In the next of our monthly club focus articles, we are in Mid Tipperary as we take a look at the 2020 County Intermediate hurling championship finalists Moyne-Templetuohy:
- Club Name: Moyne-Templetuohy
- Eircode: E41DY02
- Hurling: Intermediate & Junior B
- Football: Senior & Junior B
- Club colours: Green and Gold
- Main Sponsor: Templetuohy Foods/Ely’s Centra/Tipperary Energy Agency
- Current Referees: Seán Everard/Martin Ryan/Joe Leahy
- County/Divisional officers: Joe Kennedy (County Chairman), Tom Maher (Assistant Secretary, Secretary of Semple Stadium and Co. Competitions Control Committee), Catherine Dunne (Mid-Board Secretary), Mark Dunne (Mid Bord na nÓg PRO and National Scór)
Club officers:
- Chairman-Tim Bergin (087) 2771494
email: Tim.bergin@hotmail.com - Secretary- Jim Ryan (087) 9046288
- email: secretary.moynetempletuohy.tipperary@gaa.ie
- Treasurers- Teresa Everard (087) 6207678 & Mark Dunne (087) 0672132
- P.R.O- Áine Guilfoyle (086)3390822
- email: pro.moynetempletuohy.tipperary@gaa.ie
Club Social Media details:
- Twitter: @MoyneTTuohyGAA
- Facebook: Moyne Templetuohy GAA
- ClubZap: Moyne-Templetuohy
- Website: moynetempletuohygaa.ie
- Online club shop: CLICK HERE
Brief History of Club
Early Days-The Moyne Club were the first to be formed in 1885 following the founding of the GAA in 1884. Their first documented game was against Tullaroan in 1887. Moyne’s club colours were green and white. On the same day the first mention of a team from Templetuohy played Gortnahoe, but this was abandoned in the second half when the crowd invaded the playing field! Templetuohy did not have its own club until 1897 which was the same year that Moyne played its first championship match. The first hurler from the parish to play on a Tipperary selection was Tom Carroll of Moyneard.
The first 20 years- In 1905 Templetuohy played their first hurling match under the Tipperary County Board. In 1908 Templetuohy Sportsground attracted a record crowd of 3,000 spectators who assembled to watch a championship match between Thurles and Two-mile-borris! Templetuohy had its first major success at senior level in 1911 when they defeated Thurles in the Tipperary Senior Football final on a score line of 3-0 to 2-1. There were however a variety of teams and combinations affiliated within the parish. Kilclooney Shamrocks, Moyne Shamrocks, Templetuohy-Castleiney, Lisheen and Castleiney hurling club, Moyne and Templetuohy United to name but a few.
Moyne’s first championship success came in no uncertain terms from the steady development and success of the Kilclooney Shamrocks where they defeated Ileigh in the final of the Intermediate hurling competition in 1918.
1920-1940 –In 1923 Templetuohy won the Mid Intermediate hurling title and Moyne defeated Borrisoleigh in the first round of the Senior championship that same year. The 1930’s had a promising start for the hurlers of the parish after promotion to Intermediate level in 1931 Moyne went on to win the Mid Tipperary Intermediate Hurling title of 1932. 1936 was a historic year for the GAA in the parish. For the first time since the founding of the Association, Moyne and Templetuohy joined forces and affiliated a hurling team as Moyne and Templetuohy and a football team as Templetuohy-Moyne.
1940-1960-Templetuohy-Moyne defeated Loughmore Castleiney in the mid junior football final of 1940. In the 1942 Mid Senior Hurling final, Sarsfields defeated Moyne-Templetuohy by 4-7 to 2-1 before a crowd of over 7,000 people! The appearance of Templetuohy-Moyne in four Mid Senior Football finals during the forties was an outstanding achievement considering the dominant position of Loughmore Castleiney during this time.
1960-1980-It was in the 1960’s that Moyne-Templetuohy Hurling club came of age as it progressed steadily from the Junior ranks to one of the most respected senior clubs in the division. This decade also saw the club’s first ever conquest of Sarsfields. 1965 deserves a special mention as in that year the club won a Junior Hurling Mid and County title, Minor hurling county titles, an u21 hurling County title and County titles in u21, Junior and Minor football. It was in the 60’s that the juvenile club became firmly established and enjoyed a golden era of results as an impressive collection of honours was accumulated, in 1963 especially. The 1970’s saw the club enjoy its finest hour. After beating Sarsfields in the Senior Mid final of 1970- ‘a motorcade of three hundred cars met the team on the Thurles road and escorted them to Templetuohy where bonfires blazed’. That same team achieved Senior county glory at last in Semple Stadium on November 1st 1971 against Roscrea on a score of 2-8 to 0-6. Despite numerous doubles at u21 level in both codes the 70’s remained quieter for the senior teams. The 80’s saw the first ever County Intermediate hurling and Junior titles for the parish.
1990-2000-In 1991 a closer relationship between the hurling and football clubs of the parish was proposed and a new amalgamated club Moyne-Templetuohy Hurling and Football club affiliated teams in both codes. Development of the GAA facilities in Templetuohy began in earnest and all players participated fully within the new senior and juvenile structure. A more professional approach to coaching and training was introduced and success soon began to show its face within the Juvenile club with the club having its first breakthrough in the ‘A’ competitions at u14 and u16 levels. The achievements of the juvenile players in 1996 especially earned the ‘Club of the Year award’ for the Moyne-Templetuohy Juvenile Club. County titles for the u12’s, 14’s and 16’s again ensured the club of the year award was retained by the Juvenile club for a second year in a row.
2000-present day-The future of the club looks bright. The early years of the millennium saw the new approaches used in coaching and training bearing fruit at juvenile and u21 level. So many titles came the club’s way, the highlights in football were surely a Mid Senior football title in 2001, and County Intermediate titles in 2005 and 2018. The minor footballers also had county success with the big ball in 2005.
In hurling the recent high points were Mid and County titles in Intermediate hurling. The intermediate hurlers contested a county final in 2013 and finally made the senior breakthrough in 2014. Despite relegation a few years later they contested the Intermediate County final again in 2020 and hopes remain high for this season’s competitions. The under 16’s brought glory to the club when they won the County C final last year so the club’s juveniles have also had their fair share of motorcades through the villages with cups and colours hanging from cars! And one only has to venture down to Templetuohy GAA field on a Saturday morning to witness over 100 children from under 6 to under 12 and their coaches in the throes of our Gaelic games.
A Ladies football club was established in 2002 which to date has 2 senior teams and underage teams from under 6 to under 19 all of whom have also had a fair share of silverware to their name. The ladies contested the Junior A County final last year and also won the U16 County final.
The club has a proud tradition of having players on both football and hurling divisional and county teams. 2019 was a fantastic year for Tipperary and the club. With Tipperary winning the Senior Hurling All-Ireland Moyne-Templetuohy had Paul Maher as their representative. The Intermediate Ladies footballers had Róisín Daly and Muireann Lloyd representing the Green and Gold. And at U20 level both Conor Bowe and Gearóid O Connor wore the Tipperary jersey with style as they took the Munster and All-Ireland titles. Never had the club seen such silverware in the one year from such a wonderfully taleneted group of players. Currently the club has over 300 members registered with Croke Park with 6 Juvenile and 6 Senior teams affiliated for the 2021 season. Moyne-Templetuohy are a proud hardworking dual club-always looking to improve on their facilities and results both on and off the field.
Club Development
The first phase of development in the GAA grounds at Longorchard, Templetuohy came to fruition in 1999 with the completion of the Clubhouse-or the ‘Old dressing rooms’ as they are now known by the current players.
However, the development committee did not rest there and the result of many fundraising initiatives, and sponsorship from local businesses led the club to the fantastic grounds they have today
The Club grounds received more than 8000 votes in a poll held last year and were crowned the best GAA facilities in the county. The building of the stand, new dressing rooms, gym, the drainage and resodding of the main pitch, the ball wall, astro turf and LED lighting on high enough poles that ‘players can hurl as if in daylight’ are the components of the state of the art facility the club now proudly possess.
The next project is the insulation and renovation of the original clubhouse to bring it up to the standards of the new dressing rooms.
Club Fundraising
All of these facilities need maintaining however, and the parishioners both at home and abroad have never been found wanting. Moyne-Templetuohy’s participation in the Tipperary County Board Draw has served it well as a means of income since it began. The club has also had its fair share of successful winners too. The club runs a weekly Joker Draw which has been very successful for a number of years. Whilst stalling for the ‘Covid period’ it was restarted during the series of very successful “Drive in Bingo” nights over the summer months. The Joker continues online at http://www.moynetempletuohygaa.ie/products where the options to buy a once off ticket or tickets for 3 or 12 months are also available. These options also give the buyer free draw entries at the end of each month depending on which option they purchase.
Scór
Moyne Templetuohy has a proud tradition in Scór competitions at both Juvenile and Senior events. At Scór na n-Og and Scór na bPáistí as well as Senior Scór, competitors have participated in every competition from Solo Singing to Question Time to Set and Figure Dancing, with many talented youngsters producing wonderful entertainment over the years. These talented individuals represented not only their Club, but also their Division and County with particular success in Ballad Group and Novelty Act and Tráth na gCeist competitions.
The fund raising for these competitors also contributed in a major way to the social fabric of the parish, with competitions, concerts and ‘Hooleys’ entertaining packed Community Centres in Templetuohy and Moyne. The most recent successes for the club was the participation of their Question Time team in the All Ireland Senior final in 2019 and the Scór na nÓg team who were county quiz champions in 2020.
Club Awards
Every year the club recognises the tragic loss of three young players who left the field of play far too young. There are three memorial trophies presented annually which are held in the highest esteem by all the players and club members who have been chosen to receive them. This year despite all its challenges was no different and the club would like to congratulate the recipients of all three awards for their outstanding contribution to the club.
The Frank Guilfoyle Memorial Trophy is presented the club’s Senior player of the year and this year was presented to Gearóid O Connor.
The Ricky Fogarty Memorial trophy goes to the club’s Young Player of the year, and this year’s recipient was Shane Lowe.
The honour of Club Person of the year was bestowed upon Mindy Doyle who received the Martin Costigan Memorial Trophy for her outstanding commitment to all teams within the juvenile club and her trojan work behind the scenes of our club.
Club Stalwart – Willie Fogarty
Willie is a staunch member of the club and has been for decades. Willie attended countless Mid Board meetings on behalf of the club. And as well as serving as Chairman of the Moyne-Templetuohy GAA Club on two occasions, from 1998-2002 and again from 2016-2020, he did his club proud on the field too.
Willie made club history on the day Moyne Templetuohy won a Junior County title in 1990 when he became the first club player (and to date the only club player) to win county titles in four decades, having won a Minor County Final in 1964, a Senior County Final in 1971, an Intermediate County final in 1983 and then a Junior in 1990.
Willie continued his dedication to the GAA of the parish with the endless hours spent on side-lines coaching and training all age-groups of the club. Willie is pictured in the front row on the right as part of the Moyne-Templetuohy Juvenile Committee and Selectors 1995. Willie was also part of the management of countless minor, junior, intermediate and senior teams over the years.
To this day Willie continues to support the club in every event and fundraiser that is run. He knows every blade of grass on both playing fields and has them beautifully manicured for every match and training session. He stewards, parks cars, attends committee meetings and supports all teams of all ages within the club. Not every club is lucky enough to have a Willie Fogarty among their ranks. Thanks Willie!
Acknowledgements
Credit must be given to Willie Butler who compiled a massive amount of factual information regarding all sport in the parish from when records began. This information was published in the Parish History book ‘A life of its own’ in 2000. Credit also to the committees of the annual Parish Newsletters who continue to publish the Parish’s living history every year. Sincerest thanks also to Billy Loughnane who with his camera captures not only the joy and tears that GAA can bring to parish but all events that make a parish like ours alive and well.
I would also like to say a special word of thanks to Áine Guilfoyle Moyne-Templetuohy PRO, for her help and assistance in compiling this months GAA Scene.
By Jonathan Cullen Wed 25th Aug
