Club Football; more imagination needed ?; Round 2 Hurling promises much; Kyle Hayes wishes.
by Noel Dundon
With the roar of approval still echoing around inter-county football after the daring new rules breathed fresh life into the game, the spotlight shifted closer to home, onto the parish fields and the opening rounds of the county championships, where a crowded fixture list promised drama and discovery.
Could the local battles summon the same fevered passion as the inter-county stage? Would the terraces swell with crowds eager to glimpse the next champions-in-waiting? Might hidden gems emerge—young talents to one day strengthen the Tipperary senior ranks or slip into the underage squads with promise in their boots?
One outing alone, of course, will not provide such answers. A longer view must be taken. Yet already, the familiar faces are breaking fastest from the traps. The reigning kings, Loughmore-Castleiney, lead the charge once again, joined by last year’s gallant finalists, Clonmel Commercials.
The Mid men brushed aside Killenaule in emphatic fashion, with John “Bubbles” O’Dwyer slipping seamlessly between the uprights, echoing his hurling heroics. With the punditry table behind him for now, Bubbles juggles the load of coach and player—never a man to stand idle.
Commercials, for their part, stormed into round two with a ruthless display, dismantling near-neighbours Ardfinnan as they raised an astonishing 4-20. Elsewhere, Moyle Rovers edged a stubborn Upperchurch-Drombane, Kilsheelan-Kilcash got the better of Cahir, and Aherlow prevailed over Ballyporeen.
Among the town teams, JK Brackens carried the momentum of their hurling exploits onto the football pitch, dispatching Arravale Rovers, while Ballina—riding high from their recent small-ball triumphs—overcame Grangemockler, despite missing Michael Breen, Steven O’Brien, and Teddy Doyle.
Still, one cannot shake the sense that the football championship cries out for a new spark, a fresh storyline to catch the imagination. Outside of the club faithful, neutral supporters are scarce, and that is a shame, for there is quality fare on offer. Perhaps the Board has yet to find the right note in how these games are presented.
Surely, some imaginative steps could help swell attendances and, in turn, intensify the spectacle. Could juvenile “Go Games” curtain-raisers—mirroring the cherished primary game showcases—draw families and young players into the heart of the occasion? The cost would be little, but the impact could be immense: children playing before their heroes, clubs nurturing the next generation, and supporters leaving with more than just one match in their memory. One thing is certain—thinking must be done, for there is too much fine work in the clubs, and too many worthy contests being played out, to allow football’s flame to dim through neglect or lack of vision.
Hurling weekend bring much promise again.
You could hardly help but feel a surge of excitement looking ahead to next weekend, with a glittering line-up of hurling showdowns waiting to be decided. These contests hardly need the polish of a marketing guru—their drama and intensity speak for themselves. The very fact that TG4 is rolling into Tipperary to beam the clash of Mid champions JK Brackens against the reigning county kings, Loughmore-Castleiney, to a national audience tells you all you need to know about the stature of the Tipp championship.
And that is but one jewel on a weekend bursting with promise. Take Clonoulty-Rossmore squaring up to Toomevara—a heavyweight collision that both sides must win, especially with last year’s county finalists looking to reassert their credentials. Or cast your eye toward Nenagh Éire Óg as they lock horns with newcomers Cashel King Cormacs, a fiery all-urban contest that stretches across old dividing lines. Then there’s Kiladangan meeting Holycross-Ballycahill, a tie brimming with intrigue: the Mid men on the rise, desperate to stamp their authority by toppling one of the fancied.
Thurles Sarsfields and Mullinahone renew acquaintances once more, but for Thurles the stakes could not be higher—they need victory to breathe life into their campaign. Roscrea and Borris-Ileigh, too, will be fighting to cling to contention when they clash on Saturday evening in Templemore. And do not overlook Drom-Inch, who came within a whisper of dethroning the champions in round one. They now chase that elusive first win against Lorrha-Dorrha, who themselves showed no fear against the Mid giants in their opener.
Already, the championship has served up results that have raised eyebrows, and as we inch closer to the cut-and-thrust of the business end, expect more twists, more shocks, and more evenings when the roar of the crowd carries long into the night. Will you be there for one of them? If you can, get along—lend your voice to the great buzz that continues to crackle.
Kyle Hayes hatred on social media.
Nobody likes seeing a player being seriously injured no matter who that player is, what he may or may not have done in the past, or whether we like him or not. To see some of the comments which have circulated following Limerick player Kyle Hayes’ serious injury is very disturbing. Real hurling people will wish him well in his recovery. Now that’s sport.