20 Questions on the life and times of one of the Greatest ever Tipperary Hurlers

A Colossus be it with Thurles Sars or Tipperary, When it comes to the conversation about the greatest 6 backs of this Century, Paudie will always be in the conversation.

Now is your chance to test yourself in how much you know about Maher.

18 out of 20 is what Paudie would expect from You.

Try the How Well Do you know the Current Tipperary Squad,Click Link to take the Quiz.

The days of the Manager and the Selector’s are numbered, When you can get a Robot to do the Job

We asked Chat GPT to solve a few much debated questions and it got back to Us straight away

Some Answers aren’t too far off the mark, One answer it ducked and another answer will probably annoy the Kilruane Lads.

Question 1, The Greatest 15 Tipperary Hurler’s of All Time?

1. John Doyle
2. Theo English
3. Jimmy Doyle
4. Tony Wall
5. Babs Keating
6. Nicky English
7. Pat Fox
8. Michael Cleary
9. Tommy Dunne
10. Declan Ryan
11. Eoin Kelly
12. Lar Corbett
13. Brendan Cummins
14. Padraic Maher
15. Seamus Callanan

Question 2, The Greatest Tipperary 15 Hurler’s of the past 30 Years?

1. Nicky English
2. Declan Ryan
3. Eoin Kelly
4. Lar Corbett
5. Brendan Cummins
6. Padraic Maher
7. Noel McGrath
8. Seamus Callanan
9. Michael Cleary
10. John Leahy
11. Tommy Dunne
12. Paul Kelly
13. Conor O’Mahony
14. Shane McGrath
15. Ronan Maher

Question 3, The Current Top 10 Hurling Clubs in Tipperary ?

1. Loughmore-Castleiney: Loughmore-Castleiney is a strong hurling club in Tipperary, having won the county title in 2013, 2014, and 2019. They also reached the Munster Club Final in 2014.
2. Kiladangan: Kiladangan is a relatively new hurling club in Tipperary, but they have already made a significant impact. They won the county title in 2020 and followed it up with their first Munster Club Championship in the same year.
3. Clonoulty-Rossmore: Clonoulty-Rossmore is a successful hurling club in Tipperary, having won the county title in 2018 and reaching the semi-finals in 2019.
4. Nenagh Éire Óg: Nenagh Éire Óg is a strong hurling club in Tipperary, having won the county title in 2015 and reaching the semi-finals in 2019.
5. Thurles Sarsfields: Thurles Sarsfields is one of the most successful hurling clubs in Tipperary, having won the county title in 2012 and reaching the semi-finals in 2020.
6. Borris-Ileigh: Borris-Ileigh is another successful hurling club in Tipperary, having won the county title in 2019 and reaching the semi-finals in 2020.
7. Drom & Inch: Drom & Inch is a small but competitive hurling club in Tipperary, having reached the county final in 2020 and competing at a high level in recent years.
8. Kilruane MacDonagh’s: Kilruane MacDonagh’s is a competitive hurling club in Tipperary, having reached the county final in 2019 and consistently competing at a high level in recent years.
9. Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill: Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill is a strong hurling club in Tipperary, having reached the county semi-finals in 2020 and competing at a high level in recent years.
10. Toomevara: Toomevara is a traditional hurling powerhouse in Tipperary, having won the county title 9 times in the past. While they haven’t had as much recent success, they remain a competitive club and a force to be reckoned with.

Question 4, Who will win Dan Breen in 2023?

I do not have the ability to predict the future or know the outcomes of upcoming events. The Tipperary senior hurling championship is a highly competitive tournament, and many factors, including team form, injuries, and luck, can influence the outcome of the competition. It is impossible to know which team will win the championship in 2023.

Question 5, The Top 10 Greatest All Ireland Finals

1. 2014: Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 2-14
2. 1994: Offaly 3-16 Limerick 2-13
3. 2004: Cork 0-17 Kilkenny 0-9
4. 2013: Clare 5-16 Cork 3-16
5. 1989: Tipperary 4-24 Antrim 3-9
6. 2018: Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18
7. 1991: Tipperary 1-16 Kilkenny 0-15
8. 2009: Kilkenny 2-22 Tipperary 0-23
9. 1971: Tipperary 5-17 Kilkenny 5-14
10. 2019: Tipperary 3-25 Kilkenny 0-20

And Finally

Question 6, Pick the Tipperary Team to Play Clare

1. Barry Hogan
2. Cathal Barrett
3. Ronan Maher
4. Johnny Ryan
5. Bryan O’Mara
6. Barry Heffernan
7. Seamus Kennedy
8. Noel McGrath
9. Michael Breen
10. Dan McCormack
11. Jason Forde
12. Jake Morris
13. Gearoid O’Connor
14. John McGrath
15. Sean Ryan

Daryl Ryan’s save is the moment of the Year as voted on by the Premierview Podcast Listeners in our Tipperary Moment of the Year Poll.

Daryl had stiff competition from the likes of the Tipp goal to win the Minor All Ireland Final, the Eoin Kelly Ghost Goal and fellow Keeper Heroics in the shape of Eoin Horgan in the Munster final penalty shoot out v Clare.

Nearly 5,000 people voter in the poll and Daryl took the honors with 39% of the final vote.

He made 2 excellent saves in the Premier Intermediate Final v Gortnahoe Glengoole, both of which if they had gone in, could have swung the momentum of the County Final away from Roscrea and meant they would not be Senior for 2023.

Congratulations to Daryl and We look forward to more Top Drawer saves from him in the Red and White of Roscrea in the Dan Breen this Year.

A different Year, a different set of Injuries

Last Years Management couldn’t catch a break with a raft of injuries and it now appears Cahill and Co are heading for the same levels of down right bad luck

Barely the middle of Feb,5 games in between Munster League and 2 Rounds of the National Hurling League and We think Tipp are already down 9 Players.

1.Rhys Shelly

Hurt on Fizgibbon duty with UL, Hopeful of a return in the coming Weeks

2.John McGrath

Hurt Hamstring during Warm down in Nowlan Park

3.Ciaran Connolly

Has been in both Tipp and DCU Fitzgibbon Squads, currently recovering from an Operation.

4.Conor Stakelum

Man of the Match in the first half v Laois,5 mins into the 2nd,pulls up while running, could be a Hamstring, could be a Tear, could be a precaution that he hasn’t featured since.

5.Craig Morgan

Done his ACL V Nenagh mid August 2022,with a 9 month time he could feature in May for Tipperary.

6. Ger Browne

Knee Surgery, wont be available for Tipperary this year.

7. Cathal Barrett

Another Corner Back Down, Injured in a collision with Ronan Maher, displaced fracture to the scapula,12 weeks out, potential comeback first week in May.

8.Paddy Cadell

Cruciate Tear, Gone for the Year

9.Niall O’Meara

Adductor Groin Tear, should be back to full training first week in April.

The Intercounty Hurling season is back and so is Fantasy Hurling.

Where you can win over €2,500 in prizes 

We will also be giving away a Jersey from the Orga Retrowear Collection to the person who tops the Premierview Adult Podcast Leaderboard after the Hurling League Final.

For our Junior Winners,Its a signed Padraic Maher Book.

Want to know how to go about it ?

Go to Fantasyhurling.ie

Set up your Account

Click to be either Adult or Junior

Set up your starting team

Pay €10

You are entered in the Fantasy Hurling League and in to win over €2,500 in prizes

To be in to win the Orga Jersey or the Paudie Book.

Click Join League Tab

Click Join an Existing League

Copy and Paste this Code  

 2UCBQP-1674031331

You’ve Joined the Premierview Podcast Private League where We will be calling out the Leaders and the Laggards on the podcast.

Stay Tuned

Fixtures Link

Rules Link

Scoring Link

Munster GAA Team Spending, the Arms Race in the Room.

We were intrigued by the Irish Examiner Article which took a look at the overall amount spent per Munster County on Teams in 2022 and We decided to do a little bit of digging of our own to see if the figures are climbing or not.

If you are one of those lads that believes the GAA to be an Amateur Organization, its probably best now to stop reading or at least have a sit down before you go any further.

We took a look at the 6 Munster Counties from 2014 to this Year and it involved a bit of leg work in getting all the figures lined up and correct.

Total Munster GAA Team spending for the 6 Counties 2014-2022 is north of €57.5m and no, We didn’t believe the figures at first either

Biggest Spenders are Cork with over €13m in that period.

Followed by Limerick with close on €11.4m of a spend (2022 figure was close on €2.3m alone)

Tipperary with just over €10m spent

Then Kerry close by on €9.4m

Clare €6.8m

And in last place Waterford, who is around €50k shy of Clare’s Total for the Period we looked at.

Total Spending per year is climbing too with the exception of the Covid year of 2020 when it “only” hit €4.9m that year.

2014 €5.8m

2017 €6.6m

2022 €8.8m

All the counties bar Clare and Waterford have been consistently spending the guts of €1.3m to €1.5m on their teams the past 6/7 years

Limerick have broken the €2m spending barrier in 2022, Galway the same

The question has be asked at what point does it become unsustainable for even the best resourced of Counties?

How close are We to reaching that point ?

The Chart below shows spending per Season per County 2014-2022

Click the Scores Tab on it for the amount spent per Year per County

Click the Rank Tab which shows biggest spenders in a particular Year

and the Replay Tab if you cant believe your eyes at the spending and you need to see it more than the once .

Take the All Star Hurling 1971-2022 Quiz and test your All Star Hurling Knowledge.

By @slievekimalta
Are the importance of the Divisional final being over stated?

In Senior & Premier Intermediate none of the Divisional winners made it to the semi finals. Brackens, Clonoulty & Nenagh all went out at Preliminary Quarter or quarter final stage, in Premier Intermediate, where all 4 divisional winners were in one group, the four of them were out of the championship by Quarter final stage.

Kiladangan &  Roscrea both played in divisional finals while Drom were the only other divisional finalist to get to a semi final.

In intermediate it doesn’t make for better reading, only 1 divisional winner has made it to the semi finals. Drom played in the mid final but there was only 2 teams in the mid championship. Boherlahan winning comfortable enough in that decider. Skeheenarinky didn’t even play their divisional championship and one wonders whether they should be even allowed to compete if the rules were followed correctly. Moneygall the 4th Semi-Finalalist were comprehensively beaten in the North where they started without a number of players due to injury and travel.

The Divisional championships have lost their lustre for the majority of clubs. Now I can hear the Brackens lads chirping and how the church lads would love a mid medal, of course they would, but in the bigger scheme of things winning a division does nothing to enhance your chances of winning a county title. Carrick Swan won the south Senior title this year and very nearly ended up playing 3rd tier Hurling in 2023 failing to win a game between the south final and the relegation decider.

The added weekend for Preliminary Quarter finals further complicates things. While I’m sure Clonoulty/Rossmore were delighted to win their preliminary game against Thurles, they ultimately failed to qualify from their group and were beaten quarter finalists. Nenagh qualified from the group and were beaten Preliminary Quarter-Finalists falling to JK Brackens who also failed to Qualify for the knockouts and were dumped out at quarter final stage. In Premier Intermediate, Clonakenny and the aforementioned Carrick Swan failed at preliminary stage while Cashel & Portroe didn’t get passed the Quarter finals.

At intermediate level, Kilsheelan were drawn by mid winners Boherlahan, who had failed to qualify, Kilsheelan prevailed after penalties but went out at quarter final stage to Moneygall, Kickhams also didn’t qualify from their group but overcame Cappawhite in the preliminary only to bow out also at quarter final stage. That just leaves Lorrha as the sole divisional winner still standing and they need extra time to overcome Borrisokane in their Quarter final.

The Divisional system served a purpose at one stage but not anymore. It is a hindrance to clubs with County ambitions. Clubs will say they enjoy playing them but in reality don’t really give them the respect they deserve.

It’s time to cut ties and have a stand alone County Championship. The farcical nature of the South & West Championships in 2023 with only one Dan Breen representative in each division. If the West follow the south mantra then you could have the situation next year where the Divisional winners of the Premier competition in the South and West cannot compete for Dan Breen and that to me is a compete waste of everyone’s time.

As we all know, Tipperary shares the colours of the Ukranian flag.

We on Premierview have designed a t-shirt to fundraise for recently displaced Ukrainian people living in Tipperary.

By buying a “Tipp stands with Ukraine” t-shirt – Irish-designed and made – you too can show your support for the Ukranian people when cheering on our own teams.

All proceeds stay in Tipperary.

Go to tippstandswithukraine.org/ and An Post will take care of the rest!

#tippstandswithukraine

by John Condon

It takes a while to learn it, but after a few years immersed in the language you eventually start to pick it up. Let’s look at a few stock phrases in the wink and nudge Hurling lexicon.

“Let it flow!”: this is a command to referees not to enforce the rules of the sport. The flow is generally only desired by supporters of the dirtier team.

“Intensity”: a catch-all word for high energy fouling. Most often this means to surround the player who has the ball, pull at his arms, drag him, and hold his wrists for periods just short enough that the referee could not consistently give the free.

“Physicality”: very similar to “intensity”, possibly with some undertones of wrestling thrown in.

“Bottle him up”: surround the player with the ball, then block and hold him with your arms and hands. Imagine zombies on steroids who don’t want to eat you, but just want to tie up your arms so you can’t play hurling. 

“Passionate” as in “he’s awfully passionate so he is” , See Below

“Swarm”: the plural word for a group of hurlers, but only relevant in recent times.

“Honesty”: in the modern game, this most often means cheating, and well, dishonesty.

“Pull on it!!”: this is now obsolete, not used much anymore. In the modern language it might be applied to pulling back a players shoulders or hips as he tries to move, but it hasn’t been heard in years.

“Rules”: this is a word used only by sour losers in hurling today. The people who refer to the rules of the game invariably are not tough enough or strong enough to handle the modern game. Some people might also get very uncomfortable about the idea that the sport is not played in line with its own rule set, so be a gent/lady and don’t mention this word too much.

“Learnings” a relatively new one but beloved of Lads who want to sound smarter than the average with their “Lessons”, A “deep dive” cant be too far away.

Anyone have any other good ones, we would love to hear them

There’s been a lot of confusion even before Conor’s appearance on Saturday Sport with Des Cahill and Derek McGrath

Here We are going to bring clarity to his proposal with the Man himself explaining his solution.

by Calvitakid

On Aisake Ó hAilpín’s Twitter feed, his bio reads:

“Dont tell me the skys the limit when there are footprints on the moon.Il let u know when I land.”

For one day in 2010, Aisake became an astronaut. Down in the old bowl by the Lee, he moonwalked just like Michael Jackson had in the same spot 22 years previously. Aisake, then as now, was unconventional. He was as heedless of reputation then as he is of punctuation now:

“I remember the day so well. It really didn’t bother me who Tipp put at full-back. Whoever it was would be just another guy, standing in my way.”

The thing is, even then, Pádraic Maher was not “just another guy”. He was the ciotóg who had kept Baby Joe in chains; who had prevented a Galway treble while kicking off a double of their own. He was the living embodiment of Tipperary teak who was destined to take on all comers on the edge of the square for a decade or more. His physique was such that Shefflin was bounced in the League Final the previous year. This young lad put me in mind (again, says you!) of Flann O’ Brien’s droll characterisation of Fionn MacCumaill:

“… he was a man of superb physique and development. Each of his thighs was as thick as a horse’s belly, narrowing to a calf as thick as the belly of a foal. Three fifties of fosterlings could engage with handball against the wideness of his backside, which was wide enough to halt the march of warriors through a mountain pass.”

But on that balmy day in Backdoorland, he just couldn’t read the particular contours of the tuathalach young warrior from the other Sarsfields who stood as tall as Michael Jordan. Later in his career, in an echo of that early discomfiture, Paudie faced a Galway giant called Glynn. Again, it was like waltzing an albatross.

My abiding off-pitch memories of that day in Cork a dozen summers ago were of a sage (or plámásach?) Cork supporter whom I fell into step with who assured me that we would see far more hurling that year than he. And later seeing Liam Sheedy sitting shellshocked in the window of a restaurant downtown wondering whether Seán Óg’s unheralded brother had capsized his season and nascent managerial career.

And this is where Pádraic Maher comes in. After the 10-point defeat – which pretty much mapped to Aisake’s contribution in scores taken or created – Paudie and the new crew (of the firm Maher, Maher, and Maher) felt a collective responsibility to atone. After Liam Sheedy had digested his steak in Cork, he called his troops for a debrief. They would have the proverbial 5 weeks to save their season. And as ever, the brickbasts were being fired at home. Tommy Barrett let loose a few salvoes about over-training and going backwards and Babs was as reliably self-serving as ever: “They’d be better positioned today if they had sat down with us for a couple of hours.”

And so followed what Marty Morrissey called the “tour around Ireland” where Tipp stopped off to pick up redemption from Offaly, Wexford, Galway and Waterford. All the time, Tipp were improving. Paudie had left the Euclidean demands of the square to roam out on the wing instead.

It was the 7 shirt that he came to own and inhabit as very few others in the game ever have. Jackie Tyrell has spoken in recent days about how Kilkenny deliberately avoided his wing in 2011 – again implicitly calling into question our selection on the other wing that day – not only because Paudie’s fielding and distribution was of a rare order, but he was the member of the team for whom every act counted double.

The catches over Walter Walsh in 2016 and 2019 (a penny for his thoughts these days as his Twitter timeline lights up with Paudie lording it over him literally and metaphorically) are two of the best moments any Tipp man has ever had in Croke Park. As Tyrell said, Paudie spoke to something primal in us as Tommy Walsh spoke to the Noreside brethren. It was as if Paudie alone knew the recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

It’s fair to say that while he may have been undone by pace at times – Éanna Ryan’s snapheeled opportunist goal in 2010 to instance an occasion – as we said, it has been the gnarly lads that gave him most bother. Because when it came to skill, Paudie covered the entire constellation. His hook on Conor Cooney in 2016 has no peer; not even that of his gifted ciotógach counterpart JJ on Seamie. And Paudie had heft to match his poise: his shoulder on Joe was probably felt in Norway (there is a Canning Museum in Stavanger; the locals are fond of sardines. Children are taught to “eat what you can and can what you can’t).

The bravery and timing of that hit are of a high order. Miss, and you are more likely to hurt yourself (or land on top of Jake Morris and the Tipp minors):

“We played the minor All-Ireland (semi-final) in 2016 and were sitting down in the Hogan Stand after,” says Morris. “Padraic Maher nailed Joe Canning a shoulder across the line out in front of us. I’ll never forget the crunch of it, that shoulder that day. I was called into the Tipp team in 2018 and I remember thinking to myself as a light 18-year old that I’d better not go near Pádraic Maher or he’ll throw me out over the line. That was my fond memory of him. That shoulder, which was the turning point that day.”

And in the highlight reels, we’ve all probably seen the bemused look on the Clareman when he breaks a hurley off Paudie’s unflinching chin; ash meets teak, teak wins.

As in all the greatest myths, his younger brother now assumes his brother’s mantle. Like his Japanese homonym, the ronin, our new captain will now serve no master but himself. He will be thrown back on his own resources and he will thrive. And why? Because he is a Maher and he is born to it.

By coincidence, Pádraic has an academic namesake called Martina Maher who has written a PhD in recent years about the representations of the death of Fionn MacCumaill in Gaelic literature. Our own Slievenamon figures among these tales but she concentrates largely on a manuscript she calls “The Chase” from eleven hundred years ago. Nowhere in the tale is Fionn’s death actually made explicit, Maher tells us. Instead ” … the tale breaks off with Finn still alive, albeit weary and bloodied and standing alone encircled by his adversaries, his death is a logical next element in the narrative, not least because there is repeated mention of a prophecy of his demise throughout the tale.”

In this, we see the bones of our own modern warrior. He practically patented the “weary and bloodied and standing alone encircled by his adversaries” meme. And as for prophecies? We have long known that the men that undertook that tour of Ireland in 2010 would one day file away. To Michael and Brendan we now add Pádraic. But his myth will never die. The championship of 2022 will be bereft without him. Whether pinballing out of defence or piercing diagonal balls into Seamie, he will be missed because he was matchless in his best moments.

For more, we cannot ask.

Jack Fallon Moycarkey Borris, a worthy recipient of 21 hurler of the year. Jack was a prodigious athlete in his early days, a talent he has used to great effect over the years. He was identified from an early age as a player of huge potential and has produced some terrific performances over the years. He has a collection of medals which is the envy of many of a club hurler. 

Jack’s first medal was achieved with Two -Mile-Borris school where he was on the school team from an early age. Special thanks to Liam McCullagh who put in huge work with this bunch. Jack nearly played all his hurling in centre field where he could fully utilise his athletic ability and long-range shooting. Often Jack was man marked with two players to curb his influence. His first medal was achieved at under 12 where Moycarkey overcame Boherlahan in a terrific county final.  Boherlahan had beaten them in the mid final after a replay.  Jack gave a commanding performance in the final, dominating the mid field.

Jack was selected to represent mid and county at under 14 and continued to develop his array of skills.  Moycarkey again reached the county 14 final and overcame a talented Cappawhite.  During that year Moycarkey also won the Peil and Feile.  Jack captained the Feile team to victory.  What is sometimes forgotten is Jacks prowess as a footballer with the ability to kick with both feet. It was in the 16-county final against Toomevara that Jack showed everyone his talent. Captaining the side he gave a masterclass of midfield play, scoring from all angles.

Jack graduated on the senior team at 18 and had a terrific first year for one so young. Jack picked up a number of injuries which halted his progress but this year has seen him return to his best. He has cemented his place on the senior team and has been superb for the 21s this year with his long-range shooting has been a standout. The highlight of the 21 campaign was his terrific performance against Drom & Indch in the mid final where he scored 5 sublime points. We look forward to seeing Jack in his club colours and the Blue and Gold over the coming years and fulfilling his huge potential.

Goalkeeper 

Shane Ryan (Clonmel Commercials)

A composed presence in the Commercials nets all year, Ryan is also well capable of sensational saves, which was seen on numerous occasions throughout the Year with Man of the Match displays in the 2021 Minor Football county semifinal vs JK Brackens and the u19 county final vs Ballina.

Full Back Line

Eoghan Walsh (Clonmel Commercials)

Strong performances in the South final and quarter final, Unfortunately missed out on a county final appearance, but was one of Commercial’s best man markers throughout the year with pace to burn and very strong in the tackle.

Alex Hanrahan (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

Alex is a very tenacious defender who is always fearless in the tackle and willing to put his body on the line, as well as being a very skilled and composed footballer. Was outstanding for Kilsheelan-Kilcash in the South championship all last year.

Adam Brannigan (Clonmel Commercials)

The cornerback was a key part of Clonmel’s defense with him being a tough and tight marker, He also made sure his physical presence was always felt.

Half Back Line

Conor Wall (Durlas Og )

This ball playing Center Back would be an asset to any team along with him being a quality defender, he was also able to deliver the ball to his forwards fast and accurate, which really set up Durlas Og this year.

Cian Molloy (Ballina)

The Ballina secret weapon this year had a number of defensive man of the match display this year, his outstanding performance in the North u17 final before going off make him a worthwhile inclusion here.

James Ryan (JK Brackens)

This athletic and powerful half back showed his class as a footballer all year as he out shined county finalists Durlas Og in the mid final only for his JK Brackens side to fall short to Clonmel in the county semi.

Midfield

Philip Hayes (Durlas Og)

The intelligent midfielder was the Durlas Iniesta, unlocking their deadly inside forward line, the midfielder picked out seemingly impossible passes for fun in the County final and all throughout the 2021 Minor Football Championship.

Charlie King (Ballina)

The speed merchant showed his class this year by providing the goods for Ballina in the 19 and Minor with a near perfect display in a tight encounter with County Champs Clonmel.

Half Forward Line

Diarmuid O’Riordan (Newport)

The big and skillful half forward played the most pivotal role in Newport’s shock North Final success scoring 5 points in the final and with a strong display against Durlas Og in the semifinal, he fully deserves his spot.

Cian O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials)

Cian showed his athletic ability of being a rugby star along with his footballing skills in the last quarter of a dog fight County Final, his leadership inspired Clonmel to crawl back into the game and inevitably win it.

Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials)

Cian was Clonmel’s scoring forward with 7 points against Kilsheelan/Kilcash in the South final this year, his ability to bring teammates into the game gave confidence to the Commercial’s Forwards around him. Smith was scorer in chief for the Clonmel outfit in the 2021 Minor Football Championship, he also played a key role in their u19 journey to the County Final also. Part of the Tipperary Minor panel for the past 2 years,

Full Forward Line

Ciaran Woodlock (Durlas Og)

The Thurles inside forward provided an aerial threat, speed threat and a threat to score from anywhere. This is the handful any defender would dread to mark. Ciaran is also deserving of special mention as he is the only player to make both Minor Teams of the Year, having already been included in our Hurling Team of the Year,He now makes the 2021 Minor Football Team of the Year.

Jack Grace (Ballina)

Give Grace Space and he will kill you. He was scoring for fun with 5 points in the 19s county final victory and 5 against Clonmel in the Ballina Minor’s narrow defeat, A worthy inclusion to the 2021 Minor Football Team of the Year.

 Lee Ryan (Newport)

The small lightning quick inside forward was worth his weight in Gold for Newport in the 2021 Minor Football, once the ball went in to Lee he made sure there was always a positive outcome.

GK Rhys Shelly [Moycarkey/Borris]

Current Tipperary Senior Panelist and County winning Captain. Rhys is a super all around goalkeeper, which he has shown throughout this campaign. While both the length and accuracy of his puckouts are rightly the first thing you notice, he is also an excellent shot stopper and athletic enough to create space for his strike when put under pressure.  His long range free taking makes him a threat on the scoreboard as well.

CB Darragh Butler [Kiladangan]

Very solid throughout the campaign, with big performances in the North Final and County semi. He is a physical man marker who didn’t concede a score to any of his opponents. This included the unenviable job of trying to curtail county 20s star Max Hackett. While Hackett still had an influence on the game through winning frees, Butler did as good a job on Hackett as you will see anyone do.

Full Back Peter Melbourne [Moycarkey/Borris}

The Moycarkey fullback has been nothing short of heroic this year. To play week after week with a torn calf is one thing, but for his performances to get better with each passing game is almost beyond belief. Along with Darren Flood he was one of the finals 2 standout performers and HOTD MOTM. A combination of strength and speed coming out to the ball makes him a nightmare for forwards, who if even a second off the mark will be left behind.

CB Daire O’Brien [Mullinahone]

Full back O’Brien dominated the square throughout the championship, and is very much a mixture of the modern hurler and old style full back. Daire is another player who faced some big name opponents, such as Willie Barry of Cappawhite, and came out on top. Has a very good all around game and is a serious athlete. Even in defeat in the final he is a player who came out with his stock greatly enhanced. 

WB Darragh Flannery [Kiladangan]

Former County u20 and already a Dan Breen winner with the Kiladangan seniors. In Kiladangan’s extremely competitive north semi against Nenagh, he put on a man of the match performance. This was the catalyst for their north title win. Not the typical stylish hurler you would associate with Kiladangan, he is a serious competitor, combined with his experience, this made him a great leader for this Kiladangan team.

CB Conor Whelan [Mullinahone]

A star underage hurler with Tipperary, big things are expected in the future from the Carrick or possibly Mulllinahone man. An orthodox style centre back, opposition teams are often left more worried about marking him, than if their centre forward influences the game. A clean striker of the ball, he is a superb long range free taker. Looks like a man among boys at 21s level, played to the level that you would expect of him, which bodes well for Tipp in the future.

WB Tom Ryan [Moycarkey/Borris]

The Moycarkey Centre Back is a player who has really come into his own this year, with the club’s seniors and u21s. He is a ferocious tackler and while lined out at centre back, he played tight on the centre forward, allowing the sweeper to occupy the middle. While O’Shea still had an influence in the final, it is no coincidence that his scoring from play dropped as a result of Tom following him.

MF Jack Fallon [Moycarkey/Borris]

A Rolls Royce of a midfielder and the Premierview Podcast HOTD with nearly 40% of the public vote, Jack seems to play the game at a stroll. It still looks like a stroll as he leaves chasing players behind him. Along with his serious speed and fitness, Jack is another top striker of the ball putting up big scores in 3 of the 4 games. His scores from midfield often come from smart runs off the shoulder but when moved into the forwards in spells of games, he can get out in front of his man and create space for his own shot.

MF Martin Kehoe [Mullinahone]

A big performer for Mullinahone seniors the last 2 years, he not only brought this form with him to their u21 hurling team but lifted it to another level. On a team filled with athletes, he is one of the big standouts. His work rate often causes opposition players to lose possession and will generally be the man to come away with the ball from the ensuing rucks. Ended up on the most ball of any midfielder in each game and can take a score when given the chance. 

WF Conor Bowe [Moyne/Templetuohy]

One of the big names at this grade not only in Tipp but all around the country. Now with the County Hurlers after a spell with the footballers, it seems that year of S&C with the footballers brought him on leaps and bounds. Conor led a Moyne team with Gearoid O’Connor in goal to victory against a JK Brackens team containing multiple former Tipp minors and 20s. Then in the following game he had Moycarkey on the ropes for a long time. Lined out at midfield but his play was such that he could have been named on most lines of the field with the ground he covered.

CF Mikey O’Shea [Mullinahone]

County 20 hurler and Current Tipp senior football panellist, Mikey looked a class apart in the games leading up to the county final where he was able to score almost at will. A tidy  sticksman his hurling ability was never in doubt, however his fitness levels had been questioned. This is most certainly a thing of the past and he is not afraid to take on his man from start to finish of the game. Added an extra bit of class to the Mullinahone team.

WF Shane Gleeson [Kiladangan]

The top marksman for Kiladangan, he had a noted effect on the game both from play and placed ball. His standout performance came in the North Final against Roscrea, where his shooting was top quality all throughout. While Kiladangan had some big name players such as Sean Hayes and Bryan McLoughney, Gleeson was extremely consistent all year and had to be somewhere on this team.

CF Kyle Shelly [Moycarkey/Borris]

County 20 hurler Kyle is also a distinguished footballer. Kyle, like his brother, is a great striker of the ball and scored a lot from play and placed balls in this campaign. While moved around the forward line from time to time, it was his ability to play in a 2 man full forward line that stood out. His ability to move across the top line and create options for the ball allowed Moycarkey to play a sweeper without hindering them in attack. His last 15 minutes spell against Moyne in the first round set Moycarkey on their way to county honours.

FF Max Hackett [Moycarkey/Borris]

A Star County 20s player, Hackett was another who was found himself in a variety of positions in the forwards for Moycarkey. His mid-final performance will live long in the memory for those who were there but he played an important role in the other games. His scores in the Moyne and Mullinahone game showed his touch of class, along with his battling spirit in the county semi where he didn’t throw in the towel and won a lot of important frees when many others would have lost their cool with the same treatment. 

CF/Sweeper Darren Flood [Moycarkey/Borris]

While he finished up there in the first game, it was his permanent move to sweeper at half time of the mid final where he began to shine. Flood was a star performer in both county semi and final. An extremely clever player, his use of the ball and positioning allowed him to influence the game in numerous aspects. Never rushed in possession, he was able to find Moycarkey forwards and defensively cut off supply to the full forward line.

An extremely versatile player, picked at Centre Forward on the Premierview Podcast Minor Team of the Year. He manned the full back spot in Holycross Ballycahill’s successful Mid and County U19B Championship campaign while simultaneously leading Holycross Ballycahill’s forward line in their run to the Co. Minor A Final.

Eoin Craddock of Holycross Ballycahill is that rare blend of ball winner, creator and finisher. Typically playing at center forward Eoin was the focal point of the Mid Club’s attack. Always available to receive the ball, whether it was the perfect 30 yard pass from Gould or a long under pressure clearance from the likes of Ryan or Morris, it didn’t matter what way it came at Eoin, he was going to win it and make the correct decision after he did. 

When called on in the Mid Final to lead the line in scoring he bagged a hat trick of goals.

Likewise in the Quarter Final Replay Eoin was asked to go full forward and rattle the net which he did with another hat trick.

When St. Mary’s took a deserved 2-3 to 0-0 lead in the Co. Quarter Final Craddock, along with others, stepped up to the challenge. Craddock took the hits to win frees, put his body on the line to win the ball, offloaded it to Robbie Ryan, Jimmy Lahart and others to take the score. He was the epitome of the well known mantra, ‘get the ball to the man in the best position’ .

In the County Final Craddock again led the line, taking the fight to a much larger Durlas Og team. As one of only two forwards up to the age, Eoin led by example putting his body on the line time and again to win crucial possession before delivering the perfect ball to his younger teammates.

To sum up Eoin Craddock’s performances in 2021 in a few paragraphs is very difficult. 

Perhaps the best way to do it is to reflect on his similarities to perhaps Tipp’s most important forward of the last 10 years, The Bonner Maher.

Many people outside Tipp may not appreciate Boner’s greatness but within the county Bonner is a folk hero, he’s the man that every true Tipp man would follow into battle. He’s the man that every opposition forward line hates to see coming. Eoin Craddock has the potential to be the next Bonner Maher, for both Holycross Ballycahill and Tipperary, while possibly being a better score taker. 

Craddock is a diamond in the rough, if he continues to develop as he has done in the last two years, We in Tipperary will have a 10 carat diamond on our hands.

JAMES O DWYER  Holycross Ballycahill

Excellent shot stopper, brave and speedy off the line and accurate with clearances, James had an excellent year.

CIARAN WOODLOCK  Durlas Og

Strong, tight in the tackle and skillful in possession, Kieran proved a real leader in Durlas Og’s title winning campaign.

EVAN MORRIS  Holycross Ballycahill  

Showed huge strength and maturity all year despite his youth, never put a foot wrong, had a great battle with Jock Fogarty in the County final.

KIERAN PURCELL Durlas Og
Its a sign of the faith the Durlas Og management have in Purcell that he was detailed to mark a succession of key forwards and never found to be wanting all year.

RONAN CONNOLLY Cashel King Cormacs

The second Hurler from the Connolly household to feature on One of our Teams of the Year with Eoghan making the Seamus O’Riain TOTY, The younger Connolly showed huge leadership in Cashel’s West title win, booming clearances and intelligent covering across the entire backline.

JIM RYAN  Holycross Ballycahill

Cool ,consistent and reliable at the heart of the Holycross defense, strong in the air and great positional sense all year.

SAM O FARRELL Eire Og
Powerful leader in Nenagh’s campaign, drove them on with pace, skill and vision. His North Final Performance alone deems him worthy of inclusion.

BEN CURRIVAN Golden Kilfeacle

Fluent ball striker off either side ,found the posts regularly and led the charge in Golden’s fine run. Currivan has further bolstered his credentials in being a vital part of Cashel Community Schools Harty Cup Run.

TADGH GOOLD  Holycross Ballycahill

Calm leadership and with excellent, intelligent use of the ball, always seemed on top of his game and never rushed at midfield.

ROBBIE STAPLETON Durlas Og

Phenomenal pace and deadly finishing made him a constant threat in Durlas Ogs lethal forward line.

EOIN CRADDOCK  Holycross Ballycahill

Hat trick of goals from play in both the mid final and County quarter final replay were highlights for a hugely effective operator at 11 all year.

TOMMY MAHER Durlas Og

Superb deliverer of quality ball from either midfield or half forward, got crucial scores for Durlas Og throughout the campaign.

RUAIRI LEAHY ST MARYS

Pacey, elusive and with a keen eye for goal, opposition defenses found him hard to pin down in possession all year.

JOCK FOGARTY Durlas Og

Powerful target man at the edge of the square for Durlas Og, caused endless problems for opposing backlines.

ROBBIE RYAN  Holycross Ballycahill

Prolific scorer in Holycrosses league and championship run, brought others into play with clever stick and hand passes.

Goalkeeper

Ewan Bourke Holycross Ballycahill

Tall,brave and with a huge range of puckouts,Ewan has been excellent for Holycross Ballycahill all year.Very good reflexes and a great ability in 1 on 1 situations are other traits to admire in a hugely consistent goalie.

Corner Back 

Pa Dwyer Holycross Ballycahill

Mr Consistency at 2,the Holycross Ballycahill captain hasn’t put a foot wrong in 2 seasons ,his cool interventions denying many opposition scores

Full Back

Thomas Fahy Borris-ileigh

Fahy has a lot of experience in a Borris-Ileigh jersey, and only for an influx of underage talent in recent years, would still have been hurling at senior level. He was a regular at corner back for the Borris seniors in years gone by, but was a big factor in Borris-Ileigh making a North final, and made a name for himself late in the game, moving to full forward and scoring 2-2 within 10 minutes. An experienced operator.

Corner Back

Conor O’Sullivan Galtee Rovers

O’Sullivan was his usual tough tenacious tight marking self throughout the year.His Performance was the foundation stone of Rovers win in the West Junior Championship.

Wing Back

Fionan O’Suilleabhain Skeheenarinky

An experienced hurler who has been an integral part of the Skeheenarinky defensive unit in 2021 after a brief switch to wing forward early in the campaign. Team Captain and calming influence, his ability to read the game and start attacks from the half back line were integral to Skeheen’s title win and Munster performances to date. Fionan missed the Club’s Intermediate campaign in 2015 through travel and will be looking forward to testing himself at the grade in 2022. 

Centre Back

Sean Geaney Nenagh Eire Og: 

Geaney is one of the men many Nenagh supporters would point at as a man playing beneath his level at junior level, and you can see his ability as he commanded centre back all year. A former All Ireland schools winner with Nenagh CBS, Geaney has other interests away from GAA that hampered his regularity at senior level, but he is a class operator at junior level and was a key member for Nenagh all year.

Wing Back 

Frank Hanafin Holycross Ballycahill

Super solid in the air and on the ground,Frank’s power in the middle third was key to Holycross  Ballycahills two mid titles in 2020 and 21

Midfield 

Darragh Brennan Skeheenarinky

Co. Minor panelist in 2019, Darragh is an outstanding young hurler whose move from corner forward to midfield during the campaign made a huge difference to the balance of Skeheen in 2021. His standout moment was against Galtee Rovers in the Co. semi Final when his solo goal late on proved the difference. Darragh is strong, athletic and intelligent on the ball which equips him well for the Intermediate grade in 2022. Bright future ahead.

Josh Keller Nenagh Eire Og

His first year at adult level couldn’t have went better for Keller ad he clinched a North medal at the first time of asking. He was a serious talent underage, and his ability to travel with the ball proved to be a massive attacking weapon for Nenagh. Expect this man to be a regular with the Nenagh seniors in the coming years.

Wing Forward

Conor Sweeney Skehenarinky 

Better known for his Football exploits with Tipperary but Conor is an accomplished hurler in his own right. His strenght, athleticism and composure were key to Skeheen’s charge in 2021. His three points in the final quarter of the Co. Final laid the platform for the win but his standout moment came against Grangemockler in the South quarter-final when his goal entering injury time put Skeheen in the driving seat. 

Centre Forward

Tony O’Brien Galtee Rovers

O’Brien was in red hot form scoring 1-74 in 7 Championship games scoring 0-15 Points in a number of outings,His accuracy from Play and unerring free taking was the difference in ‘21 between Galtee Rovers losing and winning a lot of their games,A club Talisman

Wing Forward

Jamie Lee Dwan Holycross Ballycahill

Ball winning half forward,well able to take a score,exceptional in the air and surely a fixture at senior in the years ahead in green and white.

Corner Forward 

Tomas Vaughan Skeheenarinky

Skeheenarinky’s marquee forward throughout the campaign and the Premierview Podcast Junior Player of the Year for 2021. His reliability and consistency on frees and in open play was one of the main reasons Skeheen landed the Co. title. Powerful in possession, his standout moment, amongst many, came in the South Final against Ballingarry when his solo goal set his side on their way to their 10th title success. His selection on the South Senior Panel underlines his undoubted talent and one to watch in next year’s Intermediate Championship.

Full Forward 

Donnacha Quinn Nenagh Eire Og

Quinn was in exceptional form as Nenagh clinched the North title with victory over Borris-Ileigh. The centre forward has had a tough few years with a recurring and debilitating knee injury hampering him, and only for that injury, he would definitely be a key player for Nenagh at senior level. But it’s good for Quinn that he can still contribute on the field, and he was an integral scoring threat for Nenagh all year.

Corner Forward

Dean Finn Skeheenarinky 

The Skeheenarinky player’s player of the Co. Final. His three point haul, above all, created the platform for his team’s success. Dean is strong, athletic and direct in attack and creates opportunities for those around him and strikes fear in the opposition. His form has continued into the Munster campaign and will be a handful for anyone in the Intermediate Championship in 2022. 

Plus

Give a listen to our Podcast Episode with Dr. Damien Young who brings us right into the Heart of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Set Up,a must listen for all Hurling Fans.

1 – Paul Maher – Moyne Templetuohy – Missed the opening 2 games due to injury but once returned, it allowed Murty Kelly to add to the attack for Moyne Templetuohy. His puck outs played a big role in Moyne Templetouhy reaching the summit this year.

2 – Roddy Teehan – Moneygall – Roddy was exceptional for Moneygall all year, stylish, abrasive and fast, he was also able to man mark when opposition players required it. He nullified both Conor Whelan & Dylan Walsh and his 1^st half performance v Mark Kehoe was very commendable after it reported he was suffering with illness before the game.

3 – Ciaran Lloyd – Moyne Templetuohy – An area where needed improvement, Lloyd was immense for the Mid side this year. He is tall, robust and has a decent turn of pace. Has youth on his side and will be one to watch into the future.

4 – Kieran Breen – Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams – Comfortable either in the Corner or on the Wing for Kickhams, Breen was joint Captain for only their second West Intermediate ever this year, His level of consistency has been rewarded with a solid show for the winners of the Miller shield at the end of this year.

5 – Bill Maher – Kilsheelan Kilcash – Had a fantastic season for Kilsheelan whereby along with Paul were the heartbeat of the defence and the link men for the attack. Exceptionally comfortable on the ball, his endless running tormented both forwards and defenders this year.

6 – Tossy Hamill – Moyne Templetouhy – Had a great year where he commanded the centre back roll and linked with his half backs and midfield to build the attack. Had a trojan second half in the Co Final, he has been there with Tipp in the past and this experience really stood to him when Moyne Templetuohy needed him this year.

7 – Paul Maher – Kilsheelan Kilcash – A lot of people would suggest he was the Intermediate Hurler of the Year in 2021 and it is very hard to argue against it. Brilliant to lead to the defence, like Bill he is so comfortable on the ball. He had powerhousing displays in the Co Semi and Final only to come up ever so short. 

8 – Mark Stokes – Kilsheelan Kilcash – Very strong hurler, quick and very combative. He is a big man, very skillful and has a great eye for a score. He provided much needed running to link with the two Mahers and if he dedicated more to the hurling, he would be a great option for Tipp going forward.

9 – Conor Bowe – Moyne Templetuohy – Stared the year in corner forward but Liam England’s decision to move him to centre field was a telling move. He provided pace to this area of the field that caused huge problems for teams, evidently shown in the Co Final. His shooting can be very erratic at times but his stint with the footballers has seen him bulk up and it was only a matter of time before Tipp Senior Hurling management came calling.

10 – Mark Kehoe – Kilsheelan Kilcash – Highest scorer from play in this years Championship with 5-19 alone from play, the Tipperary panellist was in brilliant form through the season. He was immense when it mattered on the big days for Kilsheelan this year, he is going to have a part to play with Tipperary in the years ahead.

11 – Gearoid O’Connor – Moyne Templetuohy – Missed one game in the championship and it was the only game Moyne Templetuohy didn’t win, which says it all. He was the lynchpin to everything Moyne Templetuohy did in attack and his scoring from frees was massive for the Co Champions. His running from deep was a huge plus for the Mid side and his training with Tipp Seniors has really improved his game. Expect to see him involved more with Tipp in 2022.

12 – Joe Fogarty – Moneygall – Joe was inspirational form for Moneygall this year. He has really added a lot to his game this year, he has bulked up, is fast but it his aerial ability that is very hard to contend with for any defender such is his spring. He has recently been added to the Tipp Training squad and this is sure to improve his overall game going forward. 

13 – Sean Kenneally – Moneygall – Only 18 years old and playing his first year at adult level, Kenneally was what the North sided needed beside Joe Fogarty to take them up a level. He is bound to play a big part in Brendan Cummins tenure as U20 manager and it will be interesting to see his progress. Has a great eye for a goal and is very strong for his age. 5-12 from play and second highest from play scorer in the intermediate.

14 – Dylan Walsh – Ballingarry – Club Captain at an age when most young men are concerned about even making their clubs squad, a metronomic free taker who still managed to grab 3-11 from play, Walsh has a big future ahead of him with both Club and County.

15 – David Butler – Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams – With 3-16 from play this year, Butler is one of the most lethal forwards in the a grade packed with forward fire power, scored a cracker of a goal in the West Intermediate which showcased his opportunism pace and striking ability.

Goalkeeper

Paddy McCormack Thurles Sarsfields

The most consistent Club keeper in Tipperary of the past decade, assured shot stopper and accuracy on puckouts all combine to make him our choice.Rhys Shelly of Moycakey Borris ran him close, but he will have another day.

Corner Back

Willie Eviston Loughmore Castleiney

Tigerish and secure, Willie was a shoo in based on his performances throughout the year, might be unsung by many but those in Loughmore know his worth.

Full Back

Padraic Maher Thurles Sarsfields

More awards and medals than a World War 2 Soviet General, The Force of Nature will no doubt treasure this award more than all the rest.

Corner Back

Craig Morgan Kilruane MacDonaghs

Young Master Morgan exemplified all that was good about Kilruane,this year. Soaring Stickwork and no shortage of drive, His future with MacDonaghs and Tipp probably resides in the half backline, but for now he fills out our 2021 full back line.

Wing Back

Alan Flynn Kiladangan

After the never to be forgotten year of 2020,Kiladangan never really reached the heights in 2021 that they set previously,Alan Flynn however set the standard in every game for them year……..their leader.

Centre Back

Dan McCormack Borris-ileigh

Borris similar to Kiladangan never hit the heights in ‘21 either,but their centre back shone bright like a diamond throughout,Everytime we saw them this year, Dan was their man.

Wing Back

John Meagher  Loughmore Castleiney

We are going to make no bones about what we are going to say next, John Meagher is deserving of a consistent run with Tipperary in the Munster League and the League itself proper, Meagher has been a colossus for Loughmore across the half back line for this years Dan Breen, Hands and Brains.

Midfield 

Noel Mc Grath  Loughmore Castleiney

Tipperary’s and Loughmore’s Tom Brady, that is all

Ciaran Connolly  Loughmore Castleiney

Missing for the mid final v Sars and Loughmore felt it,Connolly brings energy and momentum to the engine room,Colm Bonnar is bound to have taken note.

Wing Forward 

Darragh Woods Holycross Ballycahill

In a difficult year for the Mid men, Woods stood out from the trees especially in their moments of need, In the relegation final v Roscrea he scored 1-10,with 3-12 from play this year, there is more to come….

Centre Forward

John McGrath  Loughmore Castleiney

We could write an opus on his exploits this year,but we will just type 4 more letters.

HOTY

Wing Forward

Cian Darcy Kilruane MacDonaghs

The Kiruane man has proven this year  he can hurl anywhere, Midfield, Half Forward and the Full Forward line, Space is where he kills you.

Corner Forward

Paddy Creedon Thurles Sarsfields

There were times particularly when the ground was hard that We had to remind ourselves that Creedon is still only 19,A man child for his years, he lit up  much of the mid and group stages, Not as effective in both finals, but his time will come. No 2 on our scorer from play list with 4-15 over the 7 Dan Breen games.

Full Forward

Dennis Maher Thurles Sarsfields

Dennis the Menace is normally the last lad you want to see rolling in towards you and you the opposition Full Back, an absolute handful when he decides to go direct but Maher’s game is a lot more nuanced than that as Paddy Creedon will tell you.

Corner Forward 

Pa Bourke Thurles Sarsfields

We started with the most consistent keeper in Tipp club hurling of the past decade,We fill out the list with the most consistent Tipperary club forward of the past 10 or more years.Pa Bourke finishes top of the play scoring charts with 3-19 from play.It might be Autumn in his career with the Sars,but he has a few Indian Summers days left yet.

Give a listen to our Podcast Episode with Dr. Damien Young who brings us right into the Heart of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Set Up,a must listen for all Hurling Fans.

Credit; John Condon Donal White

The intensity! The work rate! The energy, electricity, and the high voltage!

The Tipperary County final didn’t quite hit the spot until we were treated to the longest and greatest ruck in hurling history, at the death of the battle for the Premier throne.

This glorious passage began at 62:40 on the match clock.

Like a murmuration of starlings before migration, the group swarmed and turned, coursed from side to side, condensing and dissipating, renewing the proud tradition of hurling in its home county.

The skills of hurling from yesteryear were not to the forefront in this ruck-of-the-ages. We didn’t see a ball struck, controlled, passed, or even significantly moved.

But we were treated to something far more sublime than those anciently outdated Celtic skills.

We saw bodies on the line. We saw serious athletes hit a mass of bodies in a way that will have Andy Farrell reassess his front row options in the spring.

We saw pushing, shoving, and the finest example of hurling “physicality” one will see this side of the Shannon.

We saw roll-lifts! Well, more like attempted roll-lifts, and there were too many to count.

This was the latest encouraging sign of hurling’s beautiful evolution into “hurling 2.0”, as dubbed by our finest experts on RTE.

The modern hurling ruck is the latest and greatest species in the evolution of this sport. Sunday presented us with the alpha of the species: 20 players crouched scrambling for almost half a minute to get the ball in their hand.

No one dared to actually pull on the ball, as recent history has shown that to be a yellow card offense – if you’re lucky.

And anyway, why play this little ball away when you can run with it in your hand! And take as many steps as the atmosphere of the day demands.

With the ball in your hand, there is always a chance the referee will punish you for over-carrying, giving a free to one of the surrounding horde of zombie defenders and their outstretched arms, but that is a risk worth taking.

The risk is even more worthwhile if you flail your arms wildly while trying to escape with possession.

So let’s dampen the calls to actually look at what’s happening in our national sport. Suspend your disbelief and join in the fun.

After all, what’s the best thing about the circus? – it’s intense.

Michael’s Tipperary Team of the 80’s

In the previous two parts of our series on Tipperary hurling in the 1980’s,We’ve looked at the games in Part One and the scorers in Part Two, Now in Part 3 Michael puts his head on the block and names what he thinks in the best Tipp 15 of the decade,so who are the 15 Tipperary Titans of the decade?.

Goalkeeper

Tipp has had many good keepers over the years and none more so than in the 80’s. Pat McLoughney started the decade between the sticks and won an All-Star, John Farrell, John Sheedy & Tony Shepperd all had spells there too,but I’ve gone for the big Lorrha man Ken Hogan, Who with 14 appearances, 1 All-Star, 3 Munster medals and 1 All-Ireland as the pick of the bunch. 

Right Corner Back

At Corner-back, I’ve gone for Roscrea’s stylish defender Paul Delaney. Delaney is one of my favourite players to ever wear the blue & gold. He would also pop up with vital scores & an expert free-taker scoring 18 points during the period in 14 appearances. 

Full Back

I stay North for the full-back position with Nenagh’s Conor O’Donovan wearing no.3. Ever present at full-back during the All-Ireland campaign, he was equally as comfortable anywhere across the line. 

Left Corner Back

The ‘Mines stalwart Noel Sheehy is the other corner-back. A teak tough defender who also played full-back and centre-back during the decade. 

Right Wing Back

Cashel’s stylish Pat Fitzelle just edges out fellow Cashel man Conal Bonnar for the no.5 shirt. Fitzelle a regular in the early years also played at midfield. 

Centre Back

Lorrha get their second player on the team with the pick of John McIntyre at centre-back. McIntyre played 7 times for Tipp during the decade and was equally at home at wing-back. 

Left Wing Back

Having started his Tipp career as a Full-Forward Bobby Ryan found a home in the half-back line. He won 3 all-stars and is my undisputed pick for No. 7. 

Midfield

In the middle of the field I have gone for two West men, The enigmatic Joe Hayes was a huge addition when introduced during the 1987 campaign and managed to score 1-10 in 12 appearances while also popping up at centre-forward the odd time. 

Midfield

Beside Joe is new Tipp manager Colm Bonnar. Bonnar was the engine of the midfield during the latter part of the 80’s and when he went well Tipp went well. 

Right Wing Forward

Still only 20 years old in 1988 Declan Ryan won an All-Star at wing-forward and scored 2-13 in 8 appearances. His size and ability were instrumental in Tipp winning the All-Ireland in 1989

Centre Forward

Centre-forward goes to the big Killenaule man Donie O’Connell. A cult hero in Tipp Donie was hugely important to our game during the ‘Babs’ era. Donie knew where the posts were too coming in 4^th in scoring during the period with 4-19

Left Wing Forward

Another Borrisoleigh man takes the no. 12 shirt, Aidan Ryan was a ball of energy winning an All-Star for his displays in 1987. He would score 0-20 in the decade. 

Right Corner Forward

There is no competition for the no.13 shirt, Pat Fox played everywhere for Tipp, Midfield or Corner-back but it was as a no.13 that the left-hander found is fame. The free-taker for the team in the famine ending season of 1987. Fox was 2^nd on the scoring charts for the decade. 

Full Forward

I have picked Nicky English at full-forward. There was never a question of Nicky not being in the team just where to place him. Winning 6 All-Stars during the decade English was often unplayable. English was the best player  to do the blue & gold in the 80’s and arguably ever. 

Left Corner Forward

Cappawhite’s Ger O’Neill gets the nod at 15. Ger was brilliant for Tipp in 1984 and especially during the 1985 Munster Final. He scored 2-07 from play and was always a threat. Saw brief playing time during ‘Babs’ time but there was no doubting O’Neills prowess around the square. 

We look forward to seeing all your comments on our twitter page

Mikes’s 15 Tipperary Titans

Credit; John Condon Donal White

What is the Hook Tackle in Hurling?

Do you know?

If two people ever had a disagreement on the hook, where would they go for the definition? Well, the hook is a style of tackling in the sport, so they might reasonably go to the rulebook for the answer. They would be disappointed, or maybe even shocked.

When you read the rulebook with the hook in mind, the result is:

• The hook is not defined and has never been defined in the 140 odd years since the rules of the game have been codified.
• It is not mentioned anywhere as a legal action in the game.
• It is not a legal tackle, according to how the tackle is defined.
• Descriptions of fouls in the rulebook very accurately describe the hook.
• If you repeatedly perform a hook in a match, you could even receive a red card for your troubles, according to descriptions of certain rules of Foul Play.

Before I go further, let me be clear that I think the hook is a fantastic part of our game. It is skilful. It is clean.

These are the facts on the hook:

1. The hurling rulebook does not mention the hook anywhere. Camogie took enough care to include it in their rules, while the GAA did not.

2. In the hurling rulebook, there are 11 rules of The Play, contained within the larger section of the Rules of Fair Play. These rules fundamentally describe the sport. They allow you to catch the ball, to hit it with the hurley and to solo with it, among other things. The hook is not in these rules.

3. These same rules of The Play allow you to “tackle an opponent for the ball”. They describe how to tackle for the ball, which is through a shoulder-to-shoulder fair charge. The hook tackle is not there.

4. The tackle in hurling is defined as “any attempt to dispossess or reduce the advantage of opponent within the Rules of Fair Play. With the exception of the charge (fair), the tackle is aimed at the ball not the player.” Let’s break this down:

All of the above is enough to say that the hook is not a legal part of the sport of hurling.

Rules of Foul Play

But there is another section in the rules called the Rules of Foul Play. Do these have anything to say about the hook? 

Aggressive foul 5.15 is “to strike an opponent’s hurley unless both players are in the act of playing the ball.” 

And the rulebook defines “play the ball” as “to touch the ball”.

Foul 5.15 means it is a foul to strike an opponent’s hurley, unless both you and him are touching the ball. This is the foul commonly known as a “chop”. If you commit a chop on the opponent, most often it is when the ball is on his hurley, or about to be on his hurley, and you strike his hurley. That is a perfect break of foul 5.15.

This rule is also written in a way that it is not a foul for two players to pull on a ball simultaneously and strike or clash hurleys in the process. So far, so good.

However, the GAA made a fatal error with foul 5.15 because it also applies to the hook. Most commonly, when the hook takes place, there is an upward striking motion by the defender onto the oncoming hurley of the attacker about to hit the ball. And this happens at a moment when it is not the case that both players are in the act of playing the ball, thus breaking 5.15.

With this rule, they made a foul of both the chop and the hook. Both are acts of tipping or striking the opponent’s hurley, but the GAA did not distinguish between the two. They threw the baby out with the bath water. Although in this case, the baby, i.e. the hook, was never a legal part of the family in the first place, because it was omitted from the Rules of Fair Play.

To make things worse, we can make a very strong case that the hook breaks multiple rules of Foul Play.

Foul 4.9 is “to tip an opponent’s hurley in the air or to tip it up with hurley or foot, for the purpose of allowing the ball to pass through.” This may have been written with a certain purpose in mind, but it also quite accurately describes a hook. I’ll explain:

Just imagine you have thrown up the ball to hit it. At that moment, I tip your hurley so that the ball passes through the would-be area of contact, and falls to the ground. That was a perfect break of Foul 4.9.

The punishment for the hook

This seems like a crazy section of the article. But we’ve very reasonably shown here how the hook is an example of fouls 4.9 and 5.15. What is the punishment for those fouls?

Let’s keep this short. If you repeatedly commit foul 5.15, the punishment is at first a yellow card, and eventually a red.

Reminder: that’s the punishment for when you hook with an upward striking motion on the opponent’s hurley as they are hitting the ball.

The hook when the hurley is stationary

You might raise a question about the case of when the hook is performed with a stationary hurley held in the path of the swing of the attacker. This version of the hook seems to be a minority one, and in any case, when that hook happens there is still a strike of the hurlies with the ball not present at the location of contact. If there was no strike between the hurlies, there was no hook.

Taking foul 5.15 to mean exactly what it says (that seems fair!), the stationary hook would result in an infraction. You could argue that a strike -this time by the attacker with the ball – onto a defender’s stationary hurley in the hook position is not a deliberate strike of that hurley, and so not a foul. But the rule does not require it to be deliberate, even though it does require this standard of other fouls. And even then we are still accepting that the hook in any form is not a legal tackle. It’s clear it just needs to be legislated for.

What does it matter?

On a careful reading of the book, it is clear that playing the opponent’s hurley was not a desired part of the sport. With the exception of the shoulder charge, it is a completely ball-focussed sport.

Tipping or striking the opponent’s hurley when they’re about to play the ball is a foul (5.15 and 4.9), but the hook is essentially a skilful version of this tipping or striking motion. This makes it unique in the game, but was never recognised as such by rule-makers. As far as the rules are concerned, it is a forgotten and illegal part of the sport.

“But what does all this matter?” you might say. “We know what a hook is! And the ref will never blow a free for it!”

But the referee’s first duty is “to control the game in accordance with the Playing Rules”. If the hook is a foul, there can never be any respect for the rules, and the referee can have no hope of performing his first duty. The referee’s source of power – the rulebook – is then openly acknowledged as a farcical document.

We will see that the hook being a foul is actually the least of our problems. There are things that the referee is currently not allowing in play, and which anyone would agree are not good for the game, but which are perfectly legal according to the rulebook. We will expose these problems in the coming weeks to make it clear to the GAA what needs to change.

But let’s take one thing at a time. I will not pose a problem without posing a solution. From what I’m aware, below is the first ever published suggestion for a definition of the hook. Of course, the final definition should be something agreed upon by a suitable panel. For the respect of hurling, and for the respect of referees, it’s time to put the hook in the book.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND

ADD THIS RULE TO THE RULES OF FAIR PLAY:

A player may tackle by hooking an opponent.

ADD THIS DEFINITION TO THE APPENDIX:

To hook:

For a player to use his hurley to connect with an opponent’s hurley from behind, in order to deflect the arc of that opponent’s swing during his attempt to strike the ball.

Postscript

It’s worth making a quick mention here of the block in hurling. When a player blocks purely on the ball, this is allowed for in the Rules of Fair Play (just about) and is not a breach of Foul 5.15 or any other foul once it is ball-focussed. 

Like to Read More?

Thrown not blown, an in game analysis of the handpass in the 2021 Hurling Championship

We have already had a look at the up and coming in form young hurlers based on their Championship form in the Great 8 .

Now working with Hurler on the Ditch and his comprehensive from play scoring charts across the Breen,O’Riain and Intermediate Tipperary Hurling Championships.

We highlight the young gun forwards who Colm Bonnar and his incoming management team need to run the rule over.

Sean Ryan Templederry Kenyons

When you talk about so hot right now, Sean Ryan is literally steaming ,A young gun astride the Top of the scoring charts with 4-11 from play in 3 group games, Man of the match performances in nearly every game he’s played in this year,10 out of 10’s given to him in the local media, everything he touches at the minute is resulting in the raising of either a green or white.

Schooled in Our Lady’s Templemore where he operated in the half forward line and a starter in last winter’s Munster Final v Cork at Wing Forward.Most of us here wouldn’t have had him as a top score contender 6 month ago, never mind top of the pile.

He did however give us fair warning in the first round of the North against Roscrea when he scored a barely credible 2-08 from play located at full forward and was literally unmarkable that day.

In the O’Riain since, he has racked up 4-02 against Newport from play operating at corner forward,0-05 in the defeat to the Mines again operating at corner forward and another 4 white flags from wing forward against Clonakenny.

It’s going to be interesting to see how he copes as Templederry progress in the O’Riain and the quality of defenses improve against him, the only relative blip so far this year was him scoring just the 0-02 from full forward  v Borrisileigh in their North Championship beating.

He keeps this straight up scoring trajectory going and he will have to feature in our new managers plans.

Alan Tynan Roscrea

Tynans underage back story is well known at this stage, Part of both beaten Tipperary 2015 Teams in that year’s All Ireland Finals, Leinster Schools Rugby winner that year also. Then left the GAA World behind in 2016 to join the Munster Academy and played in the u20 World Cup in 2017.

Having failed to gain a Professional Senior Contract with Munster in the cut throat world of Professional sport, He returned to hurl with Roscrea in 2020.

Having watched him with interest in the 3 rounds of the 2020 Tipperary Senior Championship,Tynan’s physical approach stood out,his hurling unfortunately didn’t,but that’s understandable given that he probably had’nt held a hurley in the 3 odd years he was away from the game.

He finished with a total of 4 points in the 2020 group stages as Roscrea headed for the relegation Semi-finals.

Many were surprised that he was called into the extended Tipperary panel on the foot of those performances in January this year, but the years hurling both with Club and County has sharpened his game up no end and he finishes the group stages this year with a much improved tally on last year, a total of 1-11.

His scores 0-05 v Nenagh at Wing Forward,1-5 v Kilruane at Centre Forward and 0-01 V Borrisileigh,all from play in this year’s championship allied to his pace and physical approach to the game should pose the following question to Colm Bonnar.

Could Alan Tynan fill a Bonner Maher sized hole for Tipperary?.

Joe Fogarty Moneygall

The Moneygall maestro has been the leading light for the North club as they beat all what came before them in the Co League and North Championship. While he lit up the league, his performance in the North Final was as good as seen in years when he scored 1-5 from play in a man of the match performance.

That said, his performances in the opening 3 games of the Intermediate Championship have yielded 4-08 from play alone,from the Half Foward line and his unnerving free taking is also another string to his bow . 

While Joe has incredible skill, one of his best attributes is winning primary possession in the air along with having the softest of hands when the ball is on the ground but he is also a very explosive runner on the ball.

His burst of pace alone should nearly ensure that he gets a Tipperary call up as anyone that’s seen him in full flight would have him down as one of the paciest men currently hurling in the country

A member of the successful 2019 U20 panel, Joe has taken his hurling to a different level , he has added serious bulk and is aided by the engine he has to torment defenders. 

He is sure to be leading light for UL in the upcoming Fitzgibbon Cup and if Moneygall are to go deep in the Intermediate this year, it will be Fogarty who will be leading the charge. 

He is a player who would flourish in a Tipp Senior set up, as with that talent around him, will only make him a better player.

Peter McGarry St. Mary’s

Peter McGarry has been in scintillating form for St. Mary’s U-19s as they have progressed to the county final recently and has also become a key component of the senior side playing a prominent role in each of the Clonmel side’s Seamus O’Riain group games to date,scoring 2-04 from play alone.

Playing in midfield at underage level, McGarry’s scoring stats and range are one of the most impressive aspects to his game with his ability to score from distance a key attribute. Added to this is a key eye for goal, bagging a brace of goal in both Mary’s south final win over Carrick Swan and their county semi final win over Knockavilla Kickhams.

Although not a tall player by any means, McGarry’s speed and strength have ensured a seamless transition to the senior set-up, where he has been given a more advanced role as part of a remodelled Mary’s forward line this year.

County representative honours have also not eluded the youngster, featuring in midfield for Tipperary minors last year in their run to the Munster final. McGarry progressed straight to the U20 panel this year, featuring off the bench in both games,He might be too young yet for a Senior call up,But time is most definitely on his side.

Brendan Cummins will surely be looking to him for a more prominent role at this grade in 2022 and 2023.

Dylan Walsh Ballingarry

The fact that this young gun was Captain for Ballingarry in their recent South  Intermediate final win  v Moyle Rovers should tell you something about his leadership qualities and the faith placed in him by the outfit relegated from the senior ranks in 2020.

Captaincy coupled with free taking doesnt seem to phase this tyro as he chipped in that final win with 0-09,8 of which were frees,coming from the wing forward position.

He continued his excellent form into the group stages of the Intermediate championship with his tally from play standing at  2-10 and normally the best player that Ballingarry have on the pitchat the minute.

His freetaking is exemplary with your correspondent reminded of his performance in the 2020 relegation semi v Kiladangan which operating in midfield,he scored 0-13 points from frees.

If Ballingarry are to return to their rightful place in Senior,it’s obvious that the team will be built around Walsh’s broad shoulders.

The question though needs to be asked….

Could he be the Heir apparent to Jason Forde?

Paddy Creedon Thurles Sars

Which brings us to our last name on the list, hes already featured on our Super 8 list and while we might be accused of having shares in him.

How could we leave him out.

Top scorer overall and Top scorer, more importantly in the group stages of the Dan Breen with a tally of 4-09 from play, he’s been cutting through defenses recently like Una Healy on her way to the Bar in Hayes.

Whatever they are feeding him in the Creedon household at the minute its working that coupled with Paddy’s elevation to the big job with the big ball means Christmas with the Creedons will be a one day event this year.

He’s played at corner forward for Sars this year but we feel with his direct and powerful running,his natural position is at 14.

With the u19A hurling v Mary’s to look forward to, plus the Sars production line in full flow, we foresee a treasure trove of medals and awards with both club and county in this young man’s future.

The Hurler on the Ditch Scorers from Play Tables in Full.

Credit; Michael McCarthy

Scorers and Starters

In Part One, We had a close look at the Decade, Year by Year, Game by Game, this time round we look at the Scorers and Starters, the Men who represented their County and with no small degree of success.

During the ten year period 1980 to 1989,Tipp would use 79 different players, You could only make three subs at the time.

Bobby Ryan made the most appearances with 23, followed closely by Pat Fox with 21 & Nicky English on 20.

29 different clubs were represented with Borrisoleigh & Kilruane having the greatest number of representatives with a Joint 8,Roscrea in second place having 6. 

Tipp’s 79 players of the 80’s

Number of players contributed by Club

29 different Clubs were represented with Borrisoleigh & Kilruane having the greatest number of Players with a Joint 8.

Roscrea in second place having 6 and Nenagh and Cashel in joint third with 5.

Tipp players by Division

Tipperary Scorers

In scoring terms Tipp managed 55-392 in those 26 games.

An average of 2-15.5 per game with the opposition scoring 52-326 which is an average of 2-12.5 per game.

46 different players raised a White or Green flag for Tipp during this period.

Yet anyone who has watched Tipperary during this time will all know the impact the Lattin/Cullen man made during this period, Nicky English scored an incredible 15-87 (132 points).

Fellow West man Pat Fox is in second place on 8-67 (91 points).

Nobody else comes close to them in the scoring charts, Seamus Power is in 3^rd with 3-23(32 points). 

Tipp scorers by Player in the 80’s

Our All Stars

In terms of All Stars,Goalkeeper Pat McLoughney was receiving his 2^nd award and Tipps only All-Star in 1980.

We had to wait until 1983 for Nicky English to win one at Wing-Forward, a feat he carried on in 19884 & 85.

Bobby Ryan was our lone All-Star in 1986 at No.7.

’87 would see us win 4 awards with Ken Hogan in Goal & Aidan Ryan(RWF), Pat Fox(LCF) & Nicky English(FF) collecting awards. 

We would again win 4 awards in 1988 with Bobby Ryan Collecting his 2^nd at LWB, Colm Bonnar in Midfield, Declan Ryan(RWF) & Nicky English(FF).

Tipp would pick up 6 awards in 1989 with Bobby Ryan, this time at CB, Conal Bonnar at RWB, Declan Carr in Midfield and Tipp receiving the whole full forward line of Pat Fox, Cormac Bonnar & Nicky English.

English collected his 6^th award of the decade, Bobby Ryan his 3rd and Pat Fox his 2nd.

Credit; Michael McCarthy

The Definitive Short History of Tipperary Hurling in the 1980’s,Part 1

The start of the decade of the 80s saw Tipperary Hurling in the doldrums. We hadn’t won a championship game since 1973 and there was no end in sight for this famine. By the end of the decade we would be All-Ireland Champions but what a rollercoaster of a 10 years it turned out to be. 

1980

As with all years there was hope in the air as Tipp headed to Thurles for the first of 7 battles with Cork during the 80s. The great Pat McLoughney was in goal, Pat Fitzell of Cashel was at no. 5, A young Annacarty man  by the name of Pat Fox held the No.9 jersey while upfront Eamonn O’Shea was on one wing with Droms Tommy Butler at 14. O’Shea would score one point with Tommy Butler hitting 1-04 but Tipp would once again fall to Cork in Thurles by 2-17 to 1-12. 

1981

’81 saw us play an exciting draw with Limerick in Thurles, Tipp 3-13 to Limericks 4-10, John Grogan with 2-06 and Peader Queally with the other goal would shine, before travelling to Limerick only to return with our tails between our legs as Limerick beat us by eight 3-17 to 2-12. Clonmore’s Seamus Bourke would come off the bench to hit 2-03 for us. Funnily enough a Limerick man by the name of Mossie Carroll would line out at 6 for us which might have just spurred on the Limerick team. 

1982

In 1982 we had a younger line up with Nicky English, Donie O’Connell, Ger O’Neill & Bobby Ryan all starting in the forwards with Pat Fox again in midfield. This time there was two Limerick men in our ’15 as Mossie was joined by brother Brian who played at wing-forward. Cork put paid to our chances with a comprehensive 1-19 to 2-08 victory. Our goals coming courtesy of Noel O’Dwyer and sub Martin McGrath. 

1983

A collective sigh of relief swept the county following our 1^st victory in ten years in 1983 as we got the better of Clare by one goal 2-11 to 1-11. Nicky English was the only surviving forward from the previous campaign in a much changed Tipp line out. Waterford would be the semi-final opposition and would come out on top by five 4-13 to 2-15. John Grogan was our top scorer with 0-7 and the majors coming from either side of the Carrick divide with Ralph Callaghan and Tom Waters raising the green flags. 

1984

The duck was broken and centenary year of 1984 brought much hope, The All-Ireland was to be played in Thurles and it was all to play for. Clare were once again dispatched in our first game this time by one point with Nicky English 0-04 & Seamus Power 0-05 leading the way for us. An epic Munster final was played in Tom Semple’s field but once again we came up short to Cork side that would go onto All Ireland glory. Seamus Power again led the way with 1-06. 

1985

Clare would again be our first game in ’85 and a dour affair would end 1-08 a piece, the replay would see one of our better performances of the decade scoring 5-14 in an eleven point win. Nicky English & Seamus Power with two goals a piece and Ger O’Neills 1-03 set us on our way.

That set up a second Munster final in a row with Cork, this time in Pairc Úi Caoimh. Another titanic battle would see Cork come out on top 4-17 to 4-11. Nicky English would lead the way with 2-04 while ably assisted by Ger O’Neill with 1-03. 

1986

Clare would eventually get over us in 1986 scoring a 2-10 to 1-11 victory over us. Nicky was absent through injury, Seamus Power would score five points with Boherlahan’s Liam Maher getting the goal. It was a disappointing year but one that brought about much needed change. 

1987

The first 7 years of the decade had seen us play a paltry 12 games in total, and win only three games all against Clare. New blood and fresh minds were needed and in came Michael ‘Babs’ Keating with Theo English & Donie Nealon in tow. 

The impact was immediate and Kerry were dispatched with ease in round 1. Only 5 players would make the team from the previous year. Pat Fox took up position at 13 and was scorer in chief with 1-10. Clare were again our Munster Semi-final opponents. The game was played in Killarney and a draw 1-13 a piece was the end result. Pat Fox again to the fore with 0-7 but Nicky was back and notched 1-03.

The replay again was in Killarney and we duly dispatched Clare with a rousing 4-17 to 0-08 victory. Nicky with 2-04 & Pat Fox with 0-07 in Tour de force from the West men. We were into our third Munster final in 4 years and Cork would again be the opponents.

A rip roaring contest in Thurles saw us draw 1-18 each. Fox had 0-09, Nicky 1-01 and big Donie O’Connell chipped in with 0-04 points. Following a row over the venue for the replay Tipp got their way and back to Killarney for our fourth game of the campaign there.

Cork would storm into the lead and were up six after twenty minutes. But Tipp would fight back into game and with five to go it was level at 1-16 each. Fenton would point again from a free. Tipp had a chance to level from a ’65 but Delaney drove wide. Cork had a chance to stretch the lead but it was wide.

Hogan gave it everything on the puck-out as time was nearly up, Nicky English was onto the break like a flash and after dodging the Cork defender was through on goal with two Cork bearing down on him, He took the sensible option and palmed the ball over to tie the game.

Terence Murray blew the game up on the puck-out and extra time would be needed. Michael Doyle & Donie O’Connell would be Tipp heroes in Extra Time as the Munster Cup returned to Tipp for the first time since 1971 and Borrisoleigh’s Richie Stakelum got to utter those famous word ‘The famine is over’ 

The All-Ireland semi-final would see us meet Galway in Croke Park. A good game was played but Galway would win by six 3-20 to 2-17 . Nicky English with 0-06 and Pat Fox with the two goals. 

1988

The following year brought about much hope, Finally the munster hoodoo had been broken. Cappawhite’s Pa O’Neill took over from Richie Stakelum as Captain and Tipp marched to a NHL final victory over Offaly with the Cappa man notching 2-1.

Limerick were first up in Munster and a trip to Cork was in store. Mullinahone’s John Leahy would make history and don the blue & gold for the first time. Pat Fox would score 0-07 with fellow West men Joe Hayes and Pa O’Neill chipping in with two points each as Tipp won 0-15 to 0-08 by the banks of the lee.

With the home & way agreement fractured the previous year Limerick and it’s yellow posts would host a Tipp v Cork Munster final. Babs made two changes with Sharkey Gibson in for Richie Stakelum and Nicky English returning for John Leahy. English would score 0-09 as Tipp retained & Pa O’Neill lifted the cup in a 2-19 to 1-13 victory.

Antrim would be our semi-final opponents and while the men from Glen put up a good performance Tipp won 3-15 to 2-10 to set up a tilt at Galway in the final. The run into the final was overshadowed by controversy as Keating replaced captain Pa O’Neill with John Leahy for the final. Nicky English would captain Tipp instead but Galway again had too much for us and won by four 1-15 to 0-14. 

1989

1989 again brought hope of an elusive Liam McCarthy victory, Limerick again our Semi-Final opposition in Cork, English scored 2-05 and Fox 1-05 as Tipp won 4-18 to 2-11 . Waterford were surprise opposition in the final but couldn’t keep into a rampant Tipp in a nationally televised game.

English was again scorer in chief with 0-13 as Tipp won 0-26 to 2-08. The All-Ireland semi-final vs Galway again courted controversy as Galway centre-back Tony Keady was suspended for playing illegally in New York. In a somewhat fractious affair Tipp finally got the better of their western neighbours 1-17 to 2-11. Pat Fox with Tipps goal.

An All-Ireland final V Antrim lay in store. Antrim had surprised Offaly in the other semi-final but were no match for Tipp in the final. English was on fire and shot 2-12 of Tipps 4-24, Pat Fox & Declan Ryan would get Tipps other goals. Bobby Ryan was Tipp’s victorious captain, raising Liam McCarthy aloft. 

It was a fitting way to end a decade that at times offered hope and also heartbreak. The final three years of the decade saw us play fourteen games in total, Win three Munster titles & one All-Ireland. Win 10 of the 14 games played, draw 2 and lose twice to Galway. 

Tipp’s 26 games in the 80’s

Tipperary’s Win/Loss % in the 1980’s

Next up……. Part 2 Scorers and Starters

Cody….. Just one more year?

by Premierview Poster Black and Amber

Christy Heffernan in the Examiner last week, said it was time for Cody to go, along the lines of that new ideas were needed, that the team have not developed since 2019 and style of hurling just hasn’t adapted to the modern reality. Richie Power Snr and Jnr had a go last year along similar lines.

Look, there’s no doubt that the man has had ridiculous success that will unlikely ever be matched. We haven’t won an AI in 6 years after most of the greats had retired, and yet we’ve still managed to win 3 provincials, 2 leagues (albeit one shared) and reach two AI finals (albeit well beaten in both) in those 6 seasons, which is better than most counties, and a record plenty would be glad to have. 

In Cody’s tenure we’ve never gone two seasons in a row without a trophy, and that’s still the case today. 

So at the very least we’re very competitive, capable of beating anyone on our day, and pick up trophies regularly. And Cody has to be recognized for that.

But there’s a growing feeling in the county that the game has moved on, that we’re slipping at a rate of knots and that he has to go in order for us to move on. He just hasn’t moved with the times, and as a county we’ve become stale in our approach and development, and predicable in our hurling and tactics.

 New blood, new ideas, new voices are needed, and as long as Cody stays at the top of the pile and his philosophy is what governs how we hurl, then we’re not going to be winning AI’s.

I think what’s more eye opening for Kilkenny fans is the way some of the clubs are playing, some of them are well ahead in thinking and style of the county team, and some of the players that look burdened in the county setup look free and playing in teams where the tactics try to make the most of their hurling. 

Cody has his system and lads have to fit into his system, whereas other county teams (and some of our club sides) have their systems too but make allowances for individual strengths to get the most out of them.

The questions are being asked out loud, and unless there’s an AI next year from Kilkenny then I don’t think people will be happy for him to go on.

And everything we’ve seen in the last few seasons would suggest that in terms of how we play the game, the predictable tactics, his response to things happening on the field, his use of subs, and strength/conditioning (that’s a county issue, all our teams seem to wilt in the final 15 minutes of games) that these things combined means Cody is no longer getting the best out of the players, or capable of making tactical changes to suit, so likely there’ll be no All-Ireland.

I’d say 2022 will be his last year. And he’ll go with our thanks and gratitude for a quarter of a century of service, a shit-load of silverware, and more cracking matches than we can remember. Even in the off chance we win the AI he should go, regardless of whether it’s a walk or a push.

But

If he decides to stay past new year

Whether they’re good enough to win the AI in the next few years is one question, and a fair enough one. Personally, I don’t know if they are good enough, at times they look it, more often they don’t.

Another question is Cody getting the most out of that squad or of what’s available? 

There’s plenty of good players available, certainly to make a good enough squad to be capable of beating anyone on their day. And I don’t think Cody is getting the best out of them.

– I think we’re lacking on fitness/conditioning that other top sides seem to have, we seem to wilt in the last 15 minutes of games.

– We simply don’t a have a puckout strategy, beyond lump it down the field.

– We have started varying our play a bit more, and we look a bit more potent when we do. But in virtually every game at some point we hit a point where we just play lump it forward, and end up getting cleaned out. How a manager can repeatedly watch that happen and not take action is criminal.

– The regular static nature of our HF forwards. Lumping the ball down on them means that unless they win clean possession they won’t have a run at goal. What tactics regarding movement is there to get the Hal Forward line on the ball more in order to get them to create chances as forwards should?

– There’s a consistent lack of reaction to changes in games, whether it red cards, the opposition changing tactics to get on top, etc.

– Our use of subs at times is chronic. Bringing lads on with 5 minutes to go, when lads are tiring at 50 minutes is idiotic. Never mind bring on lads with no pace while lads that can cover ground sit on the bench.

– Our defence is generally good, but far too often lacks support from midfield, which sees them get opened up through the middle, and concede goals.

Ditto our Half Forward line, which gets out-numbered under breaking ball. Every other county has a midfield who’s main job is to support the Half lines, particularly the Half Back line. Ours seem to stay static in midfield.

– Our point taking from distance is well short of other teams accuracy at times. It’s not that lads can’t hit the ball just as well, but it looks like we don’t work on it as much as others. It means we tend to have to work harder for our points.

Now all of the above have been problems that have been around for a few years now. Anyone looking at Kilkenny play in recent seasons can see that. If we can see it, so can Cody. So, the question has to be asked, why hasn’t Cody solved the repeating problems we can all see?

Whether someone else can do it, or if the players are up to it, I don’t know. In cold analysis, if the above problems were addressed, I reckon we have the talent to be well capable of beating anyone, but equally anyone could beat us as we lack outstanding talent.

An All Ireland would be possible, but not likely. But our chances certainly wouldn’t be harmed in addressing the problems that have been obvious for a while. And increasingly Cody doesn’t look like doing that.

So is Cody getting the best out of what’s available? Not in my opinion, and the feeling is growing around the county.

See Also, A history of Tipperary Hurling in the 1980’s

Thrown Not Blown.

By Fourcandles on Premierview

Thrown not blown,It’s the major talking-point in hurling in 2021. The thrown handpass. It’s been noticed, remarked, discussed, bemoaned, damned and cursed the length and breadth of the country by most hurling followers, apart from inter-county referees and hurling commentators, pundits & journalists who seem to have a collective blindspot for it. But just how prevalent has it become? Less bemoaning, more hard analysis.

I had a look back at the 3 major games in the All-Ireland SHC series, the two All-Ireland semi-finals and All-Ireland final and focused on every attempted handpass over the course of the 3 games (excluding, for consistency, the extra-time period in the Cork-Kilkenny game) to assess its legality or otherwise. I can’t present the study as “the facts” because the thing about the handpass is that it is such a subjective call, where it’s often so difficult to tell the difference between a legal and illegal manoeuvre due to the speed of the action. So each call is merely my own opinion on whether the handpass was a foul or not. But in assessing each play, I’m guided by a few aides

Firstly, the playing rule itself: 1.7 (b) When a player is in possession of the ball it may be…Released and struck with a definite striking action of a hand.

Secondly, here’s GAA Head of Games Pat Daly speaking in May 2010 ahead of the upcoming Championship ““The ball must be released and struck with a definite striking action of the hand. So the pop, or the sling, or the throw, or whatever way you want to describe it, is not allowed. It must be released and then struck, so there should be clear daylight between the ball and the hand, so that you see it being struck. A lot of the time it was done with one continuous movement. Like swinging a ball out of a sling.

Okay, some players may be upset that they’ll be blown for things that they might have got away with last year. But maybe what was happening was that throwing was becoming a facet of the game. But the rule that is there now was approved at congress, and there is no change from what was used in the league. And that’s the same for anybody. Alternatively, you legislate for throwing the ball. But I don’t think that was the way to go. There is absolutely no skill in throwing the ball”

Thirdly, here’s Willie Barret, National Referees Committee Development Chairman, reiterating at the start of the 2019 Championship on the GAA’s own website that “we’re trying to get the message across that clearly the refs want to see a striking action otherwise it’s a foul hand-pass”.

www.gaa.ie/news/correct-hand-passing-a-focus-for-hurling-referees/

And finally, there’s common sense. We all want to see a game flow without overly fussy refereeing, so marginal calls should be waved play-on.

But what I wanted to see in every play I studied was that definitive striking action, that obvious disconnect between the cupped hand and the ball, a double movement that involved some sort of backwards motion from the hand once the ball was initially released before being struck cleanly (as opposed to pushed) with the palm. The sling, the fling, the roll down the fingers, the lightning quick open-palm-and-push are all fouls. They’re all a means of unfairly delivering a much safer, more accurate pass and thus keeping possession for your team in a significantly less-risky manner than the definitive release & strike. 

So anyway, here’s what I gathered:

All-Ireland Semi-Final, Limerick v Waterford

Limerick:

Total Passes 76

Throws 62

Handpasses 12

Other (Off-the hurl or Switch-of-hands) 2

Waterford:

Total Passes 37

Throws 22

Handpasses 12

Other 3

All-Ireland Semi-Final, Cork v Kilkenny (excluding Extra-Time)

Cork:

Total passes 57

Throws 48

Handpasses 7

Other 2

Kilkenny:

Total Passes 58

Throws 19

Handpasses 36

Other 3

All-Ireland Final, Limerick v Cork

Limerick:

Total Passes 65

Throws 46

Handpasses 13

Other 6

Cork:

Total Passes 53

Throws 39

Handpasses 9

Other 5

Here’s a full breakdown of each handpass in the All-Ireland Final, by clock and player jersey number. I’ve put this up there so people can have a look back themselves if they’ve got the time and inclination, and agree/disagree on whether such a pass was a throw or not.

(Code: L = Limerick, C = Cork, T = Throw, H = Handpass, O = Other. So after 6 seconds of the game, Number 6 for Limerick made a throw, etc)

0.06 6L T

0.07 8L T

0.39 1C H

1.44 9C O

1.50 11L T

3.08 4C T

3.09 9C T

3.14 5C T

3.18 8C T

3.21 7C H

3.26 8C T

4.33 11L T

6.12 2L T

6.14 3L T

6.18 9L T

7.08 6C T

8.00 10C T

8.04 6C H

11.20 5C T

11.25 11C T

12.17 3C T

12.26 3L T

12.59 8L T

13.26 12C T

14.59 14L T

15.30 6L T

16.03 6C O

16.08 3C T

17.18 2L T

17.19 6L T

17.46 11L T

18.51 2C O

18.54 7C T

20.11 10C T

22.27 7L T

23.06 6L H

23.08 12L T

24.34 7L H

24.55 13L O

27.05 7C T

27.30 9L T

28.00 12L T

28.11 13L T

30.33 9C T

30.36 5C T

31.05 14L T

32.00 9C T

32.12 2L H

32.17 8L T

32.20 6L H

33.44 9C H

35.01 11L H

36.12 8L T

36.49 8C T

37.13 7C H

37.15 8C T

37.24 2L T

37.36 9C T

37.38 3C T

37.50 6L O

35.13 10L T

35.16 9L T

35.22 8L O

37.11 2L T

37.12 3L T

37.14 8L T

39.35 19C T

39.39 10L H

40.45 6L T

40.50 12L T

42.02 13C T

42.05 15C H

42.09 25L T

42.21 3C O

42.27 9C T

44.05 12C T

44.25 14L T

44.33 3C T

44.37 11L T

44.52 4C H

45.04 11L T

46.55 2L T

47.08 12L T

47.27 4L T

47.31 10L T

47.45 14L T

47.54 13L H

48.32 2L T

48.36 3L H

48.52 6C T

48.57 19C T

50.02 3L T

52.23 23C T

52.25 9C H

53.45 23C T

53.53 22C T

59.03 6L T

59.06 3L T

61.49 25L H

62.03 11C T

62.10 25L O

63.42 17C O

65.40 14L O

66.06 2L T

66.09 11L T

66.36 2L H

66.38 19L H

66.46 9C T

66.55 1L H

67.18 20C T

68.30 6C T

70.06 20C T

70.16 14L O

70.37 6C T

70.38 9C T

70.41 22C H

71.20 25L T

75.16 11L H

So in my humble opinion, that’s 236 throws across the 210 minutes of hurling I’ve looked at. 236 technical fouls where the team in possession gained an illegal advantage. Well over one-per-minute.

But the most remarkable statistic of all, and yes, I CAN call this a definitive fact or statistic instead of opinion: NOT ONE FREE WAS GIVEN FOR A THROWN BALL ACROSS THE 3 GAMES!

So where am I ultimately going with this? Why is it important?

Hurling is a fast-moving stick-sport. The thrill of the game since 1884 and well before has been the combat, the clash-of-the-ash, the fight for possession between two players going toe-to-toe, man-to-man, the lightning movement of the ball on to the next pair of players who would clash and combat for the ball and so on and so on until it went out of play. It was a fierce, enthralling, non-stop fight for the ball. But that fight for the ball is no longer a huge part of the modern game.

The key word is possession. Keep possession, protect it, don’t put your possession at risk. So teams are doing everything they can to hold onto possession in as risk-free a manner as possible. Short puckouts and a string of short passes. And I have no problem with a team attempting to keep possession through skillful hurling means. But what I do have a huge problem with is the rules of the game (or more to the point, the interpretation of the rules of the game) making it so very easy for a team to keep possession by allowing them to string together risk-free passes. And a throw IS a risk-free pass, especially now that the threat of penalisation has been removed completely in the 2021 championship.

Short stick passes carry risk because of the skill required to carry them off. Proper handpasses carry risk because of the separation between ball and hand before the strike, causing the chance of a breakdown or misdirection. But throws carry no risk at all really, and they have become the go-to means for a team to work their way out of defence, or out of a tight spot, or create a point or goal chance with a quick, accurate, risk-free and ultimately SKILL-LESS delivery.

I go back to Pat Daly’s words in 2010. “There is absolutely no skill in throwing the ball”. But we’ve allowed the sport to evolve to an extent that we’re seeing this skill-less manouvre 85 times (by my count) in an All-Ireland final at the expense of proper hurling skills where the players use their stickskills to develop the play. The sport is hurling. The implement in your hand is a hurl/hurley – you’ve been practising with it, developing your skills with it since you were 4 years old – we want to see you use it, whether it’s an All-Ireland Final or a juvenile match.

It is remarkable how the 2021 SHC inter-county season evolved in regard to the tolerance of the thrown handpass. The first couple of rounds of the league have become infamous for the high number of frees, many of which were for thrown handpasses. But something happened between then and the championship, a conversation or agreement amongst the referees that we’re not privy to, that there would be a total tolerance for the foul. The 4 provincial semi-finals on the weekend of 3rd/4th July were a huge eye-opener.

Not one free was given for the foul across the 4 games despite an absolute summer flingfest, in particular the Cork-Limerick game on the Saturday night. The trend continued throughout the summer. In fact, whilst I didn’t see every minute of every game, the only Throwball foul I can recall being called in the entire championship was by Liam Gordon in the Waterford-Laois match, who rightly and ballsily gave a free-out for a throw in the assist for a Waterford goal as the game reached an exciting climax. Gordon didn’t get another game for the rest of the year.

But you can’t award 85 frees in an All-Ireland final for the same technical foul, I hear you counter? But you wouldn’t have to, if the players knew that it was being in any way policed, the incidence would reduce dramatically. A few early calls lets them know exactly where they stand. For instance, I saw an interesting game in the Munster u20 championship between Clare and Limerick in July, where the offence was pulled 4 times in the first half, leading to a much more ‘honest’ approach from both teams for the rest of the game. But the will is not there for the sports showpiece competition, the All-Ireland SHC, where the “game must be let flow” at the expense of proper hurling skills and proper opportunities for the team not-in-possession to reclaim the ball without resorting to pulling and dragging fouling. The blindspot for the throwball has those consequences.

What track are we going down?

• Well, Cork will look back at their poor-showing in the All-Ireland Final, and look for some positives, starting with the goal they scored. They’ll note the move for the goal, from short puck-out to back of the net contained at least 5 (if not 6) fairly obvious throws including one absolute fling by Tim O’Mahony. And they’ll probably conclude “this is the way forward – this is what we need to do every time”.

• Padraig Walsh of Kilkenny will wonder why he bothers. Pretty much every handpass he gave in the All-Ireland semi-final was a textbook coaching-manual release and strike – you could see the “clear daylight” Pat Daly was referring to. What a fool, when practically no-one else is needlessly putting the possession at risk in a similar way. In fact the whole Kilkenny team and set-up will review the fact that while they made a similar number of total passes as Cork, far too many of theirs were of the ‘legal’ handpass nature in contrast to Cork, meaning a slower or less accurate delivery. In a game that finished level, could one more smartly delivered thrown-handpass have made the difference? You bet it would.

• Cian Lynch will win 2021 Hurler of the Year, and to be fair he deserves it with his skills, vision, composure and leadership. But to also be fair, he is the throwballer that all other throwballers call “The Godfather”. 28 out of 29 handpasses completed over the course of the championship according to one recent newspaper report, and why wouldn’t he the way he protects the ball (I have him down 6 throws in the final, including the first goal assist and a second half goal-chance assist that was shown in slow-motion on The Sunday Game to be a textbook fling). And now without doubt, everyone will analyse his ultra-effective style of play, and try to replicate.

If you think 2021 had too many thrown handpasses, wait for 2022 (or even the upcoming club championship). The cat is out of the bag now. We’ve got 100% toleration from officialdom. And not only that, there’s an admiration of it emerging from the commentary box. “Lovely slip pass” commented Michael Duignan as Jamie Barron threw to his teammate for a point assist. “Oh the stickwork” said Marty Morrissey, as Limerick pieced 3 throws together coming out of defence – the funniest bit of commentary of the summer.

Conclusion

Stop codding us lads. Either make the throw legal (something I’d be dead against as it would in a short period of time turn the sport into Olympic Handball with sticks) or do something about it. We could well see another crackdown for the sake of a crackdown in next years league, but lets face it, come championship we all know it’ll go out the window again. How far are we away from teams closing out big games with slender leads by playing ‘keepball’, so beloved by Gaelic Football teams? Throwing the sliothar round the field to see out the clock – is that what we want our game to evolve into? And the ref won’t be able to touch you for it – if he hasn’t penalised the first 80 throws in the game, he cant turn around and start penalising it in the closing stages.

My preference at this stage would be for a total ban on the handpass-from-the-hand-in-possession, allowing only a handpass off the hurl or a handpass from a switch-of-hands. This would be a major change but in my opinion it would place a premium on stick skills, striking skills, hurling skills. Hurling’s the name of the game after all.

Like to read more on the Rules of Hurling and how We think it can be improved?,

The Hook is a Foul……..,140 years on