BORD GAIS ENERGY U21 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
‘Happy are we all together’ never meant so much to a panel of players as it did to the newly crowned All-Ireland U21 champions Tipperary last Sunday evening. In song they literally lifted the roof off their Gaelic Grounds dressing room, led by none other than the inimitable John Sheedy (left) as joyous scenes of celebration continued following their 3-13 to 1-16 victory over Cork in the Bord Gais Energy U21 Championship Final.
By PRO Joe Bracken
A difficult year in general on the fields of play for Tipperary had the hurling sun unexpectedly setting earlier than anticipated ahead of this encounter, but Liam Cahill and his management team thought otherwise as they methodically planned the route to the U21 summit. A route paved with uncertainty is a dangerous course, but Cahill’s management team was certain of one thing, deliver the performance and results will follow. And when the final whistle sounded on Sunday evening, every Tipperary person in the ground raced onto the field, out to meet and salute the players and management as they delivered as sweet a victory as one could have wished for. When their backs were against the wall and the only way on was forward the underdogs took to the battle like men possessed and delivered a knockout blow to claim the coveted prize.
As indicated last week the below par performance in the Munster Final stung and stung hard and if ever life throws a nightmare like that at you, how you recover speaks volumes in your development. This Tipperary side answered all the questions; first up against Galway in the semi-final and undeniably again on Sunday from the get go, as each player worked exceptionally hard to earn his medal and also that of his team mate not as privileged to cross the white line of competitive action on the day. All have a part to play and that unity of purpose in pursuit of the end goal can only but bring a huge sense of satisfaction to the management team.
Congratulations to the panel of players, the management and backroom teams on your fantastic success on Sunday and through your endeavours you have lifted the spirit of the Premier County as a now brighter horizon glimmers with hope and cheer before the sun finally settles on a hugely eventful 2018 championship.
So it’s out with the old and in with the new as Tipperary, inaugural winners of the U21 championship in 1964 when Francis Loughnane (Roscrea) captained the side close out the age grade also as champions with Colin English (Fr. Sheehy’s) right, captaining the county to its tenth success at this level. Next year the age grade moves to U20.
Tipperary’s goals came courtesy of Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) with an early penalty conversion followed by two second half goals, firstly by Stevie Nolan (Drom and Inch) and the second which turned out to be the match winner from Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields).
Determined to see his charges deliver, manager Liam Cahill along with his management team left no stone unturned as they channelled the Munster Final negative into a winning positive infusing belief that the whole county can be proud of. A delighted and relieved Liam is pictured left with his wife Eimear and daughter Roisin shortly after the final whistle.
That then brings the curtain down on a fascinating and eventful series of hurling championships in which Tipperary proudly take a share of All-Ireland spoils with this U21victory. Coupled with a Munster minor title also, the future as always remains bright in Tipperary with enhanced optimism implanted to warm the heart of players and supporters alike in advance of the rising sun of new campaigns.
U21 HOMECOMING
The official U21 homecoming event will be hosted by captain Colin English’s own club Fr. Sheehy’s on this Sunday evening, September 2nd at 8:30pm in the GAA grounds in Clogheen. This is to allow all players the space to complete the round of club championships this week.
HURLING TEAM OF THE 90’S
Congratulations to Michael Cleary (Nenagh Éire Óg) who was named on the GAA hurling team of the 90’s and was part of the team selection celebrations on All-Ireland hurling Sunday.
CLUB FIXTURES
The county senior and intermediate results from last weekend are as follows;
Tipperary Water County Senior Hurling Championship – Group 3
Carrick Swan 2-14 Upperchurch-Drombane 1-23
Tipperary Water Seamus Ó Riain Cup – Group 1
St Mary’s Clonmel 1-15 Burgess 2-17
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 2
Cappawhite 3-20 Carrick Davins 1-11
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 3
Borrisokane 4-16 Galtee Rovers-St Pecaun 2-12
Arravale Rovers 1-15 Drom-Inch 1-17
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 4
Gortnahoe-Glengoole 0-19 Moyle Rovers 0-14
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 5
Ballybacon-Grange 1-27 Kiladangan 0-15
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 6
Moneygall 1-18 Shannon Rovers 4-14
Tipperary Water County Senior Football Championship – Group 1
Drom-Inch 1-4 Kilsheelan-Kilcash 4-19
JK Brackens 2-5 Loughmore-Castleiney 1-16
Fixtures for the coming week at county level focus on the Tipperary Water county senior and intermediate hurling championships as well as Seamus Ó Riain, with one game in the Tipperary Water county football championship next Tuesday night, details as follows;
Tipperary Water County Senior Hurling Championship – Group 1
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Templemore, Mullinahone v Nenagh Éire Óg 17:00, Ref: John Mc Cormack
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Dolla, Roscrea v Clonoulty-Rossmore 13:30, Ref: Kevin Jordan
Tipperary Water County Senior Hurling Championship – Group 2
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Templemore, Toomevara v Killenaule 18:30, Ref: Philip Kelly
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Dolla, Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill v Kilruane MacDonaghs 12:00, Ref: Sean Everard
Tipperary Water County Senior Hurling Championship – Group 3
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Holycross, Drom-Inch v Thurles Sarsfields 18:30, Ref: Fergal Horgan
Tipperary Water County Senior Hurling Championship – Group 4
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Nenagh, Kiladangan v Borris-Ileigh 17:00, Ref: Johnny Ryan
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Dolla, Portroe v Loughmore-Castleiney 18:30, Ref: Paddy Ivors
Tipperary Water Seamus Ó Riain Cup – Group 1
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Templetuohy, JK Brackens v Ballingarry 12:00, Ref: Michael Murphy
Tipperary Water Seamus Ó Riain Cup – Group 2
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Nenagh, Templederry Kenyons v Newport 13:00, Ref: John Butler
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Toomevara, Clonakenny v Silvermines 15:00, Ref: Kieran Delaney
Tipperary Water Seamus Ó Riain Cup – Group 3
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: The Ragg, Moycarkey-Borris v Holycross-Ballycahill 18:30, Ref: Keith Delahunty
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 1
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Cappawhite, Ballinahinch V Lattin-Cullen 12:30, Ref: Paul Guinan
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 2
Sun, 02 Sep, Venue: Holycross, Cashel King Cormacs v Thurles Sarsfields 13:00, Ref: Peter Carroll
Tipperary Water County Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 5
Sat, 01 Sep, Venue: Clonmel Sportsfield, Golden-Kilfeacle v Kilsheelan-Kilcash 16:00, Ref: Seamus Delaney
Tipperary Water County Senior Football Championship – Group 1
Tue, 04 Sep, Venue: Leahy Park Cashel, Kilsheelan-Kilcash v Loughmore-Castleiney 18:30, Ref: Paddy Russell
At divisional level, the Hibernian Inn North semi-final replay involving Nenagh Éire Óg and Kiladangan has been confirmed for Saturday week, September 8th at 5pm in Templederry. The winners will meet Kilruane MacDonaghs in the final.
The following day, Sunday September 9th, the Centenary Mid Senior Hurling Final between Thurles Sarsfields and Loughmore Castleiney will take place in Templetuohy. There is no confirmation of time as of yet.
To keep up to date with all fixtures and results please check http://people.gaa.ie/club/tipperary/
TIPPERARY GAA CLUBS DRAW
The September GAA draw is on Friday September 14th in association with Portroe GAA.
The local winner from the August draw, Con & Francis O’Halloran will be presented with their prize along with other winners from the surrounding clubs.
Best of luck to all draw members in the September draw.
HURLING DEVELOPMENT SQUADS
Last Saturday was a busy day across the South East region with the U14, 15 and 16 hurling county panels in action at various venues. Though Tipperary contested the five finals, luck was not to be with Tipp as one was lost on penalties and 2 finals lost by a point, with details of the five finals as follows; in Waterford theU14A Tony Forristal – Tipperary 1-6 Waterford 2-15; U14B Sonny Walsh Tipperary 2-7 Cork 2-7 (Cork won on penalties).
In our own West Division which hosted the Arrabawn U15 hurling tournament the Cup Final in Leahy Park Cashel saw Tipperary lose to Clare by a single point 0-16 to 2-14 while in the John Doyle U15B final the full time score read Tipperary 1-6 Cork 2-15.
Meanwhile in Wexford in the U16 Michael Foley Tournament, Tipperary had again a one point loss going down 0-17 to 2-12 to host county Wexford.
Well done to all the teams who put in a mighty effort and though success narrowly failed them it was still a very productive day for all involved. Thanks in particular to the West division for hosting the U15 tournament.
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.
