Rebels without a pause, or Cahill’s men ‘Tipp-ed’ for the top? A glorious event awaits; An urban myth?
By Noel Dundon
As I pen this column some 2,000 miles from Croke Park — a whole universe removed from the fevered frenzy and electric anticipation that the All-Ireland Final has unleashed in the Premier County — I find myself marveling at just how far Liam Cahill’s Tipperary warriors have already journeyed this season.
When they first set out on that opening National Hurling League odyssey in the rain soaked winds of Salthill, and emerged with a splendid victory, we cheered — yet still lamented how wretched Galway had been on their own sacred sod. Little did we realise then that the same tale would unfold again when we clashed with them in the championship quarter-final months later in Limerick’s neutral ground.
Next, we stormed into Kilkenny’s fortress and felled them in a tempestuous duel that produced more cards than goals — only to repeat that thunderous feat in the championship semi-final beneath the Croke Park spotlight on a glorious occasion.
We also toppled the Rebels in the league — remember that? — and now, fate brings us face-to-face once more in the championship, having already danced twice with them in the meantime. Both of those battles came with caveats and asterisks, so will Sunday finally deliver the ultimate reckoning between these age-old foes? Of course it will.
I can only imagine the delight that would have lit the eyes of Christy Ring, Ray Cummins or Jimmy Barry-Murphy, had they ever crossed hurleys with John Doyle, Nicky English, Jimmy Doyle or Rattler Byrne in an All-Ireland Final. But that dream was not theirs, and so, as this new generation of Premier Men and their Rebels counterparts will stride behind the Artane Boys Band on Sunday, they must know that — whatever way the dice falls — they will inscribe their names into something truly magnificent.
Another chapter — vivid and unforgettable — will be written into the grand saga of Cork and Tipp, and to see it unfold in all its vivid colour and clarity is a blessing. We’ve all heard the stories — of the games where goalmouth dust rose to veil the battles; where the blows were so fierce they sent men reeling into the middle of next week; and where Doyle or Ring conjured moments of such brilliance that even poets had to bow and take up the quill. On Sunday, please God, we shall see more of that magic. It will be a splendid, stirring occasion — and one we can scarcely wait for.
Urban myths
It hasn’t taken much research to notice an interesting trend in the current Tipperary panel: there seems to be a higher proportion of players from urban-based clubs than we’re used to seeing. At a glance, Thurles Sarsfields lead the way with three players; Cashel, Clonmel and Nenagh have two each; while Templemore, Tipperary Town, Ballina and Roscrea contribute one apiece. That’s fully half of the named twenty-six — a striking shift from the past. But what does it say, if anything?
On one hand, rural clubs are struggling to keep adult teams alive. Young players move away for work, face obstacles building homes in their own parishes, or spend hours commuting — all of which chips away at their connection to the club. We already see this at juvenile level, with strong, tradition-filled clubs in rural parts of the county forced to amalgamate just to field a team.
On the other hand, urbanisation pulls young hurlers toward the towns where housing, jobs, and services are more accessible. Many of Tipp’s senior hurlers now live and work in Thurles, and over time this strengthens urban clubs at the expense of their rural counterparts.
Once, the Sugar Factory in Thurles drew hurlers from the countryside, bolstering Sarsfields through the fifties and sixties; Clonmel experienced the same in football; both clubs enjoyed considerable success as a result.
Perhaps today we are seeing the same pattern — only now driven by modern pressures of shelter, work, and lifestyle.
Rural clubs remain the heartbeat of Tipperary hurling, but the challenges they face are real — and growing. Still though, while half of the players in the Tipp twenty six are from urban based clubs, the other half hail from rural clubs. And, the majority of the rest of the panel also hail from rural clubs. Just keep an eye on the emerging trends – I know a lot of interested gaels are.