The View- Championship draws; Monster Draws; and drawing conclusions.

The View- Championship draws; Monster Draws; and drawing conclusions.

By Noel Dundon

You’d have to shake your head at it all really. OK you could probably have predicted that Kiladangan, Thurles Sarsfields and Loughmore Castleiney would be in the county championship mix. But, boy, you’d have gotten some odds had you placed Clonoulty Rossmore, Upperchurch Drombane, JK Brackens and current county champions Kilruane MacDonagh in the relegation battle. In fact, you’d probably be taken away and assessed for certifiable insanity.

Last year’s county champions; last years mid champions; this years mid runner-up and county semi-finalist in 2022; and eight-in-a-row west champions; all in the mix to go down to the Premier intermediate grade. Who could possibly have dreamed up such a scenario?

Well, that’s the one that faces us in Tipperary following the last round of the FBD county senior hurling championship –the championship which just keeps on giving.

You’d probably have thought that the games between Kiladangan and Clonoulty Rossmore; Upperchurch Drombane and Loughmore Castleiney; or Thurles Sarsfields and Borris-Ileigh would be the standout clashes of the third round last weekend. But, as it turned out the cliffhanger proved to be the clash of Holycross Ballycahill and Templederry – the others failed to reach the expected hype. The Holycross Ballycahill men lost the battle but won the war so to speak as they qualified for the next round on scoring difference behind Loughmore Castleiney – how that dropped point on the scoreboard  as well as the result against the group winners on the last day could have cost them so dearly, but enough about that saga.

Clonoulty Rossmore find themselves in a fairly unique position – they are in the preliminary county quarter finals but are also in relegation. It’s a quirk of the system, but the same system does not allow for a team to win the county final and also be relegated in the same year. Bad enough that it could happen within twelve months – Kilruane MacDonagh are in bother, but they won’t want to think about having the dubious distinction of making that particular little piece of history. If their rise last year was meteoric, their fall this time round has been spectacular – they are in free fall and need to arrest the descent.

So, in the senior mix we have Kiladanagan, Sarsfields, Drom-Inch, Mullinahone, Toomevara, Roscrea, Loughmore Castleiney, Holycross Ballycahill, Clonoulty Rossmore and Éire Óg Nenagh – ten clubs, four from the north, four from the mid, and one each from the south and the west. Is that a fair representation of the current hurling strongholds in Tipperary? Probably.

Portroe, Newport and Sean Treacy’s make up three of the four relegation play-off sides in the Premier Intermediate level – group 1 is not complete yet, but we do know that Cashel King Cormacks, Carrick Swans, Burgess and Lorrha Dorrha are the group winners, while Sarsfields, Killenaule and Clonakenny qualify as second teams in the group, along with one more. Gortnahoe Glengoole also qualify for the preliminaries by virtue of winning the mid final after that penalty shoot-out against Clonakenny. If we thought the senior championship would be keen, the premier intermediate fare won’t be half bad either.

There are mixed views around Tipperary as to the quality of hurling on show throughout the divisional and county championships. Some games have been good, some have been bad, and some have been downright ugly. Here’s an observation though – the exciting games at this stage tend to be the ones that are played outside of Semple Stadium. The large cavernous stadium does not lend itself to great atmosphere for club games whereas the smaller venues tend to be more atmospheric. Of course every hurler wants to play in Semple Stadium and who could blame them – it is the best surface in the country, bar none. But could it be possible that playing games there is actually hindering the excitement factor? There’s one to chew upon so draw your own conclusion.

There will be a very different atmosphere on Saturday next in and around Semple Stadium when Fiserv and the County Board host a day filled with fun and activities in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation and Cliona’s Foundation.

There is a very impressive line-up of events for the occasion including:

10am – 3pm – U-9 Hurling Blitz in Dr Morris Park followed by 5 min games for each in Semple Stadium: 11am – 2pm – Semple Tours by County Team for each team: 11am – 6km / 8km Fun Walk/Run– Start & Finish in Semple Stadium: 12pm – 3pm – Semple Field Day activities – (fun games around the pitch): 1:15pm – 4pm – Semple Dog Show; 12pm – 4pm – Car boot Sale outside Semple Stadium (old Stand); 12pm – 4pm – Bake Sale with traditional Irish Music. There is also a Monster Draw in the offing with all of the proceeds going towards the foundations. For further information you can contact the Tipperary GAA Office or Brian Fogarty Fogarty  on  087-8113012 or keep an eye on the Tipperary GAA social media for more details.

It really will be a super Saturday and of course on the playing fields, the senior football championship will be taking centre stage next weekend and won’t be half bad either. Ballina against Loughmore Castleiney; Moycarkey Borris and Ardfinnan; Arravale Rovers and Upperchurch Drombane; Cahir and Killenaule; Ballyporeen and Moyle Rovers; JK Brackens and Rockwell Rovers; Drom-Inch vs Commercials; Éire Óg Anacarthy and Kilsheelan – enough there to sate the appetite?

Let’s hope so and let’s hope for some more tough, uncompromising, competitive games to keep everyone on their toes.