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Irish Examiner
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
West reawakes: Tipp greats English and Fox delight at division's revival
Last year, it seemed West Tipperary hurling had hit a nadir when no senior final took place for the first time in living memory. There was no opposition for Clonoulty-Rossmore, winners of the eight previous divisional senior titles. It had been hoped a combination of lower-grade clubs in the region would come together to form a team, but there was no interest. Cashel King Cormacs, who they had beaten comprehensively in the 2023 final, later went onto win the county's intermediate crown and will present Clonoulty-Rossmore with a challenge this year. However, the break in a storied competition going back nearly 100 years was a sad one. Tales about the thousands who flocked to the west matches are legendary but not to younger generations who - conditioned by the demise of the competition - believe them to be tall. 'Thank God Cashel have become senior to make a competition of West Tipperary this year because it had been desperate the last few years,' says Tipperary great Pat Fox of Éire Óg-Annacarty. 'For five years, Clonoulty and Éire Óg were playing in one game, the final, which was unbelievable really. We couldn't imagine that from our time when we had eight or nine senior teams in West Tipperary hurling, which was fantastic and the crowds were huge. Emigration would have played its part in the decline. We've been starved, to be honest.' Tipperary's Eoghan Connolly contests possession with Robbie Cotter and Brian Hayes of Cork. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Fox's great partner Nicky English agrees. 'The drop in numbers and less clubs has been a massive factor. There have been several amalgamations like my own Lattin-Cullen with Aherlow. 'I'm not sure it has anything to do with how other sports are faring in the area. You have St Michael's soccer club doing well in Tipp town but there just haven't been the numbers in the rural areas.' Between 1987 and '91, a club from the west featured in four of the five senior Tipperary finals, winning three of them. Since then, only Clonoulty-Rossmore (1997 and 2018) have lifted the Dan Breen Cup. Inter-county-wise, that period in the late 1980s was as much a halcyon one for the region as Fox, Bonnar and English lit up the county's full-forward line and another four West Tipp men populated three other lines in the 1989 All-Ireland winning team. From seven in that Babs Keating team, the west's proportion had diminished to zero in 2010 when Liam Sheedy matched English's achievement of bringing back the Liam MacCarthy Cup to Tipperary for the first time in nine years. Defender Conor O'Brien from Fox's club came off the bench to ensure they weren't left out but there was no west man who saw action in the 2016 final success and like O'Brien Ger Browne was a used substitute three years later. However, there are fires being lit around Cashel, Dundrum and Tipperary town again. In Limerick on Saturday, there will be four west men in Liam Cahill's squad – Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore), Eoghan Connolly and Oisín O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) and Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers). A third of the recent All-Ireland U20 winning team under Brendan Cummins hail from the division – Eoin Horgan and Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams), Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Conor Martin (Cappawhite) and O'Donoghue. Also on the bench was David Ryan, brother of senior panellist Johnny, who was an All-Ireland winning minor last year with his club-mate Adam Ryan and Darragh O'Hora from Solohead. 'When we won the U21 All-Ireland in '81, there was Johnny Farrell in goals, (Pat) Fox was corner-back, Mark McGrath, Ger O'Neill, Austin Buckley and myself from West Tipp,' recalls English. 'Then you had the '82 All-Ireland minor winning team that had the likes of John Kennedy, Colm Bonnar and John Leamy, so it's taken a long time to come around again. The West Tipp representation was borne out of those teams and a 1980 minor team, which was unusual at the time. The signs are positive once more.' The first Harty Cup success in their history, Cashel Community College's achievement against Thurles CBS two years pointed to foundations being laid for the future. Ten of the starters including Daly and O'Donoghue were from West Tipperary clubs. Hours before he is involved against Galway on Saturday, O'Donoghue's younger brother Cormac and first cousin Jamesie will be part of the Cashel King Cormacs team representing the county in the Féile in Ferns, Co Wexford. Cashel publican Fox never expects what happened in his playing days to be repeated but to have a healthier local involvement is huge. 'That was the height of it, I'd imagine. We never saw anything like that and it probably won't be the same again unless something drastic happens but there are some green shoots. Young Connolly, O'Donoghue and Doyle are giving us something to cheer about and that's all you want.' GOING WEST From a record seven players on Tipperary's All-Ireland SHC winning team of 1989, including the entire full-forward line, the west division's numbers dwindled in subsequent victorious seasons. However, there are four on Saturday's match-day panel, two starting against Galway, with the prospect of more: 2019 0. Used substitute: Ger Browne (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams/Cashel King Cormacs). 2016 0 2010 0. Used substitute Conor O'Brien (Éire Óg-Annacarty-Donohill). 2001 3 – Thomas Costello (Cappawhite); Eugene O'Neill (same); Declan Ryan (Clonoulty-Rossmore). 1991 6 - Conal Bonnar (Cashel King Cormacs); Colm Bonnar (same); Declan Ryan; Pat Fox (Éire Óg-Annacarty); Cormac Bonnar (Cashel King Cormacs); Nicky English (Lattin-Cullen). 1989 7 – Conal Bonnar; John Kennedy (Clonoulty-Rossmore); Colm Bonnar; Declan Ryan; Pat Fox; Cormac Bonnar; Nicky English. Used substitute: Joe Hayes (Clonoulty-Rossmore).
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Jackie Tyrrell: Limerick aura 'slowly eroded' but still playing at high level
Jackie Tyrrell feels Limerick's aura may have "slowly eroded" but that an All-Ireland Hurling semi-final match-up with Kilkenny would be good fixture for both teams, provided John Kiely's side emerge victorious from Saturday's quarter-final against Dublin at Croke Park. Limerick lost the Munster final to Cork by way of a penalty shootout after a gripping contest a fortnight ago but will be favourites to bounce back when they take on the Dubs this weekend. The prize for the winner will be a crack at Tyrrell's native Kilkenny in the semi-finals and should Limerick get past Dublin per pre-match expectation, an intriguing clash awaits in two weeks' time, as the nine-time All-Ireland winner told the RTÉ GAA Podcast. "I think both teams will fancy it if Limerick come home at the weekend," he said of a potential Limerick v Kilkenny clash for the ages. "I think it's a good fixture for both. I think Kilkenny know the way Limerick play. Limerick are very, very attritional, so are Kilkenny. They'll welcome that. "They play at a really high level, have some exquisite players, Limerick have. But I think Kilkenny won't be overawed, and I would say the aura of this Limerick team where they were almost unbeatable for years, that has slowly eroded because Cork have beaten them a couple of times now and other teams have beaten them. "So I don't think that mental baggage that might have been there before when it comes to 60 minutes and Limerick turn the screw, I don't think that's probably as strong as it was before. "But I think it would be a good fixture for both. I don't think any of them would fear it. I think the fact that it's in Croke Park I think would bring the best out of each other and it would be some, some fixture if it transpires that way." While Limerick continue to operate at an elite standard, Tyrrell noted brief moments when Kiely's multiple Liam MacCarthy Cup winners have endured uncharacteristic lapses. "That's only natural and if you look closely and I'm probably being over-critical here, but when did we see a high ball coming in and Nicky Quaid miscontrolling it out for a '65 at a crucial moment?" he said. "When did we see Darragh O'Donovan, 50 yards out with the chance to win the game, missing it? When did we see Aaron Gillane missing that '21 free? Normally he nails them. "Peter Casey had a great chance. I know it was windy down there, absolutely, they were out on their feet. "But they are probably small little traces of just that mental fatigue. Because everytime Limerick have gone out probably for eight years, it's been an All-Ireland final. "So it's only natural. But still, it's a testament that they still hung in there and for me they didn't really lose the Munster final. Cork beat them in a penalty shootout. It's an amazing feat they're still there playing at such a high level. "To get over this weekend, I think John Kiely and Derek Lyng will be rubbing their hands at a cut off each other." However, Dublin are still part of the equation although they will be underdogs against Limerick on Saturday. In terms of the gameplan that could give Dublin an outside chance of staging an upset, Tyrrell feels going long and direct and trying to discommode the Limerick half-back line could be "the only option". "You have to engage this Limerick team physically, just to survive and be in the game," he said. "Maybe we will see Conor Burke for the first 15-20 minutes maybe dropping in centre-back and maybe Chris Crummey dropping off or maybe Conor Burke will just go back because they just need to stay in the game, build from there and get their confidence. "Is there merit in putting Ronan Hayes or Hedgo (John Hetherton) on the edge of the square and going long and direct? Because I don't think running through this Limerick team, you're going to get much success. They're just too physical and powerful for this Dublin team right now. "So maybe that long ball route in - you've seen the success that Brian Hayes probably has early in there - although Seán Finn and Mike Caseh are extremely good defenders, they're not going to be catching balls. "If they can break that ball, move Kyle Hayes around... there's probably elements of the Cork game that Dublin can look at. How they interchanged their half-forward line, how they moved Kyle Hayes around and maybe bypassing that half-forward line, trying to pull them out and go long in and see if they can get success. "But staying in the game, growing into the game is hugely important from Dublin. The thing from Dublin though is they have been leaking soft goals throughout this round robin and that's maybe why there is merit in dropping an extra man back."
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Fintan Burke says Galway must let their hurling do the talking after Leinster final ‘frustration'
PRODUCING the type of display that leaves pundits gushing is Galway's aim against Tipperary — but Fintan Burke admits TV analysis is not his cup of tea. Looking ahead to the 2 Fintan Burke insists Galway must bounce back after the Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny 2 Burke also admitted that he's not one to ponder over tv analysis after a game The St Thomas' man was also asked if he sat down to watch Burke laughed: 'I'd watch the match but not the analysis. 'I'd leave the analysis and go and have a cup of tea. There's a lot of talk I wouldn't agree with at half-time.' When it comes to the opinions expressed by former players on live broadcasts, ignorance is bliss for Burke. READ MORE ONN GAA He explained: 'Sometimes it'll creep into your mind. You could be sitting at half-time for 15 minutes and you'll be saying, 'What are they saying about us?' 'If you don't know what they're talking about, you don't know what they're focusing on. 'Sometimes a lot of what is said at half-time is just to fill in the 15-minute gap. 'A lot of it has no relevance to how the game is going.' Most read in GAA Hurling As for the 3-22 to 1-20 defeat to Kilkenny, Burke does not require the input of any analyst to know that Galway's performance was not up to scratch. Having fallen 13 points behind by the 57th minute, the Tribe rallied by firing 1-6 without reply. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter But a stoppage-time goal from Mossy Keoghan killed off the comeback as the Cats landed their sixth straight provincial title. Burke reflected: 'There's probably a positive and a negative in that we've seen what we can do when we let our hurling do the talking once we get into the flow. 'But we left it too late and Kilkenny deservedly won. 'The most disappointing thing for us is that we didn't hurl how we wanted to and we didn't express the brand of hurling we're trying to express. 'We kind of played it on Kilkenny's terms.' Following their previous loss to Kilkenny in a Leinster final — in 2023 — Galway rebounded by advancing to an All-Ireland semi-final at Tipp's expense. They will hope to repeat the dose at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday. The return to the hotseat of Micheál Donoghue, the man who steered them to Liam MacCarthy Cup glory in 2017, brought renewed hope to Galway entering this year. And Burke, now in his sixth season of senior inter-county hurling, is keen to claim some Championship silverware. But he said: 'There's no panic. There's frustration and disappointment at our performance. 'But it's not going to be an overnight thing of Micheál coming in and winning All-Irelands. 'It's going to take a year or two for lads to kind of knit in, the younger lads to get used to the older lads and vice versa. 'But we still want to be successful at the same time. 'A few of us are pushing on a little bit and you don't want to be waiting three or four years to be successful. 'It's kind of about finding the balance in between.' TIPP TEST If Galway are to prevent Tipp from reaching the last four of the All-Ireland race for the first time since 2019, a leading role is likely to be played by Cathal Mannion. The Ahascragh-Fohenagh marksman has been thriving since undergoing a procedure to address a long-standing Achilles issue last winter. His fine form continued with an 11-point haul against Kilkenny. Burke said: 'People outside the county probably would've forgotten the level of hurler he is. 'In fairness to us in the group, when you see him day in, day out and week in, week out doing it in training, you're not really surprised, to be honest. 'I'd have him as one of the best to come out of Galway
Irish Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kildare hurlers: The long and winding road to make it back to the Liam MacCarthy
The Kildare hurlers were so close they could feel it. It was 49 years ago yesterday when the Lilywhites got ahead of Wexford in the Leinster SHC semi-final, only to fall by four points thanks to the Model County's late surge. Wexford went on to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Pat Dunney was at the heart of it for Kildare in Athy that day. "I remember with 10 minutes to go we were very close to winning," said the Raheens great. "Then they got a couple of scores and just held on and won - probably because you weren't in that position before, I suppose. "They were used to playing at a different level. The effort that we put in to be that close, we just couldn't sustain it for the full length of the game. "As he was for the county in the previous decade and has been since his playing days ended thanks to the work he has done in administrative roles to foster the sport in the county." No wonder then that last Saturday at Croke Park was a day to celebrate for Dunney, and that he is so looking forward to today's SHC preliminary quarter-final against Dublin. We'll get to that. His former team-mate, Noel Burke, recalled the atmosphere in Athy. "There was a real interest in Kildare hurling at that time," said the Ardclough man who was originally from Galway. "We were there or thereabouts but were good one year and bad the next. It just depended on getting a consistent amount of good lads on the team. "It was three or four clubs that were always just hanging in at the time. But it's a different story now and it's going well. You need that to have a fair chance at senior level." Dunney, a successful dual player for the Lilywhites, won an All-Ireland junior hurling title with the Lilywhites in 1962 and again four years later. All-Ireland intermediate and Division 2 success followed in 1969. "We were quite competitive then in the leagues," recalled the Prosperous man. "We were playing the Waterfords, Clares and Galways." Kildare played in the senior championship for most of the 1970s - taking a break to win the inaugural All-Ireland B competition in '74. They made it to that 1976 provincial semi-final, beating Dublin along the way in Aughrim, and made it back to the semis against Wexford the following summer. But they lost to Offaly in 1979 and returned to the B championship, which they won in 1980 - only to be heavily beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The next generation hadn't come through to consolidate the progression made. "All the team had gotten old together," Dunney said. "It ran out of numbers. It can happen, of course. Kildare remained competitive at their own level after that without winning things but then dropped back around the early 2000s. "That's why what is happening now is important. It's like a school team - you have a period where you have a brilliant team for a few years, then a period when you're not as good. "That's what happened in the 70s and the success Kildare are having now, hopefully that continues to grow the game and ensures we have the players - and the coaches - coming through. It's all about the numbers. You need the numbers involved." Kildare returned to the extended Leinster championship from 2001 for four years, but only beat Wicklow in that period. Dunney - who went on to be a selector during Mick O'Dwyer's time with the Lilywhites - was the chairman of Croke Park's hurling development committee when, in 2004, the Christy Ring and Rackard Cups were announced. Kildare have been slowly building blocks since then. Naas' move into the competitive underage ranks in Kilkenny was massive, as has been the club's progress in the Leinster club championship - and the appointment of David Herity as the Lilywhitsenior manager, and more recently Brian Dowley. Colm Nolan, the current county hurling chairman, came on board in 2014. Four years later he headed up an action plan to drive participation in non-traditional hurling areas - over 50 'action agents' were appointed to go to work. "We knew if they could get behind it that their passion, their determination locally would drive others on," said Nolan. The Lilywhites have won the Christy Ring six times, including last year, but the Joe McDonagh Cup became the next level competition to win from 2018 and Kildare's victory over Laois in last Saturday's Croker final has propelled them into the promised land of this All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final and then Division 1B in 2026. The average age of the Kildare hurlers is just over 23. "This is the culmination of what we put in place 15 or 20 years ago at underage level," said Dunney. "I remember those young lads from when they were 12 or 14 playing, so it's terrific. "It's a people-driven thing. It's not about a thing you can put up on a blackboard and say, 'this is what we do'. It's about getting people down to the pitches to help out and getting kids onto the pitch, it's about having people there for every age group to help them be the best they can be. After that, then, you pray for success." Kildare's hurling community may be dizzy with success but, for Colm Nolan, what matters now is building a sustainable future at the top level. "We have to move to make sure that we can achieve the next level," he said. "That's what it's all about. "Our development is all built on the back of making sure we've got good structures, making sure we've got good quality people across the board. "We're very, very fortunate to have a very energetic, passionate hurling family. They look out for each other and share ideas - and that's really going to be even more important now that we grow that family. There's a greater participation level across the whole county and that's going to be absolutely crucial for the next 10 years."
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jake Morris hails Noel McGrath as Tipperary's vintage star with young guns ready to shine
JAKE MORRIS raised a toast to Noel McGrath as the 'fine wine' in Tipperary's cellar continues to produce sparkling displays at the age of 34. 2 Jake Morris of Tipperary hailed Noel McGrath as a 'fine wine' 2 Veteran Tipp star Noel McGrath has been in fine for for his county in the Championship Darragh McCarthy, Oisín O'Donoghue and Sam O'Farrell have all played senior Championship hurling for the Premier in 2025. They also had starring roles in the win against Kilkenny that saw Tipperary crowned Morris, 26, said: 'Getting another good day-out down in Nowlan Park and winning an All-Ireland, it's great for the boys, it's great for the county. 'They're back in with us now with All-Ireland medals in their back pocket and they're fresh and confident. read more on gaa "It can only be a good thing.' With their minors also defying two red cards in the final against the Cats to taste All-Ireland glory last year, the future appears to be bright. Morris added: 'Look, we've great hurlers coming through. It's hard to say will we reap the rewards from it, it's just about really being conscious and working hard and putting your best foot forward all the time. 'I think we do have the right structures in place at the minute to allow us to maybe let some of the young fellas flourish in the next few years. Most read in GAA Hurling "But there's no shortage of hurlers in Tipperary and we just have to go one step at a time and stay doing what we're doing.' At the other end of the age spectrum, Tipperary are still also being well served by the only member of Liam Cahill's panel who can boast of being a three-time All-Ireland winner. GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather Now in his 17th season on the senior inter-county beat, McGrath featured in all four Munster SHC games as Tipp secured a top-three finish to advance. And Morris gushed: 'Noel is worth so much to us inside there. He's so good with all the younger lads, so good off the field. He'll give you his last bit of energy. 'He's just such a good lad to have around the dressing room and then you can see what he does on the field. He's like a fine wine. He's getting better. "A really, really important player for us and he's going to be again this weekend. He's been such a good hurler for Tipperary over the years and he just continues to give and give and give.' Tipp finished bottom of the provincial pile following a woeful 2024. But wins over Waterford and Liam MacCarthy Cup holders Clare, as well as a draw with Limerick, show improvements have been made. But Morris insisted: 'We can't look past Laois now and that's me being totally honest with you. "We've seen the way hurling has gone nowadays. If you take your eye off the ball, you get done, so we're just preparing for this weekend. 'But training has been going well. We've had a couple of weeks to reflect and learn from the Munster Championship, take away some areas that we need to improve on and just look at a bit of video and see what's going well for us and what areas we can go after this weekend
