Ep. 225: Favourites Go Down Hard as ’Cross & Cashel Bow Out
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship has been blown wide open, and Episode 225 of The Premier View Podcast dives straight into a dramatic weekend of Dan Breen Cup action that saw some of the championship’s leading contenders sent packing.
Cashel King Cormacs, Holycross/Ballycahill, Kiladangan and Borris-Ileigh are all out, leaving a fascinating final four of Thurles Sarsfields, Nenagh Éire Óg, Moycarkey-Borris and JK Brackens standing in the race for the 2026 Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship.
Sean is joined by Noel Dundon and Stephen Cronin to break down the quarter-finals, assess where the games were won and lost, and look ahead to two hugely anticipated county semi-finals.
Moycarkey-Borris Produce Stunning Comeback
One of the performances of the weekend came from Moycarkey-Borris, who overturned a six-point half-time deficit to defeat Kiladangan by 3-23 to 2-22.
For long periods, Kiladangan appeared to be in control. Their forward line caused serious problems in the opening half and Moycarkey looked to have left themselves with a mountain to climb.
But this Moycarkey-Borris side refused to panic.
That composure has become one of their defining characteristics. They stayed in the contest, gradually reduced the deficit and then exploded into life late on as Kiladangan struggled to contain their direct running and attacking threat.
Goals proved decisive, with Moycarkey showing the confidence and belief of a team accustomed to winning big underage matches and now beginning to translate that success to senior level.
Their run through the championship has been impressive and they now find themselves just one victory away from a first Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship final since 1984.
Standing in their way are JK Brackens.
Thurles Sarsfields Send Out Another Warning
Thurles Sarsfields had no such drama in their quarter-final, producing a dominant display to beat Borris-Ileigh 3-22 to 1-18.
Sarsfields had already built a commanding 2-12 to 0-07 half-time advantage, and Borris-Ileigh never managed to seriously threaten a comeback.
The Thurles attack functioned impressively, with scores spread across the forward unit and their movement causing continuous problems.
At the other end, the Sarsfields defence provided the platform for everything that followed.
There was particular praise on the podcast for the experienced figures who have adapted to new roles, along with the younger players who have established themselves in the side during 2026.
That mixture of youth and experience means this is a noticeably different Thurles Sarsfields team from recent seasons.
They remain without some hugely experienced players, but rather than weaken the side, it has created opportunities for a new generation to take ownership of the team.
Their reward is a huge semi-final meeting with Nenagh Éire Óg.
Nenagh Éire Óg Blow Cashel Away
If there was one result that made the rest of the county take notice, it was Nenagh Éire Óg’s emphatic victory over Cashel King Cormacs.
Cashel entered the weekend unbeaten after three impressive group-stage victories, but Nenagh produced a devastating display to win 3-29 to 0-21.
The game had been competitive early on before Nenagh took complete control.
By half-time they had established a massive advantage, and there was no way back for Cashel.
Perhaps the most significant part of the performance was the fact that Nenagh produced it without relying on Jake Morris.
With their main attacking talisman unavailable, others stepped forward.
Scores arrived from throughout the Nenagh attack, with players such as Sam O’Farrell, Ben West, Philip Hickey and Josh Keller making major contributions as Éire Óg repeatedly punished Cashel.
The strength of Nenagh’s performance highlighted the depth available to them and their familiarity with playing championship matches in FBD Semple Stadium.
For Cashel, it was a painful end to what had otherwise been another season of progress at senior level.
They have demonstrated throughout the year that they possess the talent to compete with the leading teams in Tipperary, but the quarter-final represented another important lesson in the demands of championship hurling at Semple Stadium.
Nenagh, meanwhile, move on to face Thurles Sarsfields in what promises to be one of the games of the season.
JK Brackens End Holycross/Ballycahill’s Run
The closest game of the weekend saw JK Brackens defeat Holycross/Ballycahill by 2-23 to 0-28.
After Holycross had knocked defending champions Loughmore-Castleiney out of the championship, plenty of attention had turned towards their Dan Breen prospects.
JK Brackens had other ideas.
Their fitness, attacking threat and ability to get the match-ups right proved crucial.
Brackens possess one of the most dangerous forward lines remaining in the championship, and once again their main attacking players delivered when required.
The performance of Jamie Ormond was one of the major talking points, while Andrew Ormond also had a huge influence through both scoring and the quality of his distribution.
Holycross continued to battle right until the closing stages and came close to forcing extra-time, but Brackens showed impressive composure to survive the late pressure.
There was also discussion around the absence of Cahill Barrett and the organisational influence he normally provides to the Holycross defence.
Ultimately, though, the credit belongs to JK Brackens.
They arrived with a clear plan, stopped Holycross from reaching the intensity they had produced against Loughmore-Castleiney, and earned their place in the county semi-final.
A Huge Opportunity for Moycarkey-Borris and JK Brackens
The meeting of Moycarkey-Borris and JK Brackens guarantees a fascinating storyline.
Moycarkey-Borris have not contested a senior county final since 1984, while JK Brackens have never reached a Dan Breen final.
For both clubs, the opportunity is enormous.
The impact of reaching a county senior hurling final would stretch far beyond the players on the field. Both communities will head into the semi-final believing their side has a genuine opportunity to make history.
There appears to be very little separating them.
Moycarkey arrive with huge momentum after eliminating Kiladangan, while Brackens will take similar confidence from knocking Holycross/Ballycahill out of the championship.
It has all the ingredients for a tremendous Tipperary SHC semi-final.
Thurles Sarsfields v Nenagh Éire Óg
The second semi-final brings together two clubs who know each other extremely well.
Thurles Sarsfields v Nenagh Éire Óg is one of the great modern fixtures in Tipperary club hurling, and both teams arrive following commanding quarter-final victories.
Nenagh were county finalists in 2025 and will be determined to go one step further.
Sarsfields have undergone significant change, bringing several younger players into important roles while retaining the experience required to navigate the latter stages of the championship.
The potential availability of Jake Morris will naturally attract attention in the build-up, while Thurles Sarsfields will have injury concerns of their own.
Whatever combinations eventually take the field, both quarter-final performances suggest another major championship battle awaits.
Relegation Battle Reaches Its Final Stage
Episode 225 also examines the battle at the opposite end of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship.
Upperchurch/Drombane secured their senior status following victory over Roscrea, despite being reduced to 14 players during the contest.
That result sends Roscrea into the relegation final against Mullinahone, who were beaten by Clonoulty/Rossmore in the other relegation semi-final.
For both Roscrea and Mullinahone, the stakes could hardly be higher.
Dropping from senior into the Pre