Tipperary GAA Scene column – March 18th 2014

Tipperary GAA Scene column

By acting County PRO Ed Donnelly

MUNSTER UNDER 21 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Tipperary got off to a winning start in the Cadburys Munster Under 21 Football Championship on Wednesday last thanks to a 0-19 to 2-3 victory over Waterford at Fraher Field Dungarvan. This sets up a semi-final meeting with Clare on this Wednesday March 19th which will take place at 7:30pm in Milltown-Malbay. Richard Moloney (Limerick) will be the referee. If Tipperary is successful, they will have to travel to play either Cork or Limerick in the Munster Final fixed for Wednesday April 9th.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE

Tipperary lost to Galway by 3-16 to 1-19 on Sunday last in Round 4 of the Allianz Hurling League in Pearse Stadium Galway. Tipperary are now bottom of Division 1A and will require a victory in their last game to have any chance of making the Quarter-Finals and avoiding a relegation playoff. Tipperary’s important Round 5 game versus Dublin will take place on Sunday next March 23rd at 2:00pm in Semple Stadium Thurles with Brian Gavin (Offaly) as the referee.

Supporters wishing to attend this game are reminded that a €5 discount is available if you purchase adult tickets in advance via your local Centra and Supervalu outlets or online via gaa.ie/tickets. The match day admission price is €15 while all Under 16s are free.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tipperary defeated Antrim in a high scoring contest in Round 5 of the Allianz Football League on Sunday last in Semple Stadium Thurles, winning on a scoreline by 3-20 to 2-17. The win keeps Tipperary on top of Division 4 on 9 points ahead of Leitrim and Clare who have 7 points each. Tipperary will travel to Carrick-on-Shannon to play Leitrim in round 6 on Sunday week March 30th knowing that a victory will guarantee promotion to Division 3.

COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHALLENGE CUP

The second round of the County Senior Hurling Challenge Cup took place last weekend with 12 games played across the county. There were victories for Portroe, Ballingarry, Thurles Sarsfields, Clonoulty-Rossmore, Nenagh Eire Og, Moycarkey-Borris, Toomevara, Burgess, Killenaule, Roscrea, Drom & Inch and Borris-Ileigh. The competition now breaks out in to four different groups as follows.

JOHNNY RYAN CUP

This competition is for clubs who have won both their games to date. The Quarter-Finals draws are as follows with the home team listed first – Nenagh Eire Og v winner of Kilruane MacDonaghs or Moneygall; Moycarkey-Borris v Drom & Inch; Borris-Ileigh v Toomevara; JK Brackens v Portroe.

JIM DEVITT CUP

This competition is for clubs who have won their first match but lost their second match. The Quarter-Final draws are as follows with the home team listed first – Ballina v Mullinahone; Upperchurch-Drombane v Holycross-Ballycahill; Loser of Kilruane MacDonaghs or Moneygall v Kildangan; Carrick Swan v Silvermines.

DR FOGARTY CUP

This competition is for clubs who lost their first match but won their second match. The Quarter-Final draws are as follows with the home team listed first – Clonoulty-Rossmore v Thurles Sarsfields; Winners of Loughmore-Castleiney or Knockavilla Kickhams v Winners of Cappawhite v Templederry Kenyons; Burgess v Killenaule; Roscrea v Ballingarry.

JAMES HOLOHAN CUP

This competition is for clubs who have lost both their matches to date. The Quarter-Final draws are as follows with the home team listed first – Carrick Davins v Cashel King Cormacs; Eire Og Annacarty v Lorrha-Dorrha; Losers of Loughmore-Castleiney or Knockavilla Kickhams v Losers of Cappawhite v Templederry Kenyons; Borrisokane v Boherlahan-Dualla. All the matches in these four competitions are fixed for this coming weekend – check the fixtures for details.

DIVISIONAL UNDER 21 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Divisional Under 21 Football Championships are now reaching the final stages ahead of the County semi-finals. In the Mid Division, Loughmore-Castleiney were aiming to win their 6th Mid Under 21 A Football title in a row but had to give best to JK Brackens who captured their first title in this grade since 2008 thanks to a 4-7 to 0-17 victory after extra time in an exciting final played at The Ragg on Saturday. In the Under 21 B Football Championship, Upperchurch-Drombane defeated Moyne-Templetuohy Óg in the Mid Final by 3-9 to 2-9 on Saturday in Castleiney while on Monday, Rockwell / Rosegreen defeated Cappawhite / Treacys to win the West Final by 1-9 to 0-5 at Pairc Ciocaim.

COUNTY UNDER 21 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

In the County Under 21 A Football Championship semi-final, JK Brackens will play the South champions Clonmel Commercials or Ballyporeen on Sunday next at 12 noon in Leahy Park Cashel. While Upperchurch-Drombane will play South champions Kilsheelan-Kilcash or Cahir in the County Under 21 B Football Championship semi-final on Sunday next at 12 noon in Boherlahan.

ALL IRELAND CLUB JUNIOR B HURLING FINAL

Holycross-Ballycahill and Templeglantine (Limerick) played out an exciting 2-13 to 2-13 draw in the All-Ireland Club Junior B Hurling Final played on Saturday last in Rahenagh, County Limerick. The replay has been fixed for next Sunday March 23rd at 2:00pm in Rahenagh.

PRESIDENT’S AWARDS

The annual GAA President’s Awards were presented at a special banquet in Croke Park on Friday evening. The awards are staged annually by the GAA and provide the GAA President with an opportunity to acknowledge outstanding commitment and long service across the club and county network from people whose highly valued contribution is seldom recognised nationally. This year the Association placed a special emphasis on the contribution of women to all levels of the GAA and all of the home-based awards were presented to ladies.

One of the Munster awards went to Sally Young of Drom & Inch. Given her family ties to the GAA Sally Young’s central role with Drom & Inch and Mid Tipperary will come as a surprise to few. Having played camogie for the club Sally’s involvement expanded as her sons grew and she assisted numerous teams before becoming club secretary. Subsequently she served as Mid Tipperary Bord na nÓg PRO and Rúnaí and she is a virtual permanent fixture at games pen in hand recording match details. Congratulations to Sally on this well-deserved recognition.

ALL COUNTY TABLE QUIZ

40 teams convened in The Dome last Friday night and battled it out for the top prize of €2,000. These were all winners from the local heats three weeks ago plus a few wild card Scór teams. After 100 questions asked by Paddy Finucane it was a team representing Holycross-Ballycahill that won out answering 91 questions correctly. The winning team consisted of J P Stakelum, Tony Hanrahan, John Smyth and Philomena McCullagh. There was a tie for second place between Moyne-Templetuohy and Sean Treacys who both answered 88 questions correctly. After three rounds of tie breaker questions it was Sean Treacys who won out and their team consisted of John Carey, Sheila Carey, Geraldine Carey and Noel McMahon. This team under Scór rules also qualified to represent Tipperary in the All-Ireland Table Quiz Scór Final in Castlebar on April 26th following in the footsteps of their Scór na nÓg team. Moyne Templetuohy settled for third place and their team consisted of Joe Kennedy, Tom Collier, Jim O’Meara and Paddy Moran. In the special ticket draw for all who entered the quiz heats the winner of the Garth Brooks tickets was Tadhg Howard, Cahir and the Rochestown Hotel voucher went to Michael O’Meara, Tipp Dublin Association.

SCÓR SINSEAR

Bhí Craobh an Chontae de chuid Scór ar siúl i Mainistir na Croise oíche Dé Sathairn 15 Márta. Bhí slua breá i láthair agus bhí ard-chaighdeán á léiriú ann i rith na hoíche Fear an tí on the night was Michael Ryan – fear uasal agus duine de mhuintir an pharóiste. Congratulations and well done to all the competitors and best of luck to the winners who go on to represent us in the Munster Semi-Finals in Cappamore on Saturday next March 22nd at 6:00pm. The list of winners were as follows – Rince Foirne – Newcastle; Bailéad Ghrúpa – Borris-Ileigh; Ceol Uirlise – Newport; Léiriú Stáitse – Moyne-Templetuohy; Amhránaíocht Aonair-Ciara Ní Riain – JK Brackens; Aithriseoireacht-Noel Joyce – JK Brackens; Rince Seit – JK Brackens. Maith sibh go léir.

GAA NATIONAL CLUB DRAW

The first ever GAA National Club Draw took place on St. Patrick’s Day in Croke Park. A total of €2.45 million was raised which goes directly back to the 957 clubs that participated. A number of Tipperary clubs took part in the draw and 2 of the 10 winners came from Tipperary, namely Tomas Bourke (Clonoulty-Rossmore) who won a travel voucher to the value of €1,500 and Tom Fogarty (Newport) who won the 2014 All-Ireland Hurling Final Package which includes 2 Corporate Box tickets, corporate hospitality & 2 nights accommodation.

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.