Awesome Limerick put Tipperary out of our misery as we bid good riddance to 2026; RIP Liz Howard – a real Tipperary legend.
And so, the curtain falls on the 2026 season for the Tipp senior hurlers. Limerick drove the final nails into a campaign that arrived cloaked in promise but departed under a cloud of frustration and regret. For the hurlers, it was a season of bitter underachievement and painful malfunction; for the footballers, a Tailteann Cup journey to Antrim that ended in disappointment, yet left behind flickers of encouragement and hope.
Their journey still goes on.
The senior hurlers faced a daunting pilgrimage to Limerick knowing pride alone was realistically left to salvage. What awaited them was a green tidal wave. Limerick were relentless — ruthless in execution, ferocious in intent, and overwhelmingly dominant. Truth be told, the seventeen-point margin scarcely reflected the gulf between the sides. A plague of erratic shooting spared Tipp from an even harsher reckoning, though it never once threatened to alter the inevitable outcome.
This Tipperary campaign has carried more vinegar than sweetness. Coming on the heels of a glorious 2025, the taste of decline stings all the sharper. Yet sport has always dealt in cruel contrasts. Seasons like these are the forge in which championship triumphs gain their true value.
Liam Cahill is absolutely right — All-Ireland medals are not trinkets pulled from lucky bags. They are won in blood, sweat and sacrifice. No disappointing follow-up season can diminish what those players achieved. Those medals remain untouchable, forever earned and forever theirs.
We are where we are — but painfully, we are nowhere near where we want to be. Out of the championship before June. Silence where summer should sing. And just like Kilkenny, Tipp supporters now face a barren wait until January 2027 before seeing the senior hurlers wear the blue and gold once more — eight long months of absence and reflection.
The Tipp manager’s anger toward social media criticism was both understandable and justified. Social media is a wild and unforgiving arena, where opinion too often mutates into poison and criticism descends into cruelty. It is almost impossible to police, and even harder to comprehend the viciousness poured onto players in defeat. These are amateur athletes — men who pause careers, family time and personal lives for the honour of the blue and gold jersey.
No, they are not compelled to do it. They choose to do it. They choose sacrifice. They choose responsibility. They choose to carry the hopes of their county and chase glory for their people. And they did exactly that a year ago. Have the keyboard warriors forgotten so quickly?
Sport never stands still. Now, attention turns to the minors, carrying fresh dreams and fresh possibility, while the divisional club championships gather on the horizon. Life moves on, as it always does. Yet for the Tipp players and management — our heroes, remember — the wounds of this campaign will not heal overnight. Some will return stronger. Some may walk away. Some may never again wear the county colours, while others will claim their place.
Still, the show goes on. The jersey endures. And we, the supporters, will fill the stands once more and roar for whoever wears it.
For the footballers, 2026 will be remembered differently. It may not have delivered silverware yet, but the promise is still there. Progress is no small thing and Niall Fitzgerald’s men are moving in the right direction.
The club scene, meanwhile, finally gets breathing room. Summer still stretches before us, filled with possibility, rivalry and renewal. The flame has dimmed — but it has not gone out.
Liz Howard was a Tipperary legend.
The heartfelt tributes paid this week to the late Liz Howard speak volumes of the affection, admiration and deep respect in which she was held across the wider GAA family — embracing hurling, ladies football and camogie alike. Her name carried weight not only throughout Tipperary but across the globe, synonymous with dedication, courage and trailblazing achievement. Liz was one of those rare individuals who did not merely challenge the glass ceiling — she shattered it with conviction and purpose. The first female member of Tipperary County Board, the first female analyst on The Sunday Game, and a pioneer in countless other ways, she carved pathways where none had existed before.
Her remarkable twenty-two-year tenure as County Board PRO stands as a testament to extraordinary commitment, rivalled perhaps only by the late Tomás Ó Baróid, former Secretary, with whom Liz undoubtedly shared many spirited exchanges and memorable debates. For Liz was never one to retreat into silence or soften her beliefs for convenience. She spoke her mind with honesty and conviction, and while this occasionally placed her at odds with authority, no one could ever question the depth of her loyalty or the fierce pride she carried for Tipperary. She was, to her very fingertips, a true Premier lady.
Liz Howard was a formidable and unforgettable presence — a woman of immense capability whose achievements stretched far beyond the sporting arena. Her distinguished professional career with Aer Lingus mirrored the same determination and excellence that defined her sporting life. She demanded high standards, not out of criticism but from a steadfast belief in what people and teams could become. That same uncompromising pursuit of excellence fuelled her hopes for every Tipperary side she followed and championed.
Many still smile recalling her reaction to one player of the ancient game sporting the blue and gold while adorned with an abundance of tattoos. Such displays were scarcely to Liz’s taste — at least in those days — and she made little effort to disguise her disapproval. Times, of course, have changed, and inking has since spread far and wide, but Liz’s views were always delivered with the unmistakable candour and character that made her so uniquely herself.
The force of nature that was Liz Howard remained devoted to Tipperary until the very end, continuing to follow her beloved teams despite failing health. Her thoughtful cards sent to players before major matches, her encouraging text messages, her readiness to offer help when difficulties arose, and her familiar presence at countless gatherings brought comfort and reassurance to many. Time and again, she placed Tipperary’s cause close to her heart, often at personal cost, asking for little in return except to see the county thrive.
This column last saw Liz at the Cork game in Semple Stadium, marking the opening chapter of this year’s Munster championship. It is difficult even now to comprehend that before the closing act of that same campaign, she would be gone.
TUS Páirc na nGael offered a fitting and moving tribute as the Tipperary and Limerick teams stood in solemn reflection before their provincial encounter. Across recent days, many other moments of remembrance and gratitude have honoured her memory, each richly deserved. For Liz Howard was, beyond question, a lady of steel and strength, yet also a woman of grace, elegance and immense substance. She embodied the very best of what it meant to be a Premier lady — proud, passionate, courageous and unwavering. Deepest sympathy is extended to all who mourn her passing.
Farewell, Liz. Your voice, your spirit and your devotion will not be forgotten.