Tipperary GAA Scene July 19th 2011

MUNSTER UNDER 21 HURLING SEMI-FINAL

Our under 21 hurlers put up a brave battle after a nightmare start before losing to Cork by 4-19 to 1-21 in the Bord Gáis Munster semi-final at Semple Stadium on Friday night. Our thanks are due to the players and the management team – Ken Hogan, TJ Connolly and William Maher – for all their hard work preparing for this championship.

SENIOR HURLING TEAM TRAINING IN CLONMEL

The Tipperary senior hurling team will train at Clonmel GAA grounds this Thursday evening at 7.30pm. The training session has been organised in association with Place 4U, a voluntary project dedicated to providing for the needs of young and older people in South Tipperary. Team manager, Declan Ryan and a number of players will be at the GAA grounds from 5.30pm for a publicity event hosted by Place 4U. All are welcome but supporters are asked to co-operate fully with stewards on the evening.

COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The county senior hurling championship round 1 took place last weekend and there were wins for Borris-Ileigh, Lorrha and Dorrha, Upperchurch Drombane and Burgess. The losers from these games, Ballingarry, Cashel King Cormacs, Moneygall and Moycarkey-Borris go into the Ó Riain Cup competition. The remaining Round 1 games will be played this weekend. On Saturday evening at The Ragg, Roscrea will play Boherlahan Dualla at 2.15 pm and Thurles Sarsfields will play Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams at 4pm. On Sunday evening Kilruane MacDonaghs will play Borrisokane in Moneygall at 6.30pm and Ballybacon Grange will play Portroe at Dundrum at 7pm. Extra time will be played in the event of draws. The admission charge for all first round games, including double headers, is €5 for adults. Juveniles are free. This is a very good price particularly for double headers and is being done to encourage bigger attendances and to acknowledge the great support received from Tipperary people.

COUNTY SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Eire Og Annacarty defeated last year’s beaten finalists Loughmore Castleiney last weekend in the first round of the county senior football championship. Loughmore can still get back into the county championship if they win the Mid final. This weekend Galtee Rovers / St. Pecaun will play JK Brackens in Holycross on Saturday evening at 5.45pm on Saturday evening followed by Moyne Templetuohy against Arravale Rovers at 7.30pm.

VISIT OF MAC CARTHY CUP TO MICHAEL HOGAN’S RESIDENCE

History was made on Friday last July 15 in the small town land of Aughvaneen in the Grangemockler Ballyneale Parish. History is of course no stranger to this beautiful spot nestled in the quiet countryside in the valley of famed Slievenamon. For it was from here nearly ninety one years ago that a young Michael Hogan, just twenty four years of age and in his prime, left this quaint and lovely farmhouse to travel to Croke Park to play football for his native County in that ill-fated game versus Dublin, the aftermath of which became known as Bloody Sunday. A promise made in September 2010 was fulfilled when Eoin Kelly captain of the Tipperary senior hurling team complete with the Mac Carthy cup and the recently acquired Munster cup arrived on the doorstep at Aughvaneen to be greeted by Michael Hogan, nephew of the great Mick Hogan. Those present, who included Barry O Brien, County Chairman; Sean Nugent Vice Chairman; Dick Egan, South Board Chairman; Joe Brennan, South Vice Chairman; Johnson Lyons, Grangemockler/Ballyneale Club Chairman; Debbie Murphy, Club Secretary and Jerry Ring, former West Board Secretary; all felt a great sense of pride and of history as Eoin Kelly carried that special silverware across the threshold of that famous residence for the first time. The visitors were enthralled both by the welcome and by the old world charm of this country farmhouse the walls of which are adorned by family photographic memorabilia from the dim and distant past.

Our thanks are due to Michael Hogan for the welcome and we hope that in his time  a Tipperary captain will bring the Sam Maguire cup back to rest on his kitchen table. What a tribute that would be to the man who gave his life for the games he loved.

MCNAMEE AWARDS

Congratulations to Ger Corbett, Programme Editor at Semple Stadium on winning the McNamee Award for the best GAA match programme for 2010 in respect of the Tipperary County Senior Hurling Final programme 2010. The McNamee Awards annually honour excellence in the area of communications, public relations and journalism specifically related to the activities of the Association. Ger has a long track record of producing high quality programmes and well deserves national recognition for his work. Present at the annual McNamee Awards dinner, where Ger received his award from GAA President, Christy Cooney, were Ger and his wife, Margaret; John McCormack, Thurles Sarsfields and former Semple Stadium programme editor, and his wife Catherine; County Chairman, Barry O’Brien; County Vice-Chairman, Sean Nugent; Munster PRO, Ed Donnelly and County PRO, Ger Ryan. We also congratulate the team of people who assist Ger producing his programmes most prominent among whom are printer, Tom Beirne and contributor and compiler of statistics and historical information, Seamus O’Doherty.

FRIENDS OF TIPP FOOTBALL GOLF CHALLENGE

There was a fine turn out in Clonmel last Friday for the South qualifier of the County Tipperary GAA Inter-Club Golf Challenge.  Scoring was very good in difficult conditions.  The qualifiers for the Grand Final in Dundrum are Brian McNally, Edgar Lonergan, Jim Ryan and Tom Duggan 102 points; Dermot Maher, Dermot O’Shea, Donal Ryan and Steven O’Brien 99 points (on count back).  Thanks to all the players who participated and to the clubs who gave their support.

SYMPATHY

We extend our sympathy to the family of Peggy Morrissey, Castle View, Foxfort, Bansha who died recently. Her son Paddy played all grades football for Tipperary and also was former manager of the County Senior Football team and the County Ladies Football team. Her grandsons, Colin and Pa, also played hurling and football for Tipperary and Mairéad, her grand- daughter, won an All-Ireland Ladies Football Medal with Tipperary two years ago. Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam dilis.

TIPPERARY CLUBS DRAW

Congratulations to Adam McNamara of Gortroe, Mitchelstown (ticket sold by Skeheenarinky club) who won the star prize of a car or €15,000 in this month’s Tipperary clubs draw which was held in the Bridge House Pub in Golden on Friday night last. Kathleen Hayes of Drombane (ticket sold by Upperchurch Drombane club) won second prize of €10,000. Moyle Rovers won the special club prize of €1,000.

TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP

We would like to remind supporters who did not yet get round to renewing their membership and potential new members that it is still possible to join the Supporters Club for 2011. As well as on line, membership is available in the GAA Shop in Thurles and in the premises of Tony Lowry, Main Street, Tipperary Town; Jerry Moynihan, Gladstone Street, Clonmel; and Noel Ryan, Parnell Street, Thurles. Adult Members will be entered in Ticket Draws for five pairs of stand tickets before  Tipperary’s All-Ireland semi-final game. They will also be entered in a Draw for an All-Ireland Hurling Weekend stay at the Four Star Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Dublin (match tickets included). Also members can access a discount scheme and will get Championship team news by text as well as regular updates by email on team news and events. Adult Membership in 2011 costs €30 (unchanged since 2005). Supporters can join on line on www.tippsupportersclub.com. If you want to give membership as a present, a gift voucher is available on the website. If joining by post please send a cheque or postal order payable to Tipperary Supporters Club to John Coman, PRO and Membership Officer, 52 Hazelbrook Road, Terenure, Dublin 6W (087-9087105, email: info@tippsupportersclub.com). All funds raised through membership go directly towards the training and preparation of the Tipp senior hurlers. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

LOOKING FOR CHALLENGE GAMES

For clubs looking to arrange challenge games, there is a new website, www.challengegeme.ie (note the spelling) to help clubs find challenge games. It is free to GAA clubs. Check out the website for more details.

TPPERARY 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 contact the County Public Relations Officer Ger Ryan at 086-8149146 or via e-mail at pro.tipperary@gaa.ie on or before 3: 0pm on Monday. Visit the Tipperary GAA web site at http://tipperary.gaa.ie to keep up to date with all the latest news in Tipperary GAA circles.