By Andy Fogarty County PRO
All Ireland Championship Qualifiers
Hurling
Congratulations to the Tipperary senior hurling team on their win over Offaly in the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Rd 2 Qualifiers in O’Moore Park Portlaoise last Saturday evening. Tipperary are now through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals after beating Offaly by 5-25 to 1-20. Scorer of 3-8 in last weekend’s victory over Galway, Seamus Callanan was top-scorer again with a brilliant return of 2-10. With first-half goals from Lar Corbett (2), Callanan and Patrick Bonner Maher, Tipperary took control of proceedings as they built up a commanding 4-9 to 0-11 interval advantage. Offaly reduced the deficit to just four points, 4-11 to 1-16 within 13 minutes of the restart, but Tipperary kicked on again and won the game with 17 points to spare at the end. Tipperary have now scored 25 points in each of their last two championship games which is exceptional point scoring. Again congratulations to the team and management team on a great performance against Offaly. Tipperary will now face Dublin in the quarter-finals in Semple Stadium on Sunday July 27th with Limerick playing the winners of Wexford or Waterford.
Football
Our senior footballers defeated Laois by 3-17 to 4-9 in an absolute thriller in Rd 3 A of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifiers last Saturday evening in Portlaoise in the opening game. Tipp got off to a dream start as Conor Sweeney finished excellently to the back of the Laois net inside the opening minute. Sweeney scored his second goal ten minutes from the break. Tipperary players received a standing ovation as they left the field at half time with a 2-10 to 1-3 lead, and holding Laois scoreless from the 13th minute until the break. The hosts battled back from a ten-point interval deficit to draw level with 62 minutes played, but a 70th-minute Barry Grogan goal confirmed that the Premier County would progress to the fourth and final round of the football Qualifiers. What a game and what a performance by the team who will now face beaten Connacht finalists Galway next on Saturday July 26th at 7:00pm in O’Connor Park Tullamore. We congratulate the team and management team on their wonderful victory over Laois.
Thanks
Our sincere thanks to all Tipperary fans who travelled to the games last Saturday in big numbers and for the great support and encouragement they gave to both teams.
Bord Gais Energy Munster GAA Hurling U21 Championship Semi-Final
Best of luck to the Tipperary U21 hurlers who will play Munster and All Ireland champions Clare in the Bord Gais Energy Munster GAA Hurling U21 Championship Semi-Final this evening Wednesday July 16th at 7:30pm in Cusack Park Ennis. Tipperary face a big task in Ennis but have prepared well with a number of challenge games under their belt. This will be Tipperary’s first game in the championship as opposed to Clare who have played Limerick already in the opening round match where they won the game very convincing by 2-20 to Limerick’s 1-14. Clare started that game with six of last year’s All-Ireland winning senior panel and with half a dozen more on the fringe of this year’s extended panel they will be very difficult opponents. We wish the team and management team the very best this evening and support for the team in Ennis would be very welcome .
Clean Ireland Recycling County Senior Challenge Cup Final
It was another quiet weekend on the club scene with the county teams in action last weekend. The county final of the Dr Fogarty Cup took place last Sunday with Clonoulty–Rossmore defeating Burgess by 2-16 to 2-14.
Friends of Tipperary Football Golf Classic
Best of luck to the ‘Friends of Tipperary Football’ who are holding a Golf Classic this Saturday in Thurles Golf Club. This fundraiser will help to finance the preparation and development of Tipperary football teams at all levels. Fourball ball team-120 euro or tee box for 50 euro. Participants can look forward to being served a tasty burger at 10th tee box. Time sheet is now open. Full details can be had by contacting (086) 2549154
Tipperary Clubs Draw
Congratulations to Kilruane MacDonaghs Maura Grace who won the Skoda Octavia or €15,000 and to Ann Vaughan with the Mullinahone GAA Club who won the Skoda Fabia or €10,000 at the Tipperary clubs draw which was hosted by the Silvermines GAA club at Hickeys’s Lounge in Silvermines on Friday night last. Local winners last month, Siobhan O Brien, Silvermines (€15k) and Maeve DeLoughrey (€10k) were presented with their cheques along with Moyne Templetuohy’s Martin O’Grady (€10k), and Billy Ryan Skeheenarinky and Mitchelstown (€15k). All the members joined last Friday night will also participate in the weekly lotto draws for the next three Friday mornings broadcast on Tipp FM at 10.30am. This Fridays lotto jackpot is €4,000. Apologies to those who were listening in on Friday night last for an update from the draw. Due to a poor signal we were unable to connect with the station.
July Co Board & Management Meetings
This month’s meetings will be held on Tuesday July 29th in the Sarsfields Centre and clubs will be notified next week.
Team Tipperary GAA Galway Races – July 28th 2014
The Galway Races Summer Festival is renowned 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. It’s true to say that once you go racing in Galway, you’ll want to make it an annual event. It is an unique occasion filled with colour, atmosphere, passion and craic. Tipperary Co Board are offering a very attractive package for supporters to attend the Galway Races on Monday July 28th. For €150 per head or €1500 for a table of 10, the following is included; race admission ticket, complimentary car parking, race card, racing tipster, full four course meal served at the table with wine, reserved table for the day, tote facilities, prime view of the track and full bar facilities. We are appealing to all clubs and to all fans in the county to get behind this fundraiser. We look forward to seeing you there.
Give your views on the future of Hurling
GAA President, Liam O’Neill established the Hurling 2020 Committee to look at the game of hurling and to submit proposals for change as appropriate to ensure the improvement of the game over the next 20 years. The committee, under the Chairmanship of former All-Ireland Senior Hurling winning manager Liam Sheedy (Tipperary) has begun the process of consulting widely within the Association at all levels and with GAA supporters to ascertain the areas which require the most immediate attention. With this in mind, Hurling 2020 have launched a survey which will allow all participants to be entered in to a draw for 2 tickets to the 2014 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final. This survey is a key part of the consultation process and its aim is to collate the feedback from the hurling community about the game as it stands and what you would like to see in its future. Your submission to this survey will form the basis of the committee’s report in the autumn of 2014 with a view to tabling motions as required to the 2015 GAA Annual Congress.You can complete the Hurling 2020 survey now to give your views on the future direction of Ireland’s ancient game by logging into – http://www.gaa.ie/hurling-2020/
€1.215m has been allocated in Sports Capital Grants for Tipperary
A total of €1.215m has been allocated in Sports Capital Grants to 32 sporting organisations and clubs in Tipperary by the Department of Sport. Ten GAA clubs and one camogie in the county received in total € 429,000.
Calling All Future Hurling Stars of Tipperary!
On Saturday 26thJuly, Moyne Templetuohy GAA Club will host a Centra community hurling event with two of the brightest stars in hurling, Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin and Tipperary hero Eoin Kelly, on hand to give expert tips to the young aspiring Tipperary hurlers!
There will be plenty of fun to be on the day as Centra aims to bring the whole community together. Children will have the opportunity to meet their heroes of the game as they showcase their hurling skills. There will also be a host of family entertainment on the day including face painting, a hurling simulator to test your hurling skills, music and goodie bags. Tipp FM will also be on site to add to the atmosphere of the day!
The event is one of 16 taking place this summer as Centra celebrates their 5thyear as sponsor of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship by bringing together the brightest stars of hurling for fun community events in GAA clubs throughout the country.
On the day of the event, Centra will be on the hunt for the Brightest Young Star of the day, with a few lucky children getting the opportunity to be questioned by their hurling heroes! The child with the best hurling knowledge and the funniest and quirkiest answers will be crowned Centra’s Brightest Young Star of Tipperary and will be in with a chance to win an incredible trip for their family to the All-Ireland Hurling final.
This family fun event is kindly supported by the following participating Centra stores; Austin’s Centra Cloughjordan, Hourihane’s Centra Killenaule, Dwyer’s Centra Thurles, Ely’s Centra Thurles, O’Connell’s Centra Templemore, Sheedy’s Centra Nenagh, Deegan’s Centra Urlingford, Shanahan’s Centra Borrisoleigh and Carroll’s Centra Roscrea.
To sign up for the event, register instore in a participating Centra store. Closing date for entries is Friday 18th July. The event commences at 10am on Saturday 26th July in Moyne Templetuohy GAA Club. The hurling skills session is open to boys and girls of all standards from ages five to twelve.
Centra, at the heart of communities throughout Ireland with 465 stores nationwide, is continuing to work with the GAA to promote and develop the game of hurling for all ages right across the country; in both developing and well established hurling counties.
For more information on Centra’s community events throughout the summer pop into your local Centra store, go to www.centra.ie or find ‘Centra Ireland’ on Facebook and Twitter
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 email 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.