Tipperary GAA Scene
By PRO Jonathan Cullen
FBD Insurance County Championships
Hurling took centre stage last weekend with games being played at Senior, Premier Intermediate, Intermediate and Junior levels at venues right across the county. In the senior hurling championship the action commenced on Saturday afternoon in FBD Semple Stadium when Loughmore-Castleiney and Drom & Inch met for in the first of the weekends Quarter Finals. This game was billed as the tie of the round, and while there were some intense periods of play during the match, in reality the game never really sparked into life. In the end it was Drom & Inch who emerged as deserving winners by 0-21 to 0-18 over a Loughmore-Castleiney side who will be very disappointed with their performance and in particular their inaccuracy in front of goals. The second game in Thurles on Saturday was the meeting of North Tipperary neighbours Toomevara and Kilruane MacDonaghs. This was a game that failed to spark in the first half, however the second 30 was a much different experience for players and supporters as the intensity levels and work rate of all players hit a different level. As the game entered the closing stages it looked as if extra time could be on the cards, however Kilruane MacDonaghs held out to secure a win on a full time score of 2-17 to 2-15.
On Sunday the third game of the quartet threw in at 2pm and what a game it turned out to be, it had everything one would expect from the game of hurling at this level, including end to end action, fantastic scores from play placed balls and side line cuts. Having come into the game with the added bonus of having defeated their opponents in the football equivalent a week earlier, Upperchurch Drombane came from what looked like an impossible place to claim victory in the game, outscoring JK Brackens by 8 points to nil in the last 10 minutes of the game to win by 2-21 to 1-21. In the last of the Quarter Finals, Clonoulty Rossmore really started at a rip roaring pace as they took a an early 7 points to 1 lead. However they were reduced to 14 players in the 20th minute and one felt that this was going to have a major impact on the game, and it did. Kiladangan slowly got back into the match and by half time were right back in the mix. The 2020 champions took the lead early in the second half and they stayed in front for the remainder of the game to win by 1-14 to 0-12. The full time whistle signalled the end of this year’s campaign for Clonoulty Rossmore, but to their credit they fought to the very end and did themselves and their parish proud.
The action in the Premier Intermediate Quarter Finals begun with the meeting of Cashel King Cormacs and Burgess in Borrisoleigh on Saturday afternoon. This game was yet another highly entertaining event with both sides getting stuck in right from the off. Prior to the throw in it was the West Tipperary outfit who were many peoples favourites and it looked as if things could be going their way as they lead by 1-10 to 0-09 at half time. However by the 10th minute of the second half it was Burgess who had gone into the lead, from this point on those attending the game were treated to an edge of the seat experience as the lead switched between the sides right to the 31st minute when Burgess player Michael Ryan put over the levelling point to send the game into extra time with the sides locked together on 1-19 each. Burgess got off to the dream start in extra time when Donagh Maher had the ball in the back of the Cashel net in the first minute to put his side ahead. By the time the half time whistle was sounded it was Cashel King Cormacs who found themselves back ahead by 2-22 to 2-21. Burgess took control of the game in the second half of extra time and they ran out 3-27 to 2-22 winners.
The second game in Borrisoleigh on Saturday was also in the Premier Intermediate championship and featured the clash of Gortnahoe Glengoole and Portroe. This was always going to be a close game as both sides would have been anxious not to let their opponents take control of the game, but at the half way mark it was the men in red and white who held the advantage on a scoreline of 0-10 to 0-07. Gortnahoe Glengoole extended their lead during the second half and while Portroe did stage somewhat of a comeback as the game entered injury time, it was not to be for them as Gortnahoe Glengoole qualified for the semi finals on a full time score of 1-22 to 2-16.
On Sunday in the Premier Intermediate Quarter Finals, Holycross was the venue for the clash of St Marys and Silvermines and it was the Clonmel men who never looked in trouble in this one as they ran out 1-18 to 1-11 winners, the final Quarter Final which was between Roscrea and Thurles Sarsfields took place in Toomevara and resulted in a comfortable 2-26 to 2-14 win for the Roscrea men.
In the Intermediate hurling championship Kilsheelan Kilcash and Boherlahan Dualla met in Cahir to decide who would progress to the Quarter Final stage. This game was level at the end of normal time and when the final whistle was blown at the end of extra time the sides were still level on a score of 3-21 each. It then went to the dreaded penalty shootout where Kilsheelan Kilcash emerged victorious by 4 goals to Boherlahan Dualla’s 3 goals.
In the Junior A Hurling championship, there were Quarter Final wins for Moyle Rovers over Borris-Ileigh (0-24 – 1-13), Grangemockler Ballyneale over Toomevara (1-23 – 0-24), Thurles Sarsfields defeated Lattin Cullen (3-22 – 3-18) and Upperchurch Drombane overcame Galtee Rovers (1-16 – 0-06).
There were also games in the relegation element of the Senior, Premier Intermediate and Intermediate championships. In the Senior, Eire Óg Annacarty and Templederry Kenyons will contest this year’s relegation final following defeats to Moycarkey Borris and CJ Kickhams Mullinahone respectively. In the Premier Intermediate, this year’s final will be between Kiladangan and Carrick Swan who lost their semi final clashes to Newport and Ballina, while in the Intermediate championship, Ballinahinch and Shannon Rovers will contest this year’s decider having gone down to Ballybacon Grange and Carrick Davins in their semi finals.
This weekend will see Semi Finals in Senior and Intermediate football championships and also in the Tom Cusack cup, while in the Junior A football championship the Quarter Finals will take place. There is also the small matter of the relegation final in the senior football championship which takes place in Bansha on Saturday between Cahir and Aherlow.
This Weekends Fixtures:
Sun 2nd | 1.30pm | Snr Football Chp | s/f | Moyle Rovers | v | Clonmel Commercials | Golden | |
Sun 2nd | 3.15pm | Snr Football Chp | s/f | Loughmore Castleiney | v | Upperchurch Drombane | Golden | |
Sat 1st | 1.30pm | Inter Football Chp | s/f | Mullinahone | v | Golden Kilfeacle | Littleton | |
Sat 1st | 3.30pm | Inter Football Chp | s/f | Ballina | v | Grangemockler Ballyneale | Littleton | |
Sat 1st | 1.30pm | Tom Cusack Cup | s/f | Rockwell Rovers | v | Eire Og Anacarty | Cashel | |
Sat 1st | 3.30pm | Tom Cusack Cup | s/f | Drom and Inch | v | Killenaule | Cashel | |
Sat 1st | 2.30pm | Senior Football Releg | fnl | Aherlow | v | Cahir | Bansha | |
Sat 1st | 3.00pm | Junior A Football | q/f | Ballingarry | v | Roscrea/Inane Rovers | Templetuohy | |
Sun 2nd | 12.00pm | Junior A Football | q/f | Kiladangan | v | Clerihan | Holycross | |
Sun 2nd | 12.00pm | Junior A Football | q/f | Thurles Sarsfields | v | Solohead | Dundrum | |
Sun 2nd | 12.00pm | Junior A Football | q/f | Sean Treacys | v | Gortnahoe Glengoole | Borrisoleigh |