A Football League Final for the Ages
By Noel Dundon (Tipperary Media)
At last, a brilliant game of football to speak about – unfortunately, it didn’t feature the blue and gold jersey.
The Allianz National Football League final at Croke Park on Easter Sunday was the contest which might just about restore our faith in the big ball code – it was end-to-end stuff from the very off and Derry really took the game to the favourites before eventually showing cooler heads under penalty pressure to seal the title. Undoubtedly, the victory and the silverware will do far more good for Derry and Mikey Harte than it would have done for the Dubs – Derry showed everyone how to handle the Dublin press in much the same way as the Kilkenny hurlers showed the world how to handle the Limerick lads.
So, both All-Ireland champions have been outed then – should be easy to see off their challenge when the championships begin in a few weeks time!! Not likely and both champs will be upping the ante in the coming weeks.
But then, so too will every other team in the championship – the big question will be; can the other teams improve enough to really launch serious affronts on the top sides? All will unfold soon.
Tipperary Munster Football Championship Journey Begins…
The Tipperary senior football championship campaign begins in Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Sunday next with a 2:00pm throw-in. For a Tipperary side which has struggled to perform so far this season, this game represents a real challenge. Waterford would be considered the weakest side in the championship, but at home in Dungarvan against a Tipperary team which has failed to fire, they will fancy their chances. Tipperary have never had it easy in Fraher Field and you can be damn sure, next Sunday will be no exception.
So, we need to see a different Tipperary on Sunday – a Tipperary side which plays with passion; and optimism; and energy; and confidence; and swagger – even if league form suggests that none of the above should be present in abundance. But, this is championship and when the heat gets turned on a different type of temperature emerges to bring things to boiling point.
Tipperary have to turn up the heat and they simply have to play like their lives depend on it. Let’s see the boys throw off the shackles, have a right go and see how they get on. It’s time to take risks – calculated ones – and really just go for broke.
League Final for Camogie Ladies
It’s been a while coming, but the Tipperary senior camogie ladies are back in the league final and will have Galway for company in the decider in two weekends time. This represents a real chance for Denis Kelly’s charges to build on their Munster title of 2023 by adding a national crown and continuing their development into a top side.
They are not too far off at all and judging by the results so far – they have already beaten Galway – they are maturing into a potent outfit. A day out in Croker is their reward for getting to the league final – let’s hope they can lift the silverware and tackle the championship head-on thereafter.
The GAA and climate change
The times they are a changin’ sang Bob Dylan in that famous hit song of his. And, the GAA really needs to embrace this – especially when it comes to climate change. If, as predicted by climatologists, our winters are to be wetter and our pitches unplayable for prolonged periods in the early parts of the year, then a serious re-think needs to happen when it comes to fixtures.
Already we have seen matches cancelled due to water-logged fields – the manicured sod of Semple Stadium has even fallen foul of the weather – and if games continue to be cancelled there will be serious fixture-logging to go along with the water-logging. Think how frequently the all-weather pitch in Fethard is being used at the present time and just ponder the question – where would we be without it? In a serious crux, would be the truthful answer.
So, what is there to do? Well, Croke Park can hardly be expected to fix the climate problems or to solve global warming. But, perhaps plans need to be put in place for the provision of additional all weather facilities across the country. One in each county would make an enormous difference and if these were to be co-financed it would be better still.
Perhaps it is something that government should be looking at too. The benefits of sport are constantly being touted by processions of Ministers, so why not lay the money down and get those facilities in place. This could make an enormous difference.
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