Now that the football focus has firmly switched to club at divisional and county level with all the principal contenders in action in the pursuit of silverware, a number of pointers are beginning to emerge as to the eventual winners.
Defending County and Munster Senior club champions Clonmel Commercials are certainly throwing down the gauntlet to all challengers with a clean pair of heels already been shown to Ballyporeen while in a repeat of last years County Final neighbours Moyle Rovers having led from the start coughed up a seven point lead as Mikey Quinlivan landed a sixty five metre injury time pointed free to snatch victory in their South Semi Final.
With talented players in their ranks like Stephen Quirke, Danny Owens, Alan Campbell, Martin Dunne and Craig Condon, Moyle Rvs will obviously regroup and will surely have a big say in where the Co Championship trophy finally settles.
In the South Final Commercials will clash with a Liam Casey and Dean Lonergan inspired Cahir side that produced a big second half to finish with three points to spare over defending South champions Kilsheelan Kilcash who lined out without the injured Bill Maher and Adrian Maguire.
County champions of 2014 Loughmore Castleiney backboned by the three McGrath brothers, Noel, John and Brian along with Liam McGrath, Liam Treacy and John Meagher made light work of West contenders Eire Og in the group stages of the County Championship and four days later collected their 55th Mid title with a hard earned victory over Upperchurch Drombane having already seen off last years Mid winners Drom Inch on the way.
In the West Senior Championship semi finals last years winners Arravale Rovers came off second best after extra time to Galtee Rovers while the Aherlow/Lattin Cullen combination ended Eire Ogs football commitments for the year with a seven point margin victory.
In the West Final Aherlow / Lattin continued their winning ways as goalie Gordon Peters, Barry and Seamus Grogan, Sean Kiely, Sean Mullins, John Hennessy and Thomas O’Donoghue paved the way to a well deserved 2-12 to 1-6 over their neighbours Galtee Rovers.
For a lot of the clubs its still all to play for and the upcoming Co Quarter final draw permutations should make an interesting run in to the Co Final.
At Intermediate level Golden Kilfeacle always appeared to have the upper hand in prevailing by two points over Rockwell Rovers in the West Final while Borrisokane managed five goals in their North Final victory over Inane Rovers.
Looking ahead to next year and following on from the heroics of this years football campaign Tipperary will kick off their 2017 National League Division 3 programme on Sunday February 5th with a first round home tie against Antrim.
Round 2, Sunday February 12th, at home to Sligo
Round 3, Saturday February 25th, away to Laois
Round 4, Sunday March 5th, home to Longford
Round 5, Sunday March 19th, away to Offaly
Round 6, Sunday March 26th, home to Louth
Round 7, Sunday April 2nd, away to Armagh
Tommy Fitzgerald, PRO, Tipperary Football Board
