Tipperary GAA Scene column – February 25th 2014

Tipperary GAA Scene column

By acting County PRO Ed Donnelly

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tipperary will make the trip to Ruislip on Sunday next March 2nd to take on London. Throw-in for this round 3 match is at 2:00pm and while Tipperary will be hoping to add to the three points already gained in their first two matches, they will be mindful of the progress made by London in recent years, reaching the Connacht Final last year and playing in Croke Park.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE

Tipperary lost to Kilkenny in a high scoring match on Sunday last by 5-20 to 5-14. Strangely, the three losers in round 1 all won in round 2 so Tipperary and the other five teams in Division 1A are all tied on two points. Tipperary’s next match in the Allianz Hurling League will see All-Ireland champions Clare coming to Semple Stadium on Sunday week March 9th at 2:30pm. This game will be preceded by Tipperary’s Allianz Football League Round 4 game between the same two counties with a 12:45pm throw-in.

SENIOR HURLING CHALLENGE

Tipperary will play Wexford in a Senior Hurling Challenge game on Saturday next March 1st at 2:00pm in Dr. Morris Park Thurles (note venue change).

UNDER 21 HURLERS

Tipperary defeated Kilkenny by 3-16 to 1-11 in an Under 21 Hurling Development Challenge on Sunday morning last played in the O’Loughlin Gaels pitch.

LEINSTER MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tipperary defeated Louth by 1-11 to 1-8 in round 3 of the Leinster Minor Football League. This ends their involvement with Tipperary recording a win, draw and loss in their three matches. In total, 15 counties entered this competition which provides valuable competitive action for teams as they prepare for their respective Provincial Championships. Tipperary are drawn to play Waterford in the first round of the Electric Ireland Munster GAA Minor Football Championship on Wednesday April 16th on Fraher Field Dungarvan.

ALL COUNTY TABLE QUIZ

Thanks to all the clubs who supported our All County Quiz last Friday night. In all we had 46 clubs participating in 40 venues throughout the county with approximately 300 tables taking part. The winners from all the venues will convene in the Dome on Friday March 14th for the County Final and battle it out for the €2,000 first prize plus a possible opportunity to represent Tipperary in the All-Ireland Scór Final in Castlebar in April.

CLUB OFFICERS INFORMATION NIGHT

All clubs are reminded that the Tipperary County Board in conjunction with Munster Council and Croke Park will host a Club Officers Information night on this Wednesday night February 26th in LIT Thurles at 7:30pm. Every club is invited to send their Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and PRO. While this event is especially useful for newly elected officers, everyone can benefit from attending so we encourage all club officers to make the effort to attend if at all possible.

CHILD PROTECTION INFORMATION NIGHT

All GAA club Children’s Officers in Tipperary are asked to attend a Child Protection Information Night on this Thursday February 27th at 7:30pm in the Thurles Sarsfields Social Centre.

COUNTY SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS

The draws for the County Senior Football Championship took place on Monday February 24th. 18 clubs will take part and will be split in to four groups as listed below. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stages where they will be joined by the Divisional champions. The defending champions Loughmore-Castleiney will play Thomas MacDonaghs in their first match in Group 3.

Group 1 – Aherlow, Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Galtee Rovers, Fethard

Group 2 – Clonmel Commercials, Arravale Rovers, Moyne-Templetuohy, Cahir, Clonmel Og

Group 3 – Loughmore-Castleiney, Thomas MacDonaghs, Ardfinnan, JK Brackens, Ballyporeen

Group 4 – Moyle Rovers, Eire Og Annacarty, Moycarkey-Borris, Killenaule

COUNTY INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS

The draws for the 2014 County Intermediate Hurling Championship took place on Monday night February 24th. A total of 22 teams will take part split in to four groups as listed below. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stages where they will be joined by the Divisional champions. The 4 group runners up play the 4 divisional champions in the preliminary quarter final, while the 4 group winners will play the 4 preliminary round winners in the quarter finals. The 2013 runners-up Moyne-Templetuohy will play Kilsheelan-Kilcash in their first round game while newly promoted Moycarkey-Borris will take on Cahir in their opening match.

Group 1 – Lattin-Cullen, Gortnahoe-Glengoole, Arravale Rovers, Grangemockler, Galtee Rovers

Group 2 – Newport, Thurles Sarsfields, Moyle Rovers, Rockwell Rovers, Moycarkey-Borris, Cahir

Group 3 – Moyne-Templetuohy, Kilsheelan-Kilcash, St. Marys Clonmel, Golden-Kilfeacle, Sean Treacys, Holycross-Ballycahill

Group 4 – Drom & Inch, Ballinahinch, Shannon Rovers, Ballybacon-Grange, Clonakenny

COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHALLENGE CUP

The first round of the County Senior Hurling Challenge Cup gets underway this weekend with 16 matches down for decision.

ALL IRELAND SCOR NA NOG FINAL

Tipperary GAA and Coiste Scór an Chontae would like to wish the very best to our representatives in the All Ireland Finals of Scór na n-Óg in Castlebar on Sunday next. Go néirí go geal le club Seán Treacy’s sa Tráth na gCeist. This is the first All-Ireland under the new rules and our young people will be competing in a 32 county contest. Tá súil againn go mbeidh an – lá acu sa chomórtas.

The Borris-Ileigh club will represent us in the léiriú stáitse – with a wonderful depiction of the legacy that is and was the life of Brian. Tá éacht déanta acu cheana féin agus gúimid gach rath is seán orthu sa Chraobh. This competition is also new and novel in its presentation and Borris-Ileigh have met that challenge and produced an excellent Drama for Scór. Best of luck to you all.

CUMANN NA MBUNSCOL AGM

The re-fixed AGM of Tipperary Allianz Cumann na mBunscol will take place on this Wednesday 26th February, at 7.30pm in Hayes’ Hotel Thurles.

TIPP DRAW ON TIPP FM

The Weekly GAA Draw continues LIVE on Tipp FM this Friday on Seamus Martin’s programme around 10.30am. €1,000 Lotto Jackpot will be drawn along with 5 x €200 prizes (if Jackpot not won, an additional 5 x €200 lucky dip prizes will be drawn. So, tune into Seamus Martin on Tipp FM this Friday and every Friday (except on the first Friday of every month when the Monthly Draw takes place).

MUNSTER GAA POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Roscrea Community College and Cashel Community College have qualified for the Munster GAA Post Primary Schools Senior B Hurling Final. In the semi-finals played on Friday last, Roscrea CC defeated St. Mary’s Newport by 1-9 to 2-2 while Cashel CC defeated Colaiste Iosaef Kilmallock by 4-7 to 0-12. Fixture details for the final will be posted here next week.

SIGERSON CUP

Congratulations to UCC aided by Clonmel Commercials players Michael Quinlivan and Shane Power on their victory in the Sigerson Cup last weekend. Michael scored a point from play in both the semi-final versus NUI Maynooth and the final against University of Ulster Jordanstown to help the Cork college to what on paper was an unlikely success given the caliber of player on the other colleges involved. However, UCC proved that a team will always come out on top against a collection of individuals and their gutsy displays over the weekend were a tribute to the players and their management team led by Cork’s Billy Morgan. Well done to Queens University Belfast and their organization in ensuring the weekend was successful.

FITZGIBBON CUP

The Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals take place on this coming Friday hosted by Queens University Belfast. At 2:30pm, LIT will play WIT while at 4:30pm, UCC will play CIT. The final is fixed for this Saturday at 4:15pm. In the Quarter-Finals played last week, there was a notable Tipperary involvement with the colleges involved.

CIT defeated NUI Galway by 2-22 to 0-11 with John O’Dwyer (Killenaule) scoring 0-7 for CIT (0-4 from play). David Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields) and Conor Hammersley (Clonoulty-Rossmore, 0-1) also started for CIT while Michael O’Brien (Thurles Sarsfields) was introduced as a sub. Kevin Flynn (Nenagh Eire Og) was in goal for NUI Galway.

LIT defeated UL by 2-16 to 1-13 with Martin Minehan (Kildangan), Philip Ivors (Ballingarry – scorer of 1-3) and Mark Gennery (Portroe, 0-2) on the LIT starting team. UL included Jason Forde (Silvermines – scorer of 1-6, 1-0 from play), Shane Hassett (Drom & Inch), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-KIlcash), Brian Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons) and Tommy Heffernan (Nenagh Eire Og, 0-2) in their starting line-up.

WIT defeated DIT by 1-21 to 1-14 after extra time. WIT’s goal was scored by Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) while Tomas Hamill (Killea) played at wing-back. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule) scored four points from play for DIT.

Finally, defending champions UCC defeated UCD by 1-20 to 1-15 led by captain James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane, scorer of 1-1) with Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields) and Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh, 0-2) on the UCC starting line-up. The UCC coach is former Thurles Sarsfields and Tipperary hurler Eddie Enright while Thomas Butler (Clonoulty-Rossmore) and Bobby Bergin (Clonakeny) are also on the UCC panel.

For more details on the feast of hurling activity at Queens University Belfast this weekend, check out www.gaafestival.com.

ANNUAL CONGRESS

A busy weekend of GAA activity began on Friday evening continuing in to Saturday last as the GAA Annual Congress took place in Croke Park. Numerous motions were debated with a Moyle Rovers motion restricting the minor grade at inter-county level to U17s and U18s being one of the notable ones which was passed. Other notable motions to pass included a) that interfering with an opponent’s headgear be punished with a straight red card and b) that a player guilty of racist behaviour during a game be ordered off. The so called Anthony Nash motion was withdrawn before Congress and will be dealt with by Central Council. Finally, congratulations and best wishes to the new President Elect Aogán O’Farrell (Cavan).

REFEREES

Congratulations to Derek O’Mahony (Ardfinnan) who refereed the M Donnelly Interprovincial Football Final on Sunday in Tuam which resulted in a victory for Connacht over Ulster. Derek’s umpires on the day were Liam Barrett, Paddy Noonan, Ger Meagher and Johnny O’Callaghan.

CALLING ALL SCHOOLS

Following the recent refurbishment of Lár na Páirce in Thurles, this museum, provides an attractive venue for school tours. The interactive exhibits tell the story of Gaelic Games from the earliest times through the use of modern audio/visual technology. To book you guided tour, please ring 0504-22702 or e-mail larnapaircemuseum@gmail.com. See our website at www.larnapairce.ie.

TIPPERARY GAA SCENE

If you wish to include any item of interest in future articles of the Tipperary GAA Scene, please contact the acting County Public Relations Officer Ed Donnelly at pro.tipperary@gaa.ie on or before 3pm on Monday. Visit the Tipperary GAA web site at www.tipperary.gaa.ie keep up to date with all the latest news in Tipperary GAA circles.