hand along with over 120 children and staff at the Boherlahan school to formally launch the program of Camps, starting on Monday July 3rd and running through to Friday August 18th.
Sixty Camps will run in Tipperary over a six-week window, 140 trained coaches will be in circulation, servicing the needs of all clubs, to make the Tipperary GAA Kellogg’s Cúl Camp program the camp to be in this summer.
A special word of thanks to Catherine Cleary Principal, and all the staff and children for accommodating our official Tipperary Cúl Camp launch. A full list of camps and booking detail is available at https://www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie
Up to €25,000 up for grabs through Cúl Camp on pack competition
Following feedback from previous winners, the prize funds provide GAA clubs with an incredible opportunity to claim great prizes through a very simple mechanic. All that is required is to simply purchase a promotional box of Kellogg’s Coco Pops, Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies. Using the unique on-pack code, found inside the box, log on to kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie/ competition and nominate a club of your choice. Cash prizes of €25,000, €10,000, and €5,000 are available to win. Visit www.kelloggsculcamps/gaa.ie for further booking information.
Last year, Mountbellew/Moylough in Galway claimed first prize in the 2022 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps on-pack promotion, winning a game-changing €25,000 for the club.
New Hurley Regulations
New regulations have been passed by the GAA regarding the permitted shape of the bas in hurling. However, this will not lead to a general order to get rid of hurleys that are currently being used.
Instead, Pat Daly of the Hurley and Sliotar Regulation Work Group, says that the regulations will be implemented over the coming years in line with new licensees in hurley manufacture and so there is no need for hurlers to panic.
Previous generations of hurlers would on occasion have had the shape of their hurl measured against a special implement to ensure that the bas was not too big. The new dimensions passed for the shape of a bas last month have been driven by an acknowledgement that the dimensions in the rule book had not been enforced and that modern hurls (or hurleys depending on your county) were operating outside of regulation and that the rule book needed to reflect this.
This prompted speculation as to how this would be enforced. For example, would hurling match referees conduct pre-game checks similar to soccer where a referee can ask to check the studs of players. However, Pat Daly has dismissed this sort of scare mongering.
The success of the smart sliotar licensee process provides the template for a similar approach to be made for the regulation of hurley manufacture. Research shows that some of the best-known manufacturers have by their own admission been making hurleys with a larger bas greater than the permitted size since the late 90s.
The stick has undergone a dramatic transformation since the new millennium. The demise of ground hurling now because of the possession-based approach to the game has driven players towards a hurl with a bigger bas because their preference is to always lift and strike – this has also made some players opt for shorter hurls to avoid being hooked as they do not need the length to make a ground stroke.
At a May meeting of GAA Central Council hurley dimensions as recommended by the Sliotar & Hurley Regulation Work Group were approved.
The following was agreed regarding hurley dimensions:
- Juvenile (Child) up to and including 26” Hurley - Maximum Bas of 15cm.
- Junior (Youth) up to and including 30” Hurley - Maximum bas of 16cm.
- Senior (Adult) 30” up to and including 36” Hurley - Maximum bas of 17cm.
- Adult Goalkeeper Hurley maximum bas size of 21cm.
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