National League Lift-Off

By Shane Brophy

No matter how poorly a previous campaign is, on the advent of a new season, there is always that sense of optimism that this year will be different. And that is how it will be for three Tipperary senior teams who begin their National League campaigns this weekend.

Hurling

Most of the focus will be on the senior hurlers who take to the field competitively for the first time in seven months when they take on Galway in Salthill on Sunday.

Tipperary completed their pre-season schedule over the past week with easy wins over Laois and Kerry, plus a defeat to Dublin in what was a spikey affair at Fethard Town Park on Saturday.

Speaking afterwards to Clubber TV, Tipperary manager Liam Cahill admitted his side really needed that type of game ahead of their league bow.

“Today was a real step up for us,” he said to commentator Garry Toohey.

“It was vitally important to get that intensity into the legs.

“We are trying to put our own stamp on it in terms of our style of play versus where we were twelve months ago, and that young personnel gives us that dimension as well.”

At the time of going to press, the Tipperary panel hadn’t been finalised with the 45-man training panel expected to be cut to around 38, the number set by Tipperary County Board in terms of their budget.

There certainly has been a new feel to the teams selected in the games against Laois and Dublin, with Cahill happy with how the younger players are progressing but warned it will take time.

“This is the job of work we have to do in Tipperary at the moment, the likes of Mikey Corcoran, Darragh McCarthy, young Sam O’Farrell at wing back, Conor Martin at 11, they are all very young and novices at this grade, so we are where we are in Tipperary,” he said.

“But he have to give these lads the exposure to see how they react and thankfully to date they are really embracing it and are looking like fellas that will stand Tipperary in good stead for a long number of years to come.”

Gaelic Football

The Philly Ryan era in charge of the Tipperary senior footballers gets underway on Saturday evening when his charges head to Carlow for the start of their division 4 campaign.

Expectation levels are low such is the turnover of players on the panel with just six remaining from the 2020 Munster title win, including Steven O’Brien who has been retained as captain of the 37 man panel which was confirmed on Monday night.

Ladies Football

Sunday afternoon in Tipperary Town will also see the Tipperary Ladies Footballers make their bow in division 2 of the National League.

Under new manager Ed Burke, they start off with a tough task against All-Ireland final runners-up Galway, but with AFLW players Aishling Moloney, Niamh Martin and Anna-Rose Kennedy on board and Caitlin Kennedy back on board, Tipp have the potential to challenge for promotion.