By PRO Joe Bracken
ALL-IRELAND SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 2 of the All-Ireland Football Championship comes to Semple Stadium this Saturday evening, June 23rd, as Tipperary take on Mayo at 5pm.
This will be the fifth championship meeting between the sides with honours even on 2 wins apiece.
Tipperary first beat Mayo in the semi-final of the 1918 championship which actually took place in the middle of January 1919 by 2-2 to 1-4. The next instalment was also in the All-Ireland semi-final of 1922 when in June of that year Tipperary were victorious once more on a score-line of 1-5 to 1-0. And then there was a lull and a quite long one at that until July 28th, 2002, when Tipperary after losing to Cork in the Munster Final replay seven days earlier lined out to meet Mayo in Cusack Park, Ennis in a round 4 qualifier with Mayo taking the spoils on that occasion after a stiff Tipperary challenge by 0-21 to 1-14. Mayo would lose to Cork in the quarter-final.
The last time both sides met was in the All-Ireland Football Championship Semi-Final of 2016 which Mayo won 2-13 to 0-14 in Croke Park. A wonderful championship campaign by Tipperary that year came up a little shy as Liam Kearns side earned many plaudits for their free movement and style of play.
Saturday evening will be another opportunity for the team to showcase their potential as they look to bounce back from the Munster semi-final loss to Cork.
We send best wishes to the team and management going into this match. As Mayo are expected to bring a large following we appeal to all Tipperary supporters to be in Semple Stadium to support our seniors in this must win encounter.
Ticket information; unreserved seating – adult €15.00 and juvenile €5.00, student/OAP: €10.00 available at the venue on the day with Valid ID only.
The referee will be Maurice Deegan (Laois).
MUNSTER U21 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP
Starting a busy couple of days for the county the Tipperary U21 hurlers get proceedings under way as they take their first outing in the championship this Thursday, June 21st at 7:30pm as they line out against Limerick in the Bord Gáis Energy Munster Semi-Final.
A serious amount of groundwork has been put in by all in advance of the championship and we also send best wishes to the team and management ahead of this fixture.
Limerick have the benefit of a quarter-final victory over Clare while Tipp had to rely on challenge matches for their preparation.
The Tipperary team will line out led by captain Colin English (Fr. Sheehy’s) as follows;
1. Ciarán Barrett – Clonmel Óg
2. Podge Campion – Drom-Inch
3. Brian McGrath – Loughmore-Castleiney
4. Killian O’Dwyer – Killenaule
5. Cian Flanagan – Newport
6. Paddy Cadell – JK Brackens
7. Dillon Quirke – Clonoulty-Rossmore
8. Ger Browne – Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams
9. Colin English (Capt.) – Fr. Sheehy’s
10. Jerome Cahill – Kilruane MacDonaghs
11. Paudie Feehan – Killenaule
12. Mark Kehoe – Kilsheelan-Kilcash
13. David Gleeson – Ballinahinch
14. Jake Morris – Nenagh Éire Óg
15. Lyndon Fairbrother – JK Brackens
Subs:
16. Barry Hogan – Kiladanagn
17. Conor Stakelum – Thurles Sarsfields
18. Cian Darcy – Kilruane MacDonaghs
19. Darragh Woods – Holycross-Ballycahill
20. Jimmy Ryan – Clonoulty-Rossmore
21. Michael Purcell – Thurles Sarsfields
22. Craig Morgan – Kilruane MacDonaghs
23. Shane Neville – Lattin-Cullen
24. Stephen Nolan – Drom-Inch
The referee will be Rory McGann (Clare).
MUNSTER MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP
The Tipperary minors received a massive boost following the results of the two final round matches last Sunday which means they have qualified for the Electric Ireland Munster Hurling Minor Championship and will play Limerick in the decider in Semple Stadium on Sunday week, July 1st at 12noon.
It will be a rematch of their round 1 encounter where Tommy Dunne’s side were in command for most of the match only to be reeled in late on by the home side in the Gaelic Grounds.
MUNSTER U20 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Commiserations to a young Tipperary U20 football team who gave their all before losing out to a strong Cork outfit 1-20 to 0-8 in the EirGrid Munster Championship quarter-final last Saturday night.
Out of the panel of 31, 16 are eligible again next year, so thanks to all and their management on the combined efforts in preparations for this match.
BEST WISHES
Following an injury received in the recent Munster Championship match against Clare, Tipperary’s Brendan Maher will undergo surgery next month on the ACL in his right knee and hopes to return to action early next year.
We send best wishes to Brendan for a full recovery.
REFEREES
Best wishes to our referees in action this week. First up, John McCormack (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams) takes charge of the Bord Gáis Energy Munster Semi-Final between Waterford and Cork on Wednesday night.
Then on Saturday in Dungarvan, Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan) is in the middle when Waterford and Monaghan meet in the All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 2 game in Fraher Field.
NEW TIPPERARY CLUB DRAW
Cappawhite GAA club hit the headlines last week with first and second winners in this month’s Tipperary GAA Club Draw which was held last Friday in Jimmy Ryan’s Lounge, Killoscully.
Congratulations to the Nicholll family who won first prize of a Skoda Octavia / Renault Megane or €15,000 and also to Brian and Eugene O’Neill who won €5,000 or a holiday.
CAMOGIE
Best wishes to the Tipperary senior camogie team who take on Wexford in the Liberty Insurance Senior Championship in Innovate Wexford Park, this Saturday June 23rd at 5pm.
CLUB FIXTURES
This week there is action in round 5 of the Tipperary Water County Hurling Leagues and to keep up to date with all fixtures and results please check http://people.gaa.ie/club/tipperary/
CELTIC CHALLENGE
In the Corn John Scott quarter-final which took place in Birr last Saturday South Tipperary progressed to the semi-final with a 4-11 to 1-10 victory over Offaly. Noel Obilor from Carrick Swan was named Best and Fairest for South Tipperary. The semi-final will take place on Saturday 23rd June with the opposition, venue and time to be confirmed.
Elsewhere, North Tipperary were defeated in the Corn Michael Hogan (Div.1) Quarter-Final by Kilkenny 4-12 to 1-13.
POC FADA
In the Munster Poc Fada Competition held last Saturday in the Michael Cusack Centre in the Burren congratulations to Kyle Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris) representing Tipperary as he won the U16 competition with a score of 15. Kyle is pictured right collecting his trophy from Munster Chairman, Jerry O’Sullivan.
In the senior competition Mike Flannery (Newport) also representing Tipperary finished as runner up. Mike is also pictured left, collecting his trophy from Munster Chairman, Jerry O’Sullivan. (Photographs courtesy Joey Carton).
Mike and Kyle will represent Munster in the Senior and U16 Competitions in the Cooley Mountains along with senior winner John Chawke, Limerick.
KELLOGGS CÚL CAMPS
The GAA Kelloggs Cúl Camp registration is now open. With over 50 camps in the county there is a plentiful supply of locations for kids from 6 to 13 years of age to choose from for GAA camps over the summer. The camps run from 10am to 2.30pm each day at the various locations.
Experienced and trained coaches will provide fun activities in the realms of Football, Hurling, Camogie and Rounders at each location. Further details and bookings can be made for your local camp at www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie
TEAM TIPPERARAY GAA RACE DAY
Coming up next on the fundraising agenda is the Team Tipperary GAA Race Day at the Galway Races on Monday, July 30th. This is our fourth Galway Races venture continuing very successful outings for the past 3 years.
The Galway Races Summer Festival is renowned as a premier and most colourful racing festival. While it is a major sporting event, it also appeals to a much wider audience than just the racing fans. With the Killanin Stand Suites, there is something for everyone whether you are entertaining family, friends or business clients. This is the ideal format for mixing business with pleasure, whilst surrounded by the atmosphere and excitement that is the Galway Races.
Development plans for 2018 and onwards are in progress and the Team Tipperary GAA Race Day is now firmly established as a successful fundraising venture. A new car park in Dr. Morris Park for 200 cars is nearing completion which will be a major benefit to all. Planning is being submitted too, hopefully by mid-2018, for new facilities in the Kinane (Old) Stand as part of the Centre of Excellence adjacent to Dr. Morris Park.
We are also supporting LIT on their Thurles Campus plans which are well advanced for a new all-weather pitch which will be a welcome addition to Gaelic games in Tipperary and further afield, so exciting times ahead.
If you or anyone you know is interested in racing, or just a good day out and who might take a seat or two or a table and support our fundraising efforts, please contact Tim Floyd, County Secretary, 087 2591747 secretary.tipperary@gaa.ie for bookings and further details.
FRIENDS OF TIPPERARY FOOTBALL
Ahead of Tipperary’s crunch match against Mayo this Saturday, the Friends of Tipperary Football are continuing to sell membership for 2018 and once again it is a very reasonable €20 and you will be entered into the draw for some fantastic prizes.
Membership enters each supporter into the following draws:
Two All-Ireland Final Football tickets 2018
Two All-Ireland Final Hurling tickets 2018
Two Tickets for each Tipperary Senior Football Championship matches 2018
Plus, all members will receive an exclusive car sticker.
If you would like to join online you can do so at http://www.friendsoftipperaryfootball.com/join/ or contact any Friends of Tipperary Football committee member.
TIPPERARY GAA SCENE
Information concerning all areas in the GAA will appear in this section in the future. If you wish to include any item of interest in future articles, please e-mail at pro.tipperary@gaa.ie on or before 3.00pm on Monday. Visit the Tipperary GAA web site at https://tipperary.gaa.ie to keep up to date with all the latest news in Tipperary GAA circles.
By Jonathan Cullen Sat 23rd Jun
