<span class="postTitle">Tipperary Rule the Roost between 1958 & 1968</span> County Tipperary Senior Hurling Semi-finals match program, October 26, 2014

Tipperary Rule the Roost between 1958 & 1968

County Tipperary Senior Hurling Semi-finals match program, October 26, 2014

Tipperary dominated the hurling scene during the years from 1958 to 1968, contesting eight All-Irelands. They won in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1964 and 1965 and their three losses came in 1960, 1967 and 1968.

First of all the losses. Wexford came out on top in 1960 and 1968. In 1960 they were very much underdogs with the pundits rating their chances next to zero. One pundit stated that while Wexford were ‘skilled, seasoned but no longer in the full flush of youth, would be exposed to a merciless pounding by the searing, searching persistency of this most talented of all attacking machines.’ The reality on the day was so very much different. Tipperary were only a shadow of what was expected of them, scored only eleven points and were outclassed by a Wexford side that scored 2-15. 

Wexford’s second success in 1968 was sensational. Trailing by ten points after twenty-six minutes, they stormed back to be eight points in front as the game entered the last quarter, reminiscent of their great comeback in the 1956 league final, and while Tipperary got two late consolation goals, Wexford were deserving winners.

Tipperary’s other loss was to Kilkenny in the 1967 All-Ireland, their first defeat by the black and amber in a major competition since 1922. On a blustery day Tipperary with wind advantage led by double scores at half-time and their lead would have been much greater but for some brilliant saves by Ollie Walsh between the posts for Kilkenny. In the second half Kilkenny got on top at centrefield where John Teehan and Paddy Moran out-hurled Mick Roche and Theo English. The supply of ball was cut off to the Tipperary forwards who were limited to just one point and Kilkenny should have won by more than their four-point margin of victory. John Doyle was seeking his ninth All-Ireland medal on the day, in his nineteenth year of senior hurling for Tipperary. 
 

The Victories
 

The first of Tipperary’s victories was over Galway in 1958, after beating Kilkenny in the semi-final. Tipperary were hot favourites and only 47,000 attended the final, the lowest number since 1944. Although playing against the breeze in the first half, Tipperary led by ten points at half-time, two early goals shattering Galway’s chances.  However, Galway changed goalkeepers and put up a better performance in the second half before going down by 4-9 to 2-5. Following this defeat Galway made their debut in the Munster championship and this arrangement stood until 1969.
Tipperary were expected to beat Dublin easily in the 1961 final because of the latter’s record in the championship since 1948. They beat Wexford sensationally in the Leinster final but not many gave them a chance against Tipperary in the All-Ireland, the first hurling final to be televised. Although Tipperary led at half-time Dublin went ahead in the second-half and looked likely victors. Two events halted their progress. The first was the sending off of the inspirational Lar Foley and the second a brilliant save by Donal O’Brien in the Tipperary goal. In the end Tipperary were very lucky to win by a point.

A year later Tipperary’s opponents in the final were Wexford, who unexpectedly defeated Kilkenny in the Leinster final. This game was a thrilling encounter. It was nip and tuck right through with the lead changing on numerous occasions. Tipperary’s superior freshness in the closing stages ensured their two-point victory on a scoreline of 3-10 to 2-11.

Having lost sensationally to Waterford in the 1963 championship, Tipperary were back with a bang in the 1964 campaign and their progress to the final was uninterrupted and spectacular.  Kilkenny were their opponents in the final and were slight favourites following impressive displays in the Leinster championship. In fact they went down to Tipperary by 5-13 to 2-8 and suffered their greatest defeat since the 1937 loss at Killarney.

Tipperary’s progress to the 1965 final was equally impressive. They inflicted a crushing defeat on Cork in the Munster final and were favourites against Wexford in the All-Ireland final  The foundation of Tipperary’s success were laid by two goals by Sean McLoughlin in the first quarter and an impregnable inner line of defence.  In the end they won by 2-16 to 0-10.

In the five finals Tipperary amassed a total of 14 goals and 64 points and conceded 7 goals 46 points. Three players. Donie Nealon, Jimmy Doyle and Liam Devaney, played in all eight All-Irelands. This great period of dominance came to an end for Tipperary with the 1968 defeat.  There was to be one more flash of brilliance in 1971 but after that the ‘famine’ arrived and the county had to wait for eighteen years for the next All-Ireland success.

The Achievements of the 1964 & 1965 Players.

Path to Glory in League, Championship and Oireachtas

National League 1963-1964
Sept. 29, Nenagh: Tipperary 9-14 Galway 1-4
Oct. 13, Ennis: Tipperary 5-7 Clare 2-8
Nov. 10, Thurles: Tipperary 3-14 Cork 1-3
Mar. 22, Kilkenny: Tipperary 2-12 Kilkenny 3-9 (draw)
Apr. 19, Nenagh (SF) Tipperary 3-16 Limerick 2-5
May 10, Croke Park (HF) Tipperary 5-12 Wexford 1-4
May 31, New York (F) Tipperary 4-16 New York 6-6

Munster Championship
July 5, Limerick (SF): Tipperary 6-13 Clare 2-5
July 25, Limerick (F): Tipperary 3-13 Cork 1-5
All-Ireland
Sept. 6, Croke Park (F): Tipperary 5-13 Kilkenny 2-8

Oireachtas
Oct. 4, Croke Park (SF): Tipperry 2-11 Dublin 2-4
Oct. 18, Croke Park (F): Tipperary 5-7 Kilkenny 4-8

National League 1964-1965
Nov. 22, Nenagh: Tipperary 8-10 Clare 2-4
Nopv. 29, Cork: Tipperary 4-8 Cork 2-12
Feb. 7, Ballinasloe: Tipperry 4-12 Galway 0-9
Apr. 4, Thurles: Tipperary 5-7 Kilkenny 7-10 (defeat)
May 9, Croke Park (SF): Tipperary 2-18 Waterford 1-9
May 23, Croke Park (HF): Tipperary 3-14 Kilkenny 2-8
Sept. 19, New York (1): Tipperary 4-10 New York 2-11
Sept. 26, New York (2): Tipperary 2-9 New York 3-9 (defeat)
Tipperary win on agregate by 6-19 to 5-20.

Munster championship
June 27, Limerick (SF): Tipperary 5-8 Clare 3-3
July 25, Limerick (F): Tipperry 4-11 Cork 0-5
 

All-Ireland
Sept. 5, Croke Park (F): Tipperary 2-16 Wexford 0-10

Oireachtas (Tipperary had free passage to final.)
Oct. 17, Croke Park (F): Tipperary 2-12 Kilkenny 2-7

Analysing these scores is a fascinating exercise. Tipperary played 24 competitive games in the two years, winning 21, losing 2 and drawing 1. They won the National League the All-Ireland Championship and the Oireachtas (when it was a major tournament) in both years.
They scored remarkably the same each year, 51 goals and 154 points in 1964 and 52 goals 148 points in 1965. Combined this worked out at an average of approximately 4-13 per game for the 24 played. They conceded 27-69 in 1964 and 24.94 in 1965 which combined averaged out at 2-7 per game, or approximately half of what they scored themselves.

One indication of Tipperary's strength at the time was the number of players picked on the Munster Railway Cup team in 1965, 10 in all: John O'Donoghue, John Doyle, Kieran Carey, Sean McLoughlin, Mick Roche, Babs Keating, Liam Devaney, Theo English, Tony Wall and Jimmy Doyle. 
The full list of players involved was as follows: Michael Murphy (Capt. 1964), Jimmy Doyle (Capt. 1965), Mick Burns, Kieran Carey, Liam Devaney, John Dillon, John Doyle, Paddy Doyle, Theo English , Len Gaynor, Michael 'Babs' Keating, Larry Kiely, Michael Lonergan, Seamus Mackey, Michael Maher, John 'Mackey' McKenna, Sean McLoughlin, Donie Nealon, John O'Donoghue, Noel O'Gorman, Peter O'Sullivan, Mick Roche, Pat Ryan, Tom Ryan, Tony Wall.

<span class="postTitle">Des Dillon (1926-1964), Clare Hurler and More</span> Munster Senior Hurling semi-final, Thurles, June 15, 2014

Des Dillon (1926-1964), Clare Hurler and More

Munster Senior Hurling semi-final, Thurles, June 15, 2014

In his column in the Irish Press soon after his death, Padraig Puirseal had this to say about Des Dillon: 'He might easily have been either the greatest handballer or the greatest hurler of our time. He had the size, the strength, the acquired skill and the immense natural ability to become a dominant figure in eather game, or possibly in both. To my mind the only reason he failed to reach even greater prominence in either game than he did, was because sport always remained sport to him.'

Born in Lisdoonvarna in 1926 it appears the family moved to Birr when his father became a Garda Sergeant in Lorrha. Des went to school in Mount St. Joseph's, Roscrea, where he excelled as a hurler, as well as other sports, on college teams between 1941-1945. He won two Offaly senior hurling championship with Birr in 1944 and 1946 and lost a final in 1947, while at the same time turning out for Offaly in the championship between 1945-47.

In the latter year he went to U.C.D. (1947-54) to study medicine. He won four Fitzgibbon Cup medals in 1948, 1950, 1951 & 1952 during his term there and a Dublin senior hurling title in 1948. He captained the Combined Universities against Ireland in the first game in the series  in 1952. His performances with the college brought him to the attention of the Dublin county selectors and he was a sub on the team that lost to Waterford in the 1948 All-Ireland and played with the county in the 1949, 1950 and 1951 championships. He was also picked for Leinster in the inter-provincial series.

First Retirement
 

He retired from hurling in 1951 in order to concentrate on his medical studies and we next hear of him in 1954, when he made his debut for Clare at midfield in a Thomond Feis game on May 9th.

His hurling career with Clare was very short – a mere 14 senior hurling games in all, including three championship games in 1955 – but he left lasting impressions on those who remember him. As a student in St, Flannan's in the early fifties, I recall him as a big man, black haired and legs that appeared to have been perma-tanned, striding with power and skill through the field of play.

He won an Oireachtas medal following a brilliant display against Bobby Rackard at the end of 1954.

His last game for Clare was another Oireachtas game against Wexford in October 1955. In the same year he won a Railway Cup medal with Munster.

Handball
 

Although still only 28 years of age, he retired from hurling to concentrate on his second great love, handball. In 1955 he won the Gael-Linn trophy for the first time and repeated his victory in 1957. In 1955 he also won the Munster senior doubles with John Slattery. His profession took him away from the game for a couple of years after that. He also won many Dublin titles but an All-Ireland medal always evaded him. He was beaten in the All-Ireland singles final in 1962.  In 1964 he qualified with Joey Maher (Louth) to play in the World Championships in the U.S.A.

He spent some of his professional life in England, in London, Liverpool and Wigan. When he returned from England he set up a pharmacy in Booterstown and it was at the railway station there that he was killed tragically by a train on November 24, 1964. He was survived by his wife, a seven year old daughter and an infant son.

Des Dillon was a larger than life personality, who excelled in other sports as well as hurling and handball and who left an indelible impression on all who knew him during a short life. For him sport was a pastime to be enjoyed and his carefree attitude to games was greatly at odds with the modern attiitude to sport.

<span class="postTitle">Ned Power - A Great Goalkeeper</span> Munster G.A.A SH Championship Quarter-Final replay at Thurles on June 8, 2014

Ned Power - A Great Goalkeeper 

Munster GAA SH Championship Quarter-Final replay at Thurles on June 8, 2014

Probably the best known Waterford player to hurling followers of a certain vintage is Ned Power (1929-2007), who played his club hurling for Dungarvan and Tallow, and as goalkeeper for the Waterford senior hurling team between the years 1957-1966.

Most people remember him because of the famous photograph, a classic action shot that has appeared in numerous locations around the world. The photographer was a man named Louis McMonagle and it was entitled 'Hell's Kitchen'. It's a mixture of 'physical force, danger, speed and pure skill'. It was taken in this stadium on July 8th, 1962 in a Munster semi-final match between Cork and Waterford, which the latter won by 4-10 to 1-16. 

The Cork man in the photo is recognisable to any hurling fan – particularly if he/she is from Cork because it is none other than the famous Christy Ring, who died a relatively young man at the age of 58. The Waterford defender he's tangled with in manly embrace is Tom Cunningham, while the third Waterford player in the picture is Austin Flynn.

It seems as if Ned Power is at the top of his game in the picture. In fact he was far from that. He had been dropped from the county side following an uncharacteristically poor display in 1961 and his playing days appeared over. Then after a frustrating year on the sideline he got a phone call that he was wanted again. He gave vent to his feelings and said to the team mentor that 'he must have been the best of a bad lot.' 'So along he came and the months and weeks of pent-up frustration and preparation for this moment launched him into a sparkling display that peaked with that famous leap into the sky, caught magically here for eternity.'

Ned won three Munster finals with Waterford, 1957, 1959 and 1963, one All-Ireland medal in 1959, one National League in 1963 and an Oireachtas medal in 1962.

After his hurling life, Ned Power turned his attention to coaching. He didn't believe that hurlers were dependent on heredity and became a great disciple of coaching. In fact he identified 131 individual skills that are part of the game of hurling. He believed that Kilkenny hurling was so strong because their players had mastered the skills of the game better than any other hurlers.

Ned Power's widow, Gretta, presented his All-Ireland winning medal of 1959, a Munster medal and his Oireachtas medal to Lár na Páirce in November 2013. The museum was thrilled to get this collection which is on display, together with the famous photograph, in a special case.

You can read all about the man, the photograph and how Ned Power brought revolutionary ideas to coaching when his playing days were over in his biography, My Father: A Hurling Revolutionary by Conor Power, which was published in Dungarvan in 2009

<span class="postTitle">Cashel Intervention Results in Aghabullogue's Suspension in 1955</span> Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship, Limerick v Tipperary, Thurles, May 31st, 201

Cashel Intervention Results in Aghabullogue's Suspension in 1955

Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship Match Programme, Limerick v Tipperary, Thurles, May 31st, 201

'Come listen awhile my countrymen and hear my mournful news,
Although my song be sorrowful I hope you'll me excuse
The tears roll down my cheeks like dew whenever I recall
Aghabullogue's long suspension now from playing a hurling ball.'

This mournful tale began in 1955 after Aghabulloge won the Mid-Cork intermediate hurling championship. By the time the county quarter-final came up, five of the players, who were clerical students, had returned to their respective seminaries and could not get out for the remainder of the championship, which was the rule at the time.

At the celebrations after the divisional final there was plenty of drink-filled talk that they'd be county champions, 'But someone then grew windy saying 'boys, we'll ne'er survive,/ So we'll pick a team to be supreme and no one will be wise'.

In crises there is always somebody to step into the breach and in this case it was Cashel native, Gerry Buckley, who was a member of the Aghabullogue club. He came up with a solution to their depleted forces: bring in a few replacements from Cashel:

'They are senior men, both big and strong, as I will let you see,
So fix the date and pay the rate and leave the rest to me.'

As a result of his contacts with Cashel his brother, Mickey, who won an All-Ireland minor medal with Tipperary in 1949, Mick Davern, Larry Harding, Billy Hickey and Sean 'The Glamour' Walsh, agreed to travel down in Mickey's van, under strict instructions to remain incognito and to talk to nobody.

In spite of the instruction Sean Walsh, who wasn't know as 'The Glamour' for nothing, wore white boots on the day! Aghabullogue defeated Banteer and prepared to meet Castlelyons in the semi-final. All appeared to be going to plan.

In the meantime, Cashel King Cormac's secretary, Martin Hackett, got wind of the word of it and informed the Cork county board that some Cashel players were travelling to Cork for the semi-final. The board informed Aghabullogue of the information received but the club went ahead and used the players.

Aghabullogue won but Castlelyons objected and won at the Cork county board hearing of the case.

They claimed to have identified Mickey Buckley in Clonmel Hospital, where Mickey ended up following a crash the day after the game. Mickey still denies the evidence, not that he played but the two witneses couldn't have seen him as he was inintensive care! Aghabullgoe appealed to the Munster Council that Castlelyons had an illegal player with the result that both teams were thrown out of the championship and Ballyhea won the championship by default.

'No more down at the enclosure gate will our local heroes stand,
No more will our supporters crow about this team so grand.
Aghabullogue are spectators now as you can plainly see,
But early in the New Year again they'll hoist the white and green.'

The Cashel boys were subsequently suspended by the Tipperary county board.

The twelve-month suspension of Aghabullogue had a devastating effect on the club. Many players left and joined other clubs and the club remained in decline for years afterwards.

<span class="postTitle">Sam Melbourne – A Special G.A.A. Man</span> Munster Hurling Championship, Tipp v Limerick, Semple Stadium, May 27, 2012

Sam Melbourne – A Special G.A.A. Man

Munster Hurling Championship, Tipp v Limerick, Semple Stadium, May 27, 2012

Sam Melbourne is alive and well and still sprightly at the age of 89 years. His collection of G.A.A. material forms the basis of Lár na Páirce, the Museum of Gaelic Games.

Over seventy years ago he started his collection which includes over 300 hurleys, signed by their star owners, photographs, whistles, jerseys, footballs and sliotars, newspaper cuttings and trophies, all relating to the history and deeds of great hurlers and footballers.

Born in 1923 at Curraheen, Horse & Jockey, Sam was a Church of Ireland man of farming stock whose boyhood heroes were Jack Gleeson and Tim Condon, who won three and four All-Irelands respectively at the turn of the century. Sam himself played hurling with success and was a member of the Mid minor team in 1940 and 1941. Cycling was another important sport for him and he recalls cycling to the 1945 All-Ireland.

His greater claim to fame was his collection of G.A.A. material, which he started in 1937 with Johnny Ryan's hurley. Johnny and the rest of the famous Moycarkey family were also his heroes.

He continued his collection when he moved into Thurles in 1948 to open a sports shop in Friar Street. The oldest hurley in the collection dates back to Ennis in 1870. According to Sam he never met with a refusal when he asked a player for an item.

John was married to Charlotte Smyth from Killenaule by this stage and they decided to move to Dublin in 1956. His collecting never ceased and over the course of years he had amassed a large amount of material.

Sam entered a new stage of his life after coming to Dublin, Someone suggested he should put the material on show and he jumped at the idea. One of the first places he brought his exhibition was to Ballycotton on the invitation of Jack Lynch and Fr. Bertie Troy. He never looked back after that.

He used load up his collection in a Hiace van on a Friday evening and drive to some G,A,A, club or community centre anywhere in the country, set up his exhibition on Saturday and return home on Sunday evening. He would give a talk, answer all kinds of questions and even add to his collection during the visit. He admits this was a wonderful part of his life and he used to love doing it.

He continued this way of life into the eighties when his collection had grown so large his garage was no longer big enough to contain it. The years were also catching up on Sam and the energy wasn't as great as previously. He decided to find a new owner for the collection. Eventually the Tipperary county board purchased it from Sam in 1988.

The county board looked around for a location to house the collection and, in conjunction with Thurles Development Association and Shannon Development, the old Bank of Ireland building on Slievenamon Road was purchased, refurbished and opened as a Museum of Gaelic Games by President Mary Robinson on November 8, 1994, one hundred and ten years and a week after the foundation of the G.A.A. in Hayes's Hotel. It ensured that Sam Melbourne's collection would continue to be available for viewing by the general public.

<span class="postTitle">The Late James Holohan, Kilsheelan-Kilcash</span> Allianz G.A.A. Hurling League, Tipperary v Cork, Semple Stadium, April 1, 2012

The Late James Holohan, Kilsheelan-Kilcash

Allianz G.A.A. Hurling League, Tipperary v Cork, Semple Stadium, April 1, 2012

James Holohan, Ballyknockane, Kilsheelan, was buried recently in Gambonsfield Churchyard after 12 o'clock Mass, on a sunny day when death should have been far away.

Our paths crossed in three areas of G.A.A. activity. We were both stewards on match days at Semple Stadium and used to meet with others for the tea and sandwiches before the game. The occasion was always a time for previews and speculations and James was good at having all the latest information on the players available.

We were also members of the United Sports Panel in Clonmel. In fact we were invited on to the panel in the same year 2001 and I got to know James even more closely as this 11-man panel used to meet over a three-month period on eight occasions to work out the Annerville Awards in a variety of sports. While James was a G.A.A. man he was always curious about other sports and his contributions were respected. Invariably we had to postpone the chairman's dinner in January because James and Bridget always took their big trip early in the month. This took them to many exotic places and it revealed a great curiosity about the world and other cultures by one who was solidly based and thoroughly identified with the culture and community of Kilsheelan.

My longest association with James was on the G.A.A. Yearbook Committee, where he was a member since 1995. He took this membership very seriously and was completely conscientious in the obligations the membership entailed. But, he was more than that. He was always seeking to make it a better book and his mind teemed with ideas on how it could be improved. He came to me a few years ago with copies of yearbooks from other counties to see where we could get ideas to enhance our own publication.

James wasn't content to be just another member of the committee. As well as contributing ordinary articles on G.A.A, events such as the opening of pitches and clubrooms, interviews with players and officials and reports on club achievements, James also came up with three original contributions. One of these was the Tipperary Yearbook Awards in which James summarised the year through the awarding of honours or criticism. It showed his thorough knowledge of what was happening within the G.A.A.in the county and beyond.

Another of his contributions was to name different kinds of teams. For instance he named a team of 'right hand unders', which began with Brendan Cummins – who else? - in goals. There was a team of players with names beginning with O and Mac, etc. All fascinating pieces and great for Christmas reading.

Probably the best thing he did was a series of tales about the Cill Beag Gaels, the imaginary, rural G.A.A. club that worked so hard for the honour of the little parish and which was occasionally successful. I think this series tells us more than anything what James stood for. The Gaels represent honest, generous effort on behalf of the club, which is a vital part of the parish structure. There is no ego involved just wholesome and honest effort for the welfare of the club and the betterment of the community.

James didn't set the world on fire but he contributed significantly to life in many different ways. He impressed those he met and they took notice of him. Probably his greatest contribution was the dedication and commitment he brought to anything he did, to any club he belonged to, to any organisation he was part of. He didn't join anything for the sake of joining.

On the same day he was buried the report of the Mahon Tribunal was released. It revealed that corruption affected every level of government from cabinet minister to local councillors during the two decades of political dominance by F.F. James Holohan's life of unselfish and unremunerated service to club, parish and the wider community stands out in stark contrast. His life was a shining light against the backdrop of such darkness.

The best tribute to him and a measure of the impact he made on life and on the people who knew him was the large crowd that called to sympathise with Bridget, and his brother and sisters on the day of the removal of his remains and the overflow crowd that filled the church of Gambonsfield at noon for the funeral Mass.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis

<span class="postTitle">West Senior Football Championship Winners 1940-2010</span> West Senior Football Final program, September 25, 2011

West Senior Football Championship Winners 1940-2010

West Senior Football Final program, September 25, 2011

The championship commenced in 1940 following a proposal by Emly at the convention held in the Golden Vale, Dundrum on January 14. Three teams affiliated, Arravale Rovers, Emly and Galtee Rovers and the championship was to be run on a league basis. There's an incomplete record of what transpired and it appears to have been unfinished because, in the following April, Emly were nominated to represent the division in the county championship.

In 1941 Arravale Rovers, Golden and Emly affiliated and the championship was to be played on a league, home and away system. All G.A.A. activity was dogged that year by the petrol shortage as a result of the Emergency and the Foot and Mouth disease. There is no record of how the championship progressed but it would appear that Arravale won it.

Three teams affiliated for the 1942 championship, Arravale Rovers, Emly and junior champions of 1941, Galtee Rovers. Again, information on the games is skimpy but we do have a record of the final, which was played between Arravale and Emly at Sean Treacy Park on November 4, with victory going to Arravale by 2-2 to 0-2.

There was no championship from 1943-46 inclusive.

1947 Galtee Rovers 5-6 Arravale Rovers 0-4. (The Galtee Rovers G.A.A. history gives the result as 5-8 to 0-4 and adds: ' 'The winning margin of 19 points has never been equalled or surpassed in subsequent finals, and for that reason alone, the final holds a special niche in the Annals of West Tipperary football'.)

1948 Arravale Rovers defeated Cashel Area. Because only two teams, Arravale Rovers and Galtee Rovers affiliated in the championship the board decided to organise three area teams drawn from junior clubs, Cashel, Dundrum and Emly. The Cashel Area team was drawn from Abbey Rangers, Cashel King Cormacs, Rockwell Rovers and Golden Kilfeacle.

1949 Galtee Rovers 3-2 Arravale Rovers 1-2. The Hennessy Cup was presented for the first time. It was presented by John Hennessy, chairman, Emly G.A.A. to the winning captain, Larry Maher.

1950 Galtee Rovers 1-3 Clonpet 1-0

1951 Galtee Rovers Five teams affiliated and the championship was run on a league basis. It got very little coverage in the local press. Galtee Rovers appear to have won but there is no record of what team they beat.

1952 Galtee Rovers 2-6 Rockwell Rovers 1-5

1953 Galtee Rovers 1-6 Rockwell Rovers 0-2

1954 Galtee Rovers 0-2 Rockwell Rovers 0-1 This was the completion of Galtee's fantastic six-in-a-row, never emulated by any other club except Galtee themselves between 1999-2004.

1955 Arravale Rovers 1-9 Rockwell Rovers 1-4. This was the fourth year in a row for Rockwell Rovers to be beaten in the final. Their next appearance was in 1962 when they were again on the losing side against Galtee Rovers.

1956 Solohead 1-7 Galtee Rovers 1-4

1957 Solohead 2-8 Arravale Rovers 0-5

1958 Lattin-Cullen 2-5 Emly 1-7

1959 Emly 2-2 Lattin-Cullen 1-4

1960 Emly 1-7 Galtee Rovers 2-2

1961 Lattin-Cullen 1-8 Galtee Rovers 0-2

1962 Galtee Rovers 1-7 Rockwell Rovers 0-3

1963 Galtee Rovers 2-3 Lattin-Cullen 1-5

1964 Lattin-Cullen 2-5 Emly 1-5

1965 Lattin-Cullen 3-7 Galtee Rovers 2-7

1966 Lattin-Cullen 3-4 Galtee Rovers 0-5

1967 Lattin-Cullen 0-5 Arravale Rovers 0-3

1968 St. Ailbie's (Emly/Aherlow) 0-13 Lattin-Cullen 1-4

1969 Lattin-Cullen 1-6 Solohead 0-3

1970 Solohead 0-10 Lattin-Cullen 0-6

1971 Lattin-Cullen 2-3 Newport 1-2

1972 Arravale Rovers 1-6 Lattin-Cullen 0-4. This was the end of a fantastic run by Lattin-Cullen during which they appeared in ten finals in a row, winning six, four of them in a row. They didn't appear again in a final until 1982, when they beat Cappawhite.

1973 Arravale Rovers 3-4 Galtee Rovers 0-8

1974 Galtee Rovers 1-3 Solohead 0-4 (R)

1975 Galtee Rovers 2-12 Solohead 0-5. The Brother Hennessy Cup was presented for the first time. It was presented by the board in memory of the late Tadhg Hennessy.

1976 Galtee Rovers 2-6 Arravale Rovers 1-1

1977 Solohead 1-6 Galtee Rovers 0-5. This fourth title turned out to be Solohead's last victory in the championship. It was a bad-tempered game between two bitter rivals. 'It looked as if everything went, the boot, the fist, the short-armed tackle, the lot,' reported Divot in the Nationalist.

1978 Cappawhite 0-7 Galtee Rovers 0-5 (Second replay).

1979 Galtee Rovers 1-14 Golden/Rockwell 2-6

1980 Golden/Rockwell 3-5 Cashel King Cormacs 1-2

1981 Arravale Rovers 1-6 Solohead 0-3 (R)

1982 Lattin-Cullen 2-3 Cappawhite 0-5

1983 Galtee Rovers 0-9 Solohead 0-2

1984 Arravale Rovers 6-5 Galtee Rovers 0-8

1985 Galtee Rovers 1-4 Cappawhite 0-4

1986 Golden-Kilfeacle 0-12 Arravale Rovers 0-8

1987 Emly 1-7 Arravale Rovers 1-5

1988 Golden-Kilfeacle 0-8 Galtee Rovers 0-5. The game was a re-fixture after the original game was abandoned following the death of referee, Timmy Hennessy.

1989 Galtee Rovers 0-8 Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-4

1990 Cashel King Cormac's 3-10 Lattin-Cullen 0-8. This was Cashel first title in the grade and they also created history in becoming the first club in the division to win both senior titles in the one year. The crowd that turned up for the final was one of the biggest ever for a senior football final.

1991 Galtee Rovers 2-11 Arravale Rovers 3-7

1992 Arravale Rovers 2-10 Lattin-Cullen 0-8

1993 Arravale Rovers 1-9 Cashel King Cormacs 2-4

1994 Lattin-Cullen 2-19 Galtee Rovers 3-8 (R)

1995 Golden-Kilfeacle 0-9 Lattin-Cullen 0-6 (R)

1996 Golden-Kilfeacle 2-19 Lattin-Cillen 3-5

1997 Aherlow 2-9 Kickhams 0-10. This was Aherlow's first appearance in the final and since then they have really made an impact in the division in football.

1998 Kickhams 0-12 Arravale Rovers 0-4

1999 Galtee Rovers 1-10 Golden-Kilfeacle 0-5

2000 Galtee Rovers 1-5 Aherlow 0-5 (R)

2001 Galtee Rovers 1-12 Arravale Rovers 0-7

2002 Galtee Rovers 3-12 Aherlow 0-6 (R)

2003 Galtee Rovers 2-12 Eire Óg 1-6

2004 Galtee Rovers 2-5 Aherlow 0-7. This victory completed Galtee's second six-in-a row to put them way ahead of other teams in the division. During the same years they won six divisional titles at under-21 level. Between 1999 and 2010 Galtee have appeared in 11 of 12 finals, winning seven.

2005 Aherlow 0-11 Galtee Rovers 0-8

2006 Aherlow 0-8 Galtee Rovers 0-5

2007 Aherlow 1-10 Eire Óg 1-9

2008 Galtee Rovers 1-14 Eire Óg 0-7

2009 Aherlow 1-7 Galtee Rovers 0-6

2010 Aherlow 1-8 Galtee Rovers 1-4. Aherlow, having come late on the senior football scene, have a great record in the last six finals, winning five of them.

Roll of Honour: Galtee Rovers 24, Arravale Rovers 10, Lattin-Cullen 10, Aherlow 6, Golden-Kilfeacle 5 (once with Rockwell), Emly 4 (once with Aherlow), Solohead 4, Cappawhite 1, Cashel 1, Kickhams 1.

Losing finalists: Galtee Rovers 15, Arravale Rovers 9, Lattin-Cullen 8, Rockwell Rovers 5, Solohead 5, Aherlow 3, Eire Óg 3, Emly 3, Cappawhite 2, Cashel 2, Golden-Kilfeacle 2, Cashel Area 1, Clonpet 1, Clonoulty-Rossmore 1, Kickhams 1, Newport 1.

County Final Record: Prior to the beginning of the West senior football championship in 1940 teams from Tipperary Town had won the county championship 8 times: 1888, 1889, 1894, 1895 1896, 1899, 1902, 1910. Since 1940 teams from the West division have won 10 county championships: Galtee Rovers 6 – 1949, 1950, 1976, 1980, 1981, 2008; Arravale Rovers 2 – 1941, 1985; Aherlow 2 – 2006, 2010.

<span class="postTitle">John Kelly - Cappawhite Player of the Past</span> West Senior Hurling Final Program, July 31, 2011

John Kelly - Cappawhite Player of the Past

West Senior Hurling Final Program, July 31, 2011

John Kelly recalls when growing up in Cappawhite in the fifties and sixties the belief that the only players from the West Division who made the county senior team were goalkeepers! Terry Moloney, Donal O'Brien, John O'Donoghue and Peter O'Sullivan immediately spring to mind but there were underage examples also. When he and Dinny Ryan were picked for Tipperary they showed that the division could produce backs and forwards as well.

John made his debut with the county minors as a panel member in 1964 and as a team member in 1965 and 1966. He was captain his last year. There was no success in any of the years, defeat in the Munster final in 1964 and 1965, and in the semi-final against Galway at Ballinasloe in 1966. This was a shock result, according to John, as Tipperary believed all they had to do was turn up!

John had revealed his hurling talent some years earlier with Cappawhite when he won two under-15 juvenile titles in 1962 and 1963. The former victory qualified the team for a trip, sponsored by John Player cigarette company, to the All-Ireland hurling final. Based on this rich vein of talent in the parish Cappawhite went on to become the first West team to win a county minor title in 1965 and John was unlucky not to win a second county minor title the following year when Cappawhite were defeated by Roscrea in a replayed final.

Cappawhite, fielding eleven of the victorious county minor team, won the county under-21 championship title in 1965 also, becoming the first West club to do so as well as being the first club in the county to do the double in the same year.

John had very respectable G.A.A. antecedents even though most of them were of the football inclination. He is a grandson of Dick Ryan (George), who was captain of Cappawhite 'White Caps' football team in the 1900s and also of John Kelly, who was a noted footballer from Donohill. Tradition has it that he helped Bohercrowe to their All-Ireland success in 1889. John is also a grand-nephew of Pat Furlong, who was a member of the Tipperary junior team the year of the Triple Crown victory in 1930.

John attributes the failure of the club to progress to senior achievement in the late 1960s to emigration. This is substantiated by a couple of sentences from his account of 1968 in the Cappawhite Club history: 'Since 1965, nineteen players, all promising ones, have left the parish. Five, it is interesting to record, became clerical students. Had they stayed in the parish Cappawhite would certainly have been a force in county hurling.' In a recent conversation John adds that the smallness of the farming community in the parish was a major contributory factor to emigration at the period.

Four Years at Under-21

If John didn't achieve much in the line of club under-21 honours, he enjoyed a long innings with the county team. He was involved for four years, in 1966 as a sub, in 1967, when he won All-Ireland honours, in 1968 and in 1969, when he captained the team. In the last two years Tipperary were beaten in the Munster finals.

It came as no great surprise in 1967 when John graduated to county senior status, making his debut in an Oireachtas semi-final game against Clare at Ennis on September 24, which was lost. He played during the league but wasn't retained in the 1968 championship and may have been lucky as there was a big clean-out of the team after the 1968 All-Ireland defeat. He was back for the Oireachtas and won the first of three Oireachtas medals, when Tipperary defeated Cork in the final on October 27. The other two medals were won in 1970 and 1972.

As a result of John's involvement with the team in the 1967/68 National League, which Tipperary won, when they defeated Kilkenny in the 'Home' final in May 1968, there was a trip to New York in June. It was an eventful trip. The first leg of the two-leg final was cancelled because of torrential rain. The postponed leg was called off again because of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and the two legs played on successive days, 15th and 16th of June. Tipperary won by an aggregate score of 6-27 to 4-22. The Tippeary party paid their respects to the remains of Robert Kennedy, who was lying in state in St. Patrick's Cathedral. When they arrived at the Cathedral they found a queue several blocks long and didn't have the time to wait. During consultation s about what to do Babs Keating recognised a New York cop, who came to their aid. He got them in a side-door of the Cathedral so that they avoided the queue and paid their rspects without undue delay!

The highlight of John's senior intercounty career was winning the All-Ireland title against Kilkenny in 1971 in the first 80-minute final. He still has the sliotar from that game, being the last man to catch it after the final whistle. He enjoyed the trip to San Francisco with the team the following March, as he did trips to Wembley in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1973, with success on two occasions. He was also a Railway Cup medal holder in 1970..

Played with Three Senior Clubs

He continued to play with Tipperary until 1975, all the time in the full-back position, except in the latter year when he played left corner-back. He also played at full-back during his underage years and the only time he played in a different position was as a junior hurler with Cappawhite, when he turned out at centreback in 1982.

John played his early club senior hurling with University College, Cork rather than Cappawhite, turning out with the college for three years, 1968-70. In the first year they met Glen Rovers in the county quarter-final and the game ended up as a free-for-all. The inevitable investigation took place as a result of which the Glen Rovers full-forward was suspended for life and eleven players were given suspensions for from one to six months. Both teams were thrown out of the championship. Following this game Dr. Paddy Crowley, who was playing on the occasion, introduced helmets to Ireland for the first time.

The two sides met in the final in 1969 and the Glen won. U.C.C. revenged the defeat in 1970 when they defeated Glen Rovers on the way to the final. This is John's only county senior medal. Incidentally the trainer of the Cappawhite team today. Conor Ryan (Hanna) was later to win one with St. Finbarr's.

John returned to Cappawhite in 1971 and played at centre-back against Clonoulty-Rossmore in the West championship and lost the replay. They lost to Burgess in the Open Draw county championship and to Cashel in the Crosco Cup.

By now John was teaching at Borrisokane and living in Kilruane and he threw in his lot with the latter for two years, 1972 and 1973. He had no success, losing a North final and a county final, during his time with the club.

John was back with Cappawhite in 1974 and enjoyed no success at senior level. The club lost four senior division finals during these years, in 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1981, as well as four Crosco Cup finals, in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1982. He was regraded junior for the 1982 championship and won the West championship. Cappawhite qualified for the county final only to lose to Roscrea by 1-5 to 0-5, the same club as had beaten him almost twenty years earlier in the replayed minor final.

Before John's hurling career came to an end he was already involved as a selector and in club administration. At the county level he was a minor selector in 1979 and a senior selector at two different periods, firstly for a year in 1978 and then from 1983-85. At the club level he was chairman of the club from 1981-84 and also a senior selector at different periods. Currently he is a Life President. His is the author of the History of Cappawhite G.A.A. Club 1887-1989, which appeared in 1989. He is working on a Cappawhite Parish History at present.

Married to Mary Regan from Moycarkey the couple have five children, two boys & three girls. The older boy Denis is playing today and his other son Daniel played minor football against Kerry in the Munster final some years ago. Catherine, the youngest of the girls, has played underage camogie and football for the county. She also had success in the athletic world being successful at underage at team and individual All Ireland level.

John Kelly was a tough, uncompromising hurler, who strove to give his best on every occasion. His hurling was very much a reflection of the man, straightforward and committed to whatever task was to hand. His commitment could be seen in a constant desire to improve his game. He was one of the most dedicated of players when it came to training. There is a story told that he was going so strongly at one training session in Thurles that Mick Roche, lacking some of his fervour, shouted at Tommy Barrett to give him a ball and send him to the outside field! The same dedication is probably reflected in his decision to throw in his lot with Kilruane for two years, regarding North hurling to be on a higher level than that in the West. Overwhelming every other consideration was a determination to improve his ability and be at his best whether playing for Cappawhite or Tipperary.

<span class="postTitle">Kilruane MacDonagh's Championship Sucess 1975</span> County Football Final program, October 25, 2009

Kilruane MacDonagh's Championship Sucess 1975

County Football Final program, October 25, 2009

As Kilruane MacDonaghs footballers began their 1975 football campaign few if any players harboured ambitions of ultimate success. The county senior football championship was played on an open draw and twenty teams participated.

The first round pitted Kilruane against southern kingpins Clonmel Commercials in Holycross. Scores were level four times in the first half but a John Quinlan goal gave MacDonaghs a two-point interval lead. Jim O Meara added a second goal in the 41st minute and four minutes later Kilruane moved the ball swiftly the full length of the field where full forward Sean O'Meara raised a third green flag. This crucial score spurred MacDonaghs on to record victory on a 3-7 to 1-9 scoreline, which was an upset for the books to say the least.

Seven times champions Fethard were to provide the opposition in the second round in Thurles. A brace of goals from Jim Williams and Sean O'Meara saw MacDonaghs take a three-point lead into the dressingroom at the break. On the resumption Fethard piled on the pressure but goalkeeper Tony Sheppard made some inspirational saves and Kilruane held out for a two-point win with the score 2-6 to 1-7 in their favour. 

In the quarter final they faced Fr. Sheehys of Clogheen at Holycross. The North team was always in control of this game and ran out comfortable winners on a 1-11 to 0-6 scoreline. 

County Semi-Final

The 1972 champions Kilsheelan-Kilcash blocked MacDonaghs path to the final. This was a tense low-scoring game, played at Cashel on August 10, with Kilruane leading I-4 to 1-2 at half time. Scores were even scarcer on the turnover but as time was running Kilsheelan edged a point ahead. Then Paddy Williams lofted a long range free into the Kilsheelan square where his brother Gilbert flicked the ball to the net. The score stood despite Kilsheelan protestations that it was a square ball. MacDonaghs added an insurance point to book a final spot on 2-5 to 1-5 scoreline. 

Against all the odds Kilruane MacDonaghs had reached the decider. The hurlers were also cutting a path to the final. All training was focused on the hurling but the week of the football final the small ball took a temporary backseat. 1973 champions and football specialists Loughmore Castleiney stood between the team and a fairytale ending. 

The newspaper pundits didn't give Kilruane much chance. One of them screamed: 'Loughmore-Castleiney set for County Football Title'. However, they were also covering their backs and one of them stated that 'the North Tipp side were outsiders in most of their games in the competition and didn't let that trouble them.' Another spoke of Kilruane's 'peak condition' and that they would have an advantage in their 'home ground' of Nenagh.

County Final

Few in the 4,000 attendance in MacDonagh Park, Nenagh ˆ the crowd was swelled by the county senior hurling semi-final between Moneygall and Moycarkey-Borris which preceded it - would have given Kilruane a chance at halftime. They had squandered innumerable opportunities in the first half and trailed by five points at the break with the score 1-7 to 1-2. 

The second half was a different story, however, as McDonaghs shed their inhibitions and thundered into the game. Just two minutes had elapsed when full-forward Sean O'Meara flicked the ball to the net and Kilruane were on their merry way. They had drawn level by the 58th minute and hit the front when Sean O'Meara passed the ball to substitute Noel (Sonny) Killackey who tucked it in the corner for the golden goal. Loughmore laid siege to the Kilruane goal in search of the equailser but had to be content with a point. MacDonaghs were not to be denied and were crowned champions on a scoreline of 3-6 to 1-10. Selectors Paddy Quinlan, Hughie McDonnell and Frank Brady had worked the oracle. 

The winning team was as follows: Tony Sheppard, Donnchadha Minogue, Denis O'Meara (capt.), Brian O'Reilly, John Kelly, Paddy William, Dinny Cahill, Tom Killackey (1-0), Phil Reddan, Seamus Hennessy (0-1), Jim Williams, Jim O'Meara, Gilbert Williams (0-1), Sean O'Meara (1-4), John Quinlan. Sub: Noel Killackey (1-0) for John Quinlan.

Referee: George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen)

It was the first time Kilruane had played in the senior football final and it was the first time in sixty years that a club team from the North division had been victorious.

Munster Club

Kilruane must have exhausted their effort in the county final. They had a bye to the semi-final of the Munster club football championship and played the Cork champions, Nemo Rangers, at Ballinlough on November 1st. The result was a massacre, 7-15 for Nemo and 0-3 for the Tipperary champions.

The North senior football championship was a separate competition to the county championship. Five teams affiliated., Kilruane played Silvermines in the semi-final on February 15, 1976 and were defeated.

<span class="postTitle">Borrisoleigh's Three County Senior Titles in the Eighties</span> County Hurling Final program, October 18, 2009

Borrisoleigh's Three County Senior Titles in the Eighties

County Hurling Final program, October 18, 2009

On this day we honour the Borrisoleigh teams who became county senior hurling champions in 1981, 1983 and 1986. The eighties were a great time for the club and when they won the county final in 1981 they were returing to the winners enclosure in senior hurling for the first time in twenty-eight years.

There were seven teams in the North senior hurling championship in 1981 and it was run on a league basis with six games for each team and the top four qualifying for the semi-finals. Borrisoleigh defeated Kilruane-MacDonaghs by 2-12 to 2-7 at Nenagh on August 8, and Roscrea defeated Lorrha by 3-10 to 2-10 at Borrisokane on the day after. In the final at Nenagh on September 27, Borrisoleigh toppled the champions, Roscrea, on a day when the ball was thrown in by the famous Tipperary full-forward, Martin Kennedy. 

Already the quarter-finals had been played at Thurles on August 30. Borrisoleigh defeated West champions, Eire Óg by 2-19 to 1-7, and went on to overcome Moycarkey-Borris by 1-15 to 3-8 in the semi-final at Templemore on October 4. Roscrea came through on the other side of the draw so that the two sides met in the final at Thurles on October 25. Borrisoleigh repeated the North result, on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-12, to take their first county final since 1953.

The victorious side was: Owen Walsh, Michael Ryan, T. F. Stapleton, Timmy Stapleton (capt.), Timmy Delaney, Gerry Stapleton, Francis Spillane, Timmy Ryan, Pat Ryan, Brendan Kenny, Bobby Ryan, Noel O'Dwyer, Michael Coen, Tommy O'Dwyer, Pat Kavanagh.

Great Euphoria

There was tremendous euphoria in the parish as a result of the victory and one of the biggest ever receptions was afforded to the team on their return to the town. However, the jubilation of the victory came to an abrupt end at Waterford six days later when they were beaten by Mount Sion, 2-12 to 0-12, in the first round of the Munster club championship.

Borrisoleigh appeared to be returning to their old ways in 1982 when they were defeated in the first round of the North championship by Silvermines. However, they returned to the kind of form, that had brought success in 1981, the following year. Seven teams affiliated in the 1983 North championship with the semi-finals played at Nenagh on July 24. Lorrha defeated Kilruane-MacDonaghs by 2-9 to 2-8, and Borrisoleigh defeated Eire Óg by 2-15 to 1-10. In the North final at Nenagh on August 14, Borrisoleigh defeated Lorrha by 1-11 to 2-6.

In the county quarter-final at Holycross on August 28, Borrisoleigh were convincing winners over Eire Óg, Ballingarry on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-6. Because of the re-development of Semple Stadium, it wasn't possible to play the semi-finals or finals there, and Borrisoleigh were severely tested before defeating Moycarkey-Borris by 1-13 to 1-12 at Cashel on September 25. The final was played at the same venue on October 30. Their opponents were Loughmore-Castleiney and nine members of the respective panels were members of Templemore C.B.S. All-Ireland Colleges champions team in 1978. The former school colleagues were rivals at Cashel and Borrisoleigh triumphed by three points, on a scoreline of 1-14 to 1-11.

The winning side was as follows: Owen Walsh, Mick Ryan, T. F. Stapleton, Timmy Delaney, Richard Stakelum. Gerry Stapleton, Noelie Maher, Timmy Ryan, John McGrath, Philip Kenny, Bobby Ryan, Aidan Ryan, Mick Coen, Timmy Stapleton, Noel O'Dwyer (capt.)*.

*Frank Spillane was team captain but didn't play on the day because of injury. Vice-captain, Noel O'Dwyer, substituted on the field but Frank came in to receive the trophy from county chairman, Mick Frawley, after the game.

Beaten in Replay

The winners were better prepared for the Munster club championship on this occasion. They had a bye in the first round and defeated Patrickswell by 2-6 to 0-11 at Kilmallock in the semi-final. In the final against Midleton at the same venue two weeks later, the Cork champions grabbed a draw with a 65 in the last minute of the game on a scoreline of 1-12 to 3-6. Borrisoleigh lost the replay by 1-14 to 1-11 on December 4, although leading by four points with a number of minutes to go.

Local poet Gerard Ryan celebrated Borrisoleigh's county final victory:

Once more the premier trophy returns to Borris town.

The vanguished have retreated, the victors won renown,

But all combined in sportsmanship a heritage to uphold,

A Gaelic pastime to renew, its pleasures to unfold

On wards, onwards men of Borrisoleigh, to the year of '84

Help restore Tipp to its rightful place, standard-bearers as before.

There was little joy for Borrisoleigh in 1984. Eight teams affiliated in the North senior championship and were divided into two groups with the top two in each qualifying for the semi-finals. Borrisoleigh failed to qualify. Nine teams affiliated in 1985 and were divided into two groups. Borrisoleigh qualified for the semi-final but were badly beaten by Kilruane-MacDonaghs.

Backdoor Entry

Borrisoleigh came back with a bang in 1986. Matters didn't look so good earlier in the year when they were defeated by Kilruane, 1-15 to 0-7, in the semi-final of the North championship, played at Nenagh on July 26. It looked as this was the end of the road for them once again. Kilruane went on to defeat Toomevara in the championship final.

However, Borrisoleigh had been runners-up in the Hogan Cup, which had been given a new status that year of allowing the winners to play the runners-up in the championship for the right to represent the division as the second team in the county championship. As Kilruane were championship and league winners, Borrisoleigh gained the right to play-off with the runners-up in the championship, Toomevara. The game was played at Roscrea on August 24 and resulted in a comprehensive win for Borrisoleigh of 3-19 to 2-9.

Borrisoleigh went on to defeat Carrick Swan by 3-17 to 5-3 in the county quarter-final at Boherlahan on August 31. They beat Holycross-Ballycahill by 3-10 to 1-7 at Templemore on September 14. Their opponents in the final at Semple Stadium on September 28 were Kilruane, who had defeated them twice already and were definite favourites to do so again, On one of the warmest days ever for a county final, the game was gripping all through but Borrisoleigh were the faster, hungrier and more determined team and won by 0-14 to 0-7, a big reverse on the results in the earlier matches, 0-14 to 2-6 in the North league, and 1-15 to 0-7 in the championship. Philip Kenny was the star of the success, scoring six points in all, and many gave great credit to trainer, Paddy Doyle, for Borrisoleigh's improved performances during the year. The mascot of the Borrisoleigh team, a cock, was in attendance, under the charge of Shane Tierney.

The team was: Noel Maher, Francis Spillane, Timmy Stapleton, Mick Ryan (capt.), Richard Stakelum, Gerry Stapleton, Bobby Ryan, Timmy Ryan, Francis Collins, Aidan Ryan, Noel O'Dwyer, Conor Stakelum, Michael Coen, Philip Kenny, John McGrath.

All-Ireland Glory

Borrisoleigh had a bye to the semi-final of the Munster club championship. They played Claughaun at Limerick on November 16 and won by 2-10 to 1-9. Their opponents in the final, played at Limerick on November 30, were Clarecastle. In a very disciplined performance they defeated the Clare champions by 1-13 to 1-9, to take their first Munster club title. The champions continued their good work into the new year with a 3-16 to 3-8 victory over Ballycastle-McQuillans at Thurles on February 8. The final was played at Croke Park on March 17 with Borrisoleigh gaining victory by 2-9 to 0-9 over Rathnure. 

The winning side was as follows: Noel Maher, Francis Spillane, Timmy Stapleton, Mick Ryan (capt.), Richard Stakelum, Gerry Stapleton, Bobby Ryan, Timmy Ryan, Francis Collins, Conor Stakelum, Noel O'Dwyer, John McGrath, Mick Coen, Philip Kenny, Aidan Ryan. Sub: Brian Kenny for Timmy Ryan. The other members of the panel were John Glasheen, Philip Delaney, Pat Ryan, Seamus Devaney, John Joe Maher, John Ryan, Joe Loughnane, Timmy Delaney.

Longest-Serving Member

Noel, or Noelie, Maher, who was a member of the three victorious county teams, is the longest serving senior hurler in the club. He came on the senior panel at the age of seventeen years and finished at forty-two years, a total of twenty-five years, two more than Noel O'Dwyer. During his career he played in goals for six years and outfield for eighteen years until his retirement in 1994.

He captained Borrisoleigh in 1987 when they won the Yoplait All-Ireland Hurling Sevens. Currently he is in his tenth year as secretary of the club.

The Borrioleigh Cock

The cock is synonymous with the Borrisoleigh club and occupies a prominent place on the club crest. There are a number of stories as to its origin. One is that on achieving unity in 1948 the Borris and Ileigh players were so proud that they would strut confidently, regardless of the opposition, on to the playing field like bantam cocks. Others point to a much older origin to the days of the faction fights. In the glory days of the early fifties Paddy D'Arcy of Ileigh used to sell the team colours on match days and he used to have as his 'assistant' the cock, resplendently dressed up in the club colours. With his business for the day complete, Paddy would attend the match parading around the field with the proud and colourful cock by his side.

<span class="postTitle">The Influence of the G.A.A. in Irish Society</span> Munster Hurling Final program, Semple Stadium, Thurles, July 12, 2009

The Influence of the G.A.A. in Irish Society

Munster Hurling Final program, Semple Stadium, Thurles, July 12, 2009

In a collection of essays published in connection with the 125 anniversary of the foundation of the G.A.A. (The Gaelic Athletic Association 1884-2009 (Dublin, 2009), NUIG Professor Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, believes that significant progress has been made in recognising the importance of the G.A.A. in Irish society. However, he goes on to state that whereas the issue has been addressed in histories of the association, club histories and other specialist studies of the G.A.A.'s history, the social importance fo the G.A.A. 'remains curiously understated' in general histories of modern Ireland.

Ó Tuathaigh adds: 'This continuing under-valuing of the G.A.A.'s social influence may well be due to a general neglect until recent years in professional historical scholarship of the role of sport in Irish social and cultural history. But it is strange, nevertheless, that a more substantial body of work has not been published on an organisation that stands second only to the Churches, and perhaps the trade unions, as a force in the associational culture of Ireland for a century and a quarter. This may seem a large claim, but it can be supported.'

The G.A.A. has some 2,600 affiliated clubs dispersed across the island of Ireland with a further 242 clubs among the Irish diaspora overseas. Its active adult membership was estimated in 2004 at circa 300,000, with more than twice that number estimated as membership and active supporters combined. It has a larger membership than any other Irish sporting organisation, and its spread of membership across age groups and social classes is broader than any other sporting body. Over 40 per cent of all sports volunteers in Ireland are G.A.A. volunteers, with a relatively high percentage of active women volunteers, not only in the separate organisations concerned with camogie and ladies football, but in the core organisation dealing with male sports. The G.A.A. owns and has developed an impressive network of grounds and club facilities, and its national stadium – Croke Park, rebuilt at a cost of some €260 million between 1992 and 2005 – is among the finest in Europe. Over 60 per cent of the total attendance at sports fixtures in Ireland are accounted for by G.A.A. games.

The main Gaelic games – football and hurling and, increasingly, camogie and ladies football – enjoy extensive media coverage, print and broadcasting, at national and local level. The quality of its leadership and its general level of organisational competance is highly regarded by informed commentators on sports culture internationally. The leading senior players of the main games enjoy high public recognition and, in certain occupation categories with a prominent public relations dimension, enhanced employment and career prospects, while their G.A.A. background, as players or as high-profile officials, regularly serves as a promising launching pad for a career in politics, at local or national level.

Ó Tuathaigh goes on to discuss the question, is the G.A.A. an organisation or a movement?

'In truth, it is both,' he replies. 'It is clearly an organisation – and a highly efficient one – for the running of games, at all levels, combining a cohort of full-time, salaried professional administrators with an army of volunteers, giving their services freely (or with no more than modest expenses) out of commitment to the games and a love of the camaraderie of the social life that involvement in the association brings. But this latter socialising function is also part of what makes the G.A.A. a movement, in the sense that it seeks to embody a cultivate a sense of community loyalty and pride – at parish, county and national level – and deploy that 'community' sentiment in the creation of significant social capital, a network of community facilities and amenities, and a sense of discipline and civic responsibility as something to be valued by players and the wider membership. These virtues are, of course, espoused by most sporting organisations driven by idealistic volunteers; but the identity of the G.A.A.'s network of clubs throughout the island, at parish and local community level, gives it a particularly influential presences in Irish social life.'

Ó Tuathaigh concludes on a very optimistic note: 'In short, at the beginning of the twenty-first century the G.A.A. finds itself more broadly representative of all sections of Irish society and more highly regarded, for its organisational capacity, progressive leadership and dedication to community development, than in any previous era in its history. It has also substantially shed the rhetoric (and rules and regulations) of ethnic exclusivism which critics regularly emphasised in their explanations of their antipathy towards the association or their inability to participate (or to feel at home) in its activities. A more open attitude towards the complexity of cultural traditions and identities in Ireland, and a move towards engaging with versions of a more inclusive civic nationalism (without abandoning its own special commitment to distinctive forms of Irish cultural expression) together with a commitment to contributing to cross-community tolerance, respect and, in time, shared cultural activities, including cross-community participation in Gaelic games, leaves the G.A.A. well-positioned to prosper in the more pluralist Ireland that is emerging. At a time of unprecedented change in virtual every aspect of Irish social and cultural development, no other organisation has been as impressive as the G.A.A. in terms of its capacity to adapt and manage these changes in a manner that strengthens its own influence in Irish society.'

<span class="postTitle">Phil Shanahan - Toomevara</span> Munster Hurling Final program, Semple Stadium, Thurles, July 12, 2009

Phil Shanahan - Toomevara

Munster Hurling Final program. Semple Stadium, Thurles, July 12, 2009

When one mentions Phil Shanahan one is talking about one of the greatest centrefield players that the county has produced down the years. He was a commanding figure, a real Toomevara Greyhound, who could stay going all day, a man with a tremendous workrate. A powerful man, he could hold his own with the best and he was always in tip-top shape. He played at a time when centrefield play was much more vital in the scheme of hurling things than it is today.

He was centrefield on the three-in-a-row teams of 1949, 1950 and 1951, alongside different partners in each year, Sean Kenny, Seamus Bannon and fellow-Toomevara player, John Hough. He was one of eight players who played in the same position for the three championships.

Born in the parish of Toomevara in January 1928, Phil showed early promise making his debut at senior level with his club in the 1945 championship, while still only seventeen years of age. Toomevara were back in senior ranks for the first time since 1938, when they failed to field a team in the first round of the senior championship. In 1946 Phil won his first divisional medal when they defeated Roscrea in the North final, their first victory since 1931.

He made his county debut with the minors in 1946, losing the All-Ireland to Dublin as the result of a disputed goal. Phil’s first entry into senior ranks was to be selected on the 1948/49 National League team at centrefield and won the first of four league medals, the others coming in 1952, 1953 and 1957. 

It was the start of three glorious years with Tipperary during which Phil played a pivotal role at centrefield, winning three Munster finals and three All-Irelands. Other achievements from this period include an Oireachtas medal in 1949 and successive Monaghan Cup medals between 1949-1953. Thomond Feis medals were won in 1949 and 1951. He was on the successful Ireland teams in the Representative Games series in 1952 and 1953, winning the Sports Star of the Week award in 1952 for his display on Joe Salmon of Galway. Four Railway Cup medals were won in 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. He was long puck champion of Ireland in 1951.

Early in 1950 Phil left his father’s farm to work in Johnson Mooney and O’Brien bakery in Dublin and play hurling with the Young Irelands club. He continued playing for Tipperary until 1953, moving to centreforward in the latter year. He played for Dublin in 1954 and 1955, partnering Norman Allen in the former and Con Murphy in the latter year at centrefield. Dublin were beaten by Wexford in the 1954 Leinster final and by Kilkenny in the 1955 Leinster semi-final. 

In 1956 he returned to the county when he started working with Esso. He retired from inter-county hurling after returning from the league trip to the U.S. In 1957. Then began a very fruitful period of his career with Toomevara. He played in seven consecutive North finals from 1957-63, winning four and losing in 1957, 1959 and 1963. He captained the team in 1958. There were three county final appearances, with defeats in 1958 and 1961, and a great victory over Thurles Sarsfields in 1960, a victory that prevented the Thurles club winning six in a row.

Phil eventually retired from club hurling in 1966 after a career of over twenty years. He turned his attention to training and coaching. His training career began with Portlaoise, where he helped the club to five senior football titles between 1966 and 1971. He attained a coaching certificate in hurling in 1977. When he retired from Esso in 1982 he trained and coached Killenaule to win three South Tipperary intermediate championships in hurling, in 1983, 1985 and 1986.

During the past number of years Phil has been awarded a number of sporting honours, which are testament to his standing in the field of sport. He was selected on the North Tipperary Centenary Hurling Team in 2001. Early in 2004 he received the Hall of Fame award in the Roscrea Awards and was elected a member of Cumann na Sean Gael at the end of the same year. In March of this year he was given a Special Recognition Award in the Roscrea Awards for his part in the winning All-Ireland team of 1949.

Phil believes that Tipperary should beat Waterford today. They have a young team that's improving. However, he thinks they need more physical presence in the forward line. In fact he would see this lack of physical presence all over the field as the main failing of the team. He wishes every success to the team. He recognises the range of talents in the Waterford side, especially the danger posed by John Mullane.

<span class="postTitle">The First Clare Tipp Match</span> Munster Senior Hurling Semi-Final program, June 21, 2009

The First Clare Tipp Match

Munster Senior Hurling Semi-Final program, June 21, 2009

The first time Clare and Tipperary met in an intercounty game was at Nenagh on September 25, 1887. Clare were represented by Smith O'Briens, a team drawn from Garranboy, Killaloe and Bridgetown, and Tipperary by Thurles, who had a few imports from two neighbouring clubs.

Smith O'Briens, who wore green and gold, had beaten Ogonelloe by 0-3 to 0-1 in the county final, which was played in John McDonnell's place in Broadford, a kind of amphitheatre field, which was a famous venue at the time.

The game was played on July 17, 1887 and the captain of the Smith O'Briens was William Gunning of Kilbane. Gunning was, in fact, one of an estimated four Clare men who played on the Limerick Commercials team that won the first football All-Ireland. Incidentally, the captain of the Ogonelloe team was Dominick Stuart, the father of a later President of the G.A.A., Dr. J. J. Stuart. A grandson of Dominick, of the same name, continues to live in the area.

No Munster Championship

There was no Munster championship at the time but an open draw All-Ireland and Smith O'Briens, now representing Clare, were drawn against Wicklow in the first round, which was fixed for Athlone on July 19, only two days after the county final. Wicklow objected to the venue as unreasonable and were prepared 'at any time to meet Clare or any other county on reasonable terms.' The counties, accordingly, didn't meet and Clare advanced to the next round against Tipperary.

Tipperary also got a walkover. Drawn against Dublin in the first round, they were fixed to play at Mountrath on Saturday, July 30. Dublin looked for a postponement on the ground that a number of players were on holidays but the application was refused. Tipperary came up against Clare in the second round at Nenagh on September 25. They were fixed to play at the Markets Field, Limerick on September 4 but Clare wired that they couldn't field a team and the game was re-fixed for three weeks later.

Green Pantaloons

Earlier Thurles had become county champions of Tipperary when they beat North Tipperary by 3 points and 2 forfeit points to nil at Borrisoleigh. Only eight teams had participated in this first county championship, as against twenty-seven in Clare. Thurles had a definite advantage in the final since North Tipperary had to play their semi-final game against Holycross on the same day as the final. No wonder they began to weaken in the second half!

The Tipp-Clare game at Nenagh was played in a large field on Church Road, given for the purpose by local solicitor Mr. A. Nolan. Thurles wore green pantaloons on the occasion and admission was 6d. There isn't much information about the game except that Tipperary won by 1 goal and 8 points to 4 points.

We don't know the names of the Tipperary team other than the fact they they had fourteen players from Thurles, six from Two-Mile-Borris and one from the Ragg.

The Clare team was as follows: Matthew Crowe (capt.), Ned Scanlan (goal), Michael Crowe, Corney Hayes, Tim Crowe, Thomas Hayes, Paddy Smyth, John Hayes, Martin Crowe, Paddy Vaughan, James Nihill, Little Mike Ryan, Michael Pee-OL Ryan, Paddy O'Brien, Martin Dwyer, Michael Dwyer, Paddy Scanlan, James McKeogh, Michael McKeogh, Jack Molloy, William Scanlan, Jack Sheehy, Edmond Scanlan.

<span class="postTitle">Waving the Tipp Flag 60 Years Ago</span> Munster Senior Hurling Championship Program, Cork v Tipperary, at Semple Stadium, May 31, 2009

Waving the Tipp Flag 60 Years Ago

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Program, Cork v Tipperary, at Semple Stadium, May 31, 2009

Memories play as important a part in the lives of players and supporters as the immediate impact of games and one memory that is as fresh and vital as the day itself in the mind of Austin Crowe, the well-known proprietor of Dundrum House Hotel, is May 29 sixty years ago, when Cork and Tipperary drew in the first round of the 1949 Munster senior hurling championship.

Austin was a young sixteen year old, going on seventeen, in the Agricultural College, run by the Salesians at Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick.

He has fond memories of the year spent there, remembering it as a place where gaelic games were strongly promoted and where the boys were extremely well looked after by the religious order founded by St. John Bosco.

Hurling and football provided the boys with relief from class and study. In fact the Fathers gave the boys plenty of free time to listen to matches broadcast on Radio Eireann by Micheal O Hehir or to attend the games themselves. On these occasions the boys gave vent to their county loyalties

Tipp v Cork

One such game was the first round of the Munster championship between Cork and Tipperary in May 1949. As the game approached the rivalry and excitement between the supporters on both sides got keener. Unfortunately for Austin there were only fifteen Tipperary boys in the college as against about forty from Cork The rivalry found particular expression during practice sessions in the hurling field.

Austin's greatest support, verbally and physically, came from his best friend, Sean O'Brien, who hailed from Grawn, Toomevara. Neither he nor Sean were big men physically and had to take a lot of stick. Another supporter was Jim Lanigan, son of the famous Dick of Bloody Sunday fame, from Grangemockler.

One of the finest supporters of the games in the college was an Antrim man, Fr. Campbell, who tried to steer an impartial path between the Cork and Tipp rivalries coming up to the game. He must have concluded that support had skewed too far in favour of Cork.

On the morning of the match the boys had their usual two-hour study between breakfast and lunch and Austin was sitting in his desk dreaming of the match when next there was a peremptory call from Fr. Campbell, who was supervising.

'Mr. Crowe: Up to the desk!'

He answered the command and was ordered outside the door. Not knowing what he had done he slumped outside like the poor scholar.

Soon Fr. Campbell joined him. 

'You're going to get some doing today,' he said, 'the Cork boys are very well prepared. They have an effigy of Ring and all kinds of rattles and banners.'

'What can I do?' asked the bewildered Austin.

'Up to my room,' replied the priest.

Arriving in the room Fr. Campbell handed him two large curtains, one blue and the other yellow. 

'Here's a needle and thread, Stitch them together,' he said.

Austin set about the task and stitched them into the semblance of a flag. When Fr. Campbell returned he had a sweeping brush with him, from which he took the handle. They tacked the flag to it and rolled it up, leaving it behind the door.

After study the Cork boys started parading round the quadrangle. Austin had drafted in Sean O'Brien and told him of his 'secret weapon' and they bided their time.

The buses came in and as they did Austin and Sean collected the flag and unfurled it. They marched up the quad behind the flag and the other Tipp fellows fell in behind them. Some of the neutrals joined in also, particularly the Kerry fellows.

A Colour Party

They got on the bus and as it moved off they put the flag out the window and it created a great splash of colour along the side of the vehicle. They had another secret weapon, the college bell, which Sean had taken with him.

They arrived at their parking area in Limerick on the Docks and all alighted. They fell into two lines and marched side by side out to the Gaelic Grounds. As they crossed Sarsfields Bridge they made a very colourful sight, one group following the effigy of Ring and the second the large flag of Tipperary. The addition of the college bell gave the latter the edge in the noise stakes..

Austin remembers the excitement still, the beautiful day, the arrival at the pitch. Tipp's victory in the minor game, his pride in the senior team, particularly the four West men, Tony Brennan, Paddy Furlong, Willie Carroll and Jim Devitt. Even though the game ended in a draw he believed that Tipp shaded it on the day because of the victory of the minors.

And, of course, they did win the replay, which set up one of the glorious periods in Tipp's hurling history!

<span class="postTitle">Honouring the 1973, 77, 79 & 83 County Champions of Loughmore-Castleiney</span> County Tipperary Senior Football Final Program, October 26th 2008

Honouring the 1973, 77, 79 & 83 County Champions of Loughmore-Castleiney

County Tipperary Senior Football Final Program, October 26th 2008

In keeping with the practice of the past number of years, the Tipperary county board, in conjunction with the Nationalist and the Templemore Arms, honour the county senior football champions of 1971, 1977, 1979 and 1983, Loughmore-Castleiney, at the county senior football final at Leahy Park, Cashel today. The members of the victorious panel will be given a reception at the Cashel King Cormac's clubrooms at 12:30 pm and will be guests of the county board at the final. At about 3 pm they will be led on to the field by their captains, and introduced to the crowd. After the games they will be taken to Templemore Arms for dinner. Following the meal they will be made a presentation by the Nationalist. The occasion will be a special opportunity for the members of the teams to reminisce about their great exploits on the field of play so many years ago.

The Seventies Were Mighty for Loughmore-Castleiney
 

When the seventies dawned in Loughmore-Castleiney the record of the club in senior football was anything but impressive. Defeats had been their lot more than victories. Clubs from the parish had qualified for twelve county finals since the foundation of the G.A.A. but victory was recorded on only four occasions in 1913, 1940, 1946 and 1955. In fact following the victory over Arravale Rovers in the 1955 final, Loughmore-Castleiney lost four finals in a row. This record was to change dramatically in the seventies.

There wasn't much anticipation of this change in fortunes in the early part of the decade. In 1971 Loughmore-Castleiney were compeltely outclassed by Commercials in the county semi-final. There was the consolation of winning the Mid against Moneygall. They didn't qualify for the semi-finals the following year and it took them a replay to beat Templemore in the separate Mid final. There was a major change in their performances in 1973.

They qualified for the county semi-finals, in which they defeated Moyle Rovers by 2-13 to 1-4. Their opponents in the county final, played at Cashel on October 21, were Ardfinnan. and they won their first final since 1955 by 2-10 to 0-7. Ardfinnan led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval. Halfway through the second half the sides were level at 0-7 each but in a dramatic finish Loughmore scored 2-3 to win easily. One of the stars of the winning side was Eddie Webster.

The team was Michael Maher, Eddie Stapleton, Eddie Webster (0-1), Tom Maher, Tom Hayes (capt.), Pat Stapleton, Martin Kiely, Sean Kearney (1-4), Tom Maher (L) (0-3), Tom Treacy, Gerry Stapleton, Martin Hynes, Jack Walsh, John Burke (1-1), Jim Healy (0-1). Subs: Johnny Brennan for Tom Treacy, John Treacy for Jack Walsh, Walsh for Martin Hynes
Referee: George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen).

Loughmore-Castleiney failed to make it to the county semi-final in 1974 and won the Mid final by virtue of a walkover from Templemore. In 1975 Loughmore qualified for the county semi-finals and defeated Ardfinnan by 3-11 to 1-5 at Cashel on August 10. Their opponents in the final were Kilruane MacDonaghs, who had caused an upset when they defeated Kilsheelan in the other semi-final. The game was played at Nenagh and the North representatives showed fitness, dedication, enthusiasm and an unparalleled win to win. Loughmore dominated the first half but Kilruane were tenacious after the interval and had two points to spare on a scoreline of 3-6 to 1-10 at the final whistle. It was the first time that Kilruane had played in a final and the first time in sixty years for a North club team to be victorious. Loughmore defeated Templemore by 0-8 to 2-1 in the Mid final.

Surprised in 1976
 

Loughmore-Castleiney were surprised again in 1976 when beaten by Arravale Rovers in the county semi-final by 0-8 to 1-3 at Cashel on August 8. They had the consolation of winning their twelfth Mid title when they defeated Templemore by 1-11 to 2-5.

Matters were to improve in 1977. Loughmore defeated Golden-Rockwell by 0-11 to 1-7 in the county semi-final at Cashel on September 11 and qualified for the final against Galtee Rovers. This game was played at Thurles on October 23 and resulted in a draw at 2-2 each. Heavy drizzle and a fresh breeze combined to make conditions extremely difficult. Galtee Rovers led by 2-2 to 2-1 at the interval but the sides could manage only one point in the second half.

Loughmore-Castleiney: Michael Maher, Eddie Stapleton, Pat Stapleton, Martin Kiely, Michael Maher, Eddie Webster, Mick Webster, Sean Kearney, Tom Kiely, Jim Maher (1-1), Gerry Stapleton, Jim Sweeney, Jim Healy, Tom McGrath (0-1), Michael Walsh (1-0). Subs: John Bourke for Gerry Stapleton.
Referee: Billy Carroll (Clonmel)

The replay was at Cashel on November 19 and Loughmore won by 2-6 to 0-5. Leading by 0-4 to 0-3 at the interval, they weren't flatterd by their seven-points winning margin. They were very well prepared and were going as well at the finish as they were in the opening minutes.

The team was as follows: Michael Maher, Eddie Stapleton, Pat Stapleton, Martin Kiely, Tom Treacy, Eddie Webster, Michael Webster, Michael Maher, Gerry Stapleton, Tom McGrath, Jim Sweeney, Tom Kiely, Jim Maher, Sean Kearney, Michael Walsh. Subs: Michael McGrath for Tom Treacy, Michael Maher for Tom Treacy, Michael Maher for Tom Kiely, Martin Hynes for Michael Walsh.
Referee: Billy Carroll (St. Mary's).

Loughmore-Castleiney lost the semi-final by 2-13 to 1-10 to Fethard at Cashel on September 10, In the Mid championship Loughmore made it fourteen titles in a row when they defeated Templemore by 1-9 to 2-4 at Thurles on November 12.
 

Another Victory

Loughmore were back with a bang on 1979. They beat Kilruane-MacDonaghs by 3-14 to 2-8 in the county semi-final at Thurles on July 29. Their opponents in the final at Clonmel on August 26 were Galtee Rovers and they won by 2-11 to 1-9. They led by 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval but Galtee put on the pressure in the second half and came within two points of the winners. However, Loughmore got the decisive second goal which put the verdict beyond doubt.

Loughmore-Castleiney: Michael Maher, Sean Fogarty, Eddie Webster, Martin Kiely, Tom Ryan, Pat McGrath, Eamonn Brennan, Gerry Stapleton, Jim Sweeney, Tom McGrath, Sean Kearney, Tom Kiely, Jim Maher, John Treacy, Michael McGrath.
Referee: Billy Carroll (Clonmel).

Loughmore-Castleiney qualified for the 1981 final when they defeated Commercials by 1-10 to 0-8, after leading by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval, in the semi-final at Cashel on August 3. The final was played at Fethard on August 31 and Galtee Rovers were making their fifth successive appearance in the final, having won their first in 1977. Though the game was close the crowd got little to enthuse about. Loughmore had most of the possession in the first half but wasted much of it and were in front by only a point at the interval. About midway in the second half, Galtee took the initiative and went ahead. They resisted strong Loughmore pressure in the final minutes to win by 0-11 to 0-10. Loughmore had an easy victory in the Mid final when they trounced Moycarkey-Borris by 4-12 to 0-4 in the final on December 6.

In 1982 Loughmore qualified for the semi-final and played Commercials at Thurles on August 29 and the match ended in a draw at Loughmore 0-6 Commercials 1-3. Loughmore lost the replay at the same venue a week later by 0-8 to 0-6. Loughmore took the Mid title when they defeated Moycarkey-Borris by 1-8 to 3-0 at Templemore on November 28.

As a result of the decision of county convention the system of running the county senior football championship reverted to the old one of two teams from each division playing quarter-finals. Loughmore defeated Arravale Rovers by 1-10 to 0-4 at Cashel on August 7 and qualified to play Kilsheelan in the semi-final. This game was played at Cashel on September 11 with victory going to Loughmore by 1-10 to 1-7. They led by 1-6 to 1-3 at the interval.
 

Sensational End to Final

There was a sensational ending to the final played at Cashel on October 8. Loughmore-Castleiney were trailing Fethard by seven points with four minutes to go and had all the looks of a beaten team. However, like Lazarus from the grave, they resurrected their act to score two goals and a point during the final period and grab a draw.

Loughmore-Castleiney: Jim Kiely, Sean Fogarty, Martin Kiely, Richard Stapleton, Tom Ryan, Michael Maher, eamonn Brennan, pat McGrath, Gerry Stapleton, Tom McGrath, Michael McGrath, Pat Treacy, Peter Brennan, John Treacy, Michael walsh; Subs: Jim Gorman for sean Fogarty.
Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).

Two weeks late the replay was at the same venue and Loughmore won by virtue of a Pat McGrath point from a free three minutes from time. Playing against the wind they were behind by the manageable margin of 0-5 to 1-1 at the interval. A couple of switches, that brought Martin Maher to centrefield and Pat McGrath to centreback, revitalised their challenge and never allowed Fethard to get a grip on the game. In the end they won by 0-8 to 1-4.

Loughmore-Castleiney: Jim Kiely, Tom Ryan, Martin Kiely, Sean Fogarty, Pat Treacy, Michael Maher, Eamonn Brennan, Gerry Stapleton, Tom McGrath, Michael McGrath, Pat McGrath, Jim Cormack, Peter Brennan, John Treacy. Michael Walsh. Subs: Frank McGrath for Jim Cormack, Tom Connolly for Pat Treacy, Jim Cormack for Gerry Stapleton.
Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).

Loughmore's busy year continued with the Munster Club championship. They beat Croom by 0-9 to 1-4 in the first round at Croom on November 6. Three weeks later they played the Clare champions, Doonbeg, at Holycross and the sides drew at 0-8 each. In the replay at Ennis on December 11 Loughmore were beaten by 1-7 to 1-3 in a game that went to extra time.

<span class="postTitle">Honouring the 1971 Moyne-Templetuohy Players</span> County Tipperary Senior Hurling Final Program, October 19th 2008

Honouring the 1971 Moyne-Templetuohy Players

County Tipperary Senior Hurling Final Program, October 19th 2008

In keeping with the practice of the past number of years, the Tipperary county board, in conjunction with the Tipperary Star and Younge's of the Ragg, honour the county senior hurling champions of 1971, Moyne-Templetuohy, at the county senior hurling finals at Semple Stadium today. The members of the victorious panel will be given a reception at the Thurles Greyhound Track at 12 noon and will be guests of the county board at the finals. At about 3 pm they will be led on to the field by their captain, Jim Fogarty, and introduced to the crowd. After the games they will be taken to Younge's of the Ragg for dinner. Following the meal they will be made a presentation by the Tipperary Star. The occasion should be a great opportunity for the members of the team to reminisce about their great exploits on the field of play thirty-seven years ago.

First County Senior Hurling Final

Moyne-Templetuohy made history in 1971 when they won their first-ever county senior hurling final. The seeds of that success are to be found in a series of Mid minor hurling titles won by the club in 1964, 1965 and 1966, which were the culmination of impressive earlier juvenile success. They went on to collect a county minor title in 1964 and were beaten by Cappawhite for a second in 1966

The breakthrough at senior ranks came in 1970 when they won their first Mid final. This success was heralded when they trounced the great Thurles Sarsfields team in the first round of the league-championship. They went on to record a convincing win over Moycarkey-Borris and met Sarsfields again in the final. This contest was a much sterner one than the first round meeting but they came through by a point, 2-11 to 3-7, to record an historic victory.

According to Willie Butler in the Moyne-Templetuohy Parish History, the historic victory 'was celebrated in grand style in the parish. On Sunday evening bonfires blazed at both ends of Moyne village and captain, Willie O'Grady, was carried shoulder high. There was music and dancing on the streets until midnight and needless to say the cup was filled -and emptied- several times. On Monday night a motorcade of three hundred cars met the team on the Thurles road and escorted them to Templetuohy where bonfires also blazed.'

Moyne-Templetuohy got a reality check in the Mid championship in 1971 but made amends in the separate county championship. They were surprisingly defeated by Moycarkey-Borris in the opening round of the Mid, got back on track with victory over Drom Inch and Na Fianna (Upperchurch, Clonakenny and Clonmore), but had their hopes of retaining the Mid crown dashed when defeated by the Sarsfields.

Their concentration was now on the open draw county championship. They had already won two rounds, with victory over Borrisokane by 7-14 to 1-2 and a second over Clonoulty-Rossmore by 5-13 to 4-7 in the second round. The county quarter-finals were played on August 22 in which Moyne-Templetuohy faced the West champions, Eire Óg. They made no mistake, running out easy winners by double scores on a scoreline of 4-12 to 2-6.

Because of Tipperary's involvement in the All-Ireland championship, the semi-finals weren't played until October 10. Moyne-Templetuohy played Ballybacon-Grange at Thurles. Jim Fogarty, who was a sub on All-Ireland winning team, kept a close rein on the Ballybacon star, Babs Keating, allowing him only one point from play, and Moyne won easily by 4-12 to 3-3. In the second semi-final the following Sunday at Nenagh, Roscrea defeated Thurles Sarsfields by 3-13 to 4-7 in a close contest.

The County Final

The final was played at Semple Stadium on October 31. Roscrea were champions for three years and were very much favourites to make it four-in-a-row with stars like the All-Ireland captain, Tadhg O'Connor, Francis Loughnane, Kieran Carey, Tadhg Murphy and Liam Spooner. The build-up to the game was well-described by Culbáire later in the year in his Ballad of '71;

The bold Roscrea had held firm sway three seasons in a row,

And now the fourth was booked for North, on the latest betting show;

The Punters brash, produced their cash and laid it on the line

At threes and more for a winning score against the lads of Moyne.

Wearing the underdog's tag, Moyne-Templetuohy, right from the start confronted their opponents with almost fanatical intensity and completely knocked Roscrea out of their stride. They won by eight points but the margin didn't flatter in any way their superiority on the day. However,, they made hard work of winning. With over seventy percent of the play in the first half they were ahead by only 0-4 to 0-3 at the interval. At the three-quarter mark they were still only a point, 0-6 to 0-5, in front but in the final quarter they scored 2-1 to secure victory on a scoreline of 2-7 to 0-6. One of the outstanding performers on the day was Martin Esmonde, who held Francis Loughnane scoreless from play. When John Moloney brew the final whistle there was huge joy among Moyne-Templetuohy players and supporters alike, having succeeded at their first attempt to take the county senior hurling championship. For the record they scored the very impressive tally of 22 goals 59 points and conceded 10 goals and 24 points in their five championship matches.

The history-making team were as follows: Tom Russell, Tom O'Grady, Jim Fogarty (capt.), Fr. Tom Fogarty, Mick Coen, Jim Fogarty, Martin Esmonde, Martin O'Grady (1-1), Michael O'Grady, Martin Troy (1-0), Willie Fogarty (0-1), Tom Egan (0-3), Bill O';Grady (0-1), Tom Quinlan, Paddy Sweeney (0-2). Subs: Dick Fogarty, Fr. Joe Egan, Fr. John Egan, Tom Flynn, Martin Costigan, Paddy Everard, Billy O'Grady, Dinny Dunne, Dinny Curtis.

<span class="postTitle">West Senior Hurling Finals - 1930-2007</span> West Senior Hurling final program, August 31, 2008

West Senior Hurling Finals - 1930-2007

West Senior Hurling final program, August 31, 2008

1930  Clonoulty 4-1 Solohead 1-1 Golden  29/06/30 Mick Dargan (Cashel) 

1931  Clonoulty 5-3 Newport 3-4 Cashel   04/10/31 John Hennessy (Emly) 

1932  Clonoulty 6-2 Donohill/Cappa 3-2 Ballydine  10/07/32 Willie O'Dwyer (Kickhams) 

1933  Clonoulty 3-4 Donohill/Cappa 2-2 Tipperary  27/08/33 J.J. Woods (Tipperary)

1934  Cashel 2-5 Clonoulty 0-1 Knockavilla  15/07/34  James Ryan (Hollyford)

1935  Kickhams 7-4  Donohill 4-1 Donaskeigh  25/08/35 John Hennessy (Emly) 

1936  Cashel 6-2 Golden 4-1 Clonoulty 30/08/36 John Hennessy (Emly) 

1937  Cashel 2-4 Clonoulty 1-1 Golden 18/07/37 Willie O'Dwyer (Kickhams) 

1938  Kickhams 3-3 Eire Óg 1-1 Cashel13/11/38 Michael Burke (Cashel) 

1939  Cashel 4-3 Solohead 3-1 Golden 06/08/39 J.J. Woods (Tipperary) 

1940  Cashel 5-1 Clonoulty 3-3 Dundrum 25/08/40 Bill O'Donnell (Golden) 

1941  Eire Óg 4-4 Golden 3-6 Tipperary 19/10/41 John Hennessy (Emly) 

1942  Eire Óg 8-3 Galtee Rvs 3-0 Tipperary 30/08/42 J.J. Woods (Tipperary) 

1943  Eire Óg 8-1 Cappawhite 3-2 Dundrum 15/08/43 J.J. Woods (Tipperary) 

1944  Eire Óg 7-5 Cashel 3-1 Dundrum 24/09/44 T. Hammersley (Clonoulty) 

1945 Cashel 4-5 Eire Óg 1-3 Cashel 07/09/45 T. Hammersley (Clonoulty) 

1946 Kickhams 5-3 Eire Óg 4-2 Golden 20/10/46 T. Hammersley (Clonoulty) 

1947 Kickhams 5-3 Eire Óg 2-3 Golden 17/08/47 C. O'Brien (Tipperary) 

1948 Cashel 3-6 Kickhams 3-4 Golden 05/08/48 Bill O'Donnell (Golden) 

1949 Kickhams 5-9 Golden/K 4-2 Clonoulty 11/09/49 T. Hammersley (Clonoulty) 

1950 Kickhams 2-5 Cashel 2-0 Tipperary 17/09/50 L. Quinn (Bansha) 

1951 Clonoulty 3-2 Kickhams 0-3 Cashel 16/09/51 Bill O'Donnell (Golden) 

1952 Kickhams 4-7 Clonoulty 3-4 Clonoulty 17/08/52 Tom Semple (Thurles) 

1953 Kickhams 2-7 Clonoulty 0-4 Cashel 16/08/53 Tom Semple (Thurles) 

1954 Kickhams 2-8 Clonoulty 0-2 Cashel 25/07/54 Mick Coady (Cashel) 

1955 Kickhams 7-3 Cashel 5-7 Golden 11/09/55 John Currivan (Golden) 

1956 Kickhams 6-5 Golden K 2-3 Cashel 26/08/56 T. Hammersley (Clonoulty) 

1957 St. Nicholas 5-8 Cashel 3-6 Dundrum 18/08/57 Paddy Fraser (Tipperary) 

1958 Kickhams 8-8 Golden K 2-2 Cashel 03/08/58 Jim Stapleton (Solohead) 

1959 Kickhams 3-5 Rossmore 2-7 Cashel 02/08/59 Jim Devitt (Cashel) 

1960 Kickhams 2-8 Solohead 1-6 Golden 24/07/60 Tom Foran (Carrick) 

1961 St. Vincents 4-7 Solohead 1-7 Cashel 06/08/61 Tommy Landers (Golden) 

1962 Cappawhite 1-4 Kickhams 1-4 Golden 09/09/62 Philip Ryan (Boherlahan) 

Replay  Cappawhite 5-8 Kickhams 2-1 Golden 16/09/62 Philip Ryan (Boherlahan) 

1963 St. Patrick's 5-3 Suir Rovers 1-7 Golden 25/08/63 Jim Devitt (Cashel) 

1964 Eire Óg 2-7 Cappawhite 1-8 Cashel 23/08/64 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1965 Cashel 2-19 Eire Óg 5-3 Golden 15/08/65 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1966 Arravale R 2-4 Golden K 0-8 Dundrum 07/08/66 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1967 Eire Óg 5-4 Arravale R 2-7 Clonoulty 10/09/67 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1968 Sean Treacy's 5-6 Eire Óg 5-4 Dundrum 25/08/68 Billy Sweeney (Moyne) 

1969 Golden K 1-13 Arravale R 2-7 Tipperary 31/08/69 Sean O'Meara (Lorrha) 

1970 Arravale R 1-13 Golden K 1-6 Golden 30/08/70 M. Ryan (Mitchelstown) 

1971 Cashel 5-9 Lattin-Cullen 1-5 Golden 03/10/71 L. Walsh (Golden) 

1972 Golden K 5-8 Cashel 2-6 Dundrum 01/10/72 Paddy Verdon (Solohead) 

1973 Sean Treacy's 1-8 Eire Óg 0-8 Cashel 04/11/73 Bill Hayes (Pallasgreen) 

1974 Sean Treacy's 4-10 Golden K 0-6 Dundrum 20/10/74 Jimmy Collins (Clonmel) 

1975 Cashel 0-18 Sean Treacy's 0-13 Clonoulty 31/08/75 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1976 Cashel 2-9 Cappawhite 2-5 Emly 19/09/76 George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen) 

1977 Sean Treacy's 4-14 Kickhams 0-9 Golden 21/08/77 George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen) 

1978 Sean Treacy's 3-13 Cappawhite 3-3 Tipperary 06/08/78 Billy Carroll (Clonmel) 

1979 Sean Treacy's 3-16 Cappawhite 2-9 Bansha 05/08/79 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1980 Cashel 0-15 Sean Treacy's 0-15 Dundrum 03/08/80 Willie Morrissey (Kickhams) 

Replay Cashel 2-13 Sean Treacy's 2-11 Dundrum 31/08/80 Willie Morrissey (Kickhams) 

1981 Eire Óg 0-14 Cappawhite 0-7 Clonoulty 09/08/81 Sammy Ryan (Golden) 

1982 Sean Treacy's 1-15 Eire Óg 1-12 Emly 25/07/82 Paddy Lonergan (Galtee Rovers) 

1983 Cappawhite 4-10 Cashel 1-6 Golden 21/08/83 Liam O'Dwyer (Eire Óg) 

1984 Cappawhite 2-18 Kickhams 3-7 Tipperary 26/08/84 George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen) 

1985 Cappawhite 1-10 Cashel 0-9 Bansha 28/08/85 Paddy Lonergan (Galtee Rovers) 

1986 Eire Óg 2-9 Golden K 1-10 Dundrum 27/08/86 George Ryan (Lattin-Cullen) 

1987 Cappawhite 4-15 Clonoulty R 3-10 Cashel 13/08/87 Aengus Ryan (Cashel) 

1988 Cashel 1-12 Kickhams 1-4 Cappawhite 24/08/88 Paddy Russell (Emly) 

1989 Clonoulty R 3-20 Cappawhite 4-6 Emly 20/08/89 John Moloney (Galtee Rovers) 

1990 Cashel 2-11 Clonoulty R 0-15 Golden 12/08/90 Paddy Russell (Emly) 

1991 Cashel 0-12 Cappawhite 0-8 Clonoulty 22/09/91 John Kennedy (Clonoulty) 

1992 Clonoulty R 2-15 Cashel 1-11 Bansha 26/07/92 Paddy Lonergan (Galtee Rovers) 

1993 Cashel 2-15 Kickhams 1-12 Tipperary 29/08/93 Paddy Russell (Emly) 

1994 Cashel 1-16 Clonoulty R 2-13 Dundrum 14/08/94 Connie O'Sullivan (Arravale R) 

Replay Cashel 2-12 Clonoulty R 1-8 Dundrum 30/10/94 Connie O'Sullivan (Arravale R) 

1995 Cashel 2-11 Kickhams 0-10 Cappawhite 27/08/95 Richie Barry (Cappawhite) 

1996 Clonoulty R 2-13 Cashel 0-6 New Inn 18/08/96 Eamonn Browne (Kickhams) 

1997 Kickhams 0-19 Cappawhite 2-10 Cashel 21/09/97 John Ryan (Cashel) 

1998 Clonoulty R 0-12 Golden K 0-8 Emly 06/09/98 Richie Barry (Cappawhite)

1999 Kickhams 2-21 Eire Óg 0-7 Clonoulty 15/08/99 Paddy Russell (Emly) 

2000 Cappawhite 3-17 Kickhams 1-13 Golden 20/08/00 Paddy Russell (Emly) 

2001 Cappawhite 1-11 Kickhams 1-8 Cashel 07/10/01 Francis Kearney (Clonoulty) 

2002 Clonoulty R 2-12 Kickhams 2-11 Golden 29/09/02 Seamus Roche (Kilsheelan) 

2003 Galtee Rovers 0-11 Kickhams 1-8 Tipperary 07/09/03 Willie Clohessy (Drom Inch) 

Replay Galtee Rovers 2-15 Kickhams 1-11 Golden 13/09/03 Tom Ryan (Kildangan) 

2004 Eire Óg/GK 2-12 Clonoulty R 1-14 Dundrum 22/08/04 Sean Bradshaw (Kickhams) 

2005 Cappawhite 2-20 Cashel 1-10 Golden 07/08/05 Willie Barrett (Ardfinnan) 

2006 Kickhams 1-14 Clonoulty R 0-12 Golden 09/07/06 John Ryan (Cashel) 

2007 Clonoulty R 1-18 Kickhams 0-11 Cashel 15/07/07 David Grogan (Aherlow) 

2008 Clonoulty R 1-13 Eire Óg 0-8   Dundrum 31/08/08   Phil Ryan (Kickhams)

<span class="postTitle">Peter Hayes, Clonoulty Rossmore</span> West Senior Hurling Final program, August 31st, 2008

Peter Hayes, Clonoulty Rossmore 

West Senior Hurling Final program, August 31st, 2008

Peter Hayes was slightly perturbed at being selected 'Player of the Past' by his club, thought it put him in the Gallery of the Ancients, made him feel very much an also-ran. 

In fact he is anything but! Not yet forty-eight years of age he is a very active man, might even be persuaded to make an appearance if the Junior Bs were stuck for a full-forward.

He was chosen in recognition of a life of service to Clonoulty-Rossmore, as a player, as a selector, as a team manager, as a former secretary of the club and as a current member of the executive committee.

Peter started playing senior hurling with the club when they affiliated at senior level for the first time. The year was 1981. Up to then Clonoulty-Rossmore had been affiliating at junior and intermediate level and were getting nowhere. Jim Ryan Hanna convinced them they'd be better off at senior level because they would get at least a number of games in the Crosco Cup.

There was no instant success. The championship was played on a knockout basis and Clonoulty were well beaten by Kickhams the first year, lost out to the same opposition in 1982, were badly beaten by Cappawhite in 1983 and 1984, more narrowly in 1985, and again in 1986.

The only success he enjoyed during these years was captaining Clonoulty to a Crosco Cup victory in 1985, his second year as captain of the senior team. Peter won four more Crosco Cup medals in 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1992.

Clonoulty eventually made the breakthrough by getting to the West final in 1987. Played at Cashel they looked certain winners as they led by nine points at the interval. According to Peter they had the chance to go even further ahead after the interval but then Cappawhite came after them with a dazzling display in the second half and beat them by eight points!

Clonoulty got revenge the following year when they defeated Cappawhite, who were then reigning county champions, by six points in the first round, only to lose by a greater margin to Cashel King Cormac's in the semi-final. 

Peter admits there were great teams in the West in these years with three of them winning county finals in a five-year period. What Cappawhite did in 1987, Clonoulty were to do in 1989. In this year they not only made the long-awaited breakthrough in the West but went all the way to win the county title as well.

Clonoulty won impressively against Golden-Kilfeacle in the first round, against Kickhams in the semi-final, and eventually against Cappawhite at Emly in the final. Peter made a major contribution 

to this victory and it was recognised when he was awarded the Man of the Match Award. He scored one of their two goals in the first half and Clonoulty led by 2-8 to 2-6 at the interval. Peter had a second goal early in the second half and this set them up for a comprehensive 3-20 to 4-6 victory and their first title since 1951. They went on to beat Holycross in the county final, in a game in which Peter scored a crucial goal early in the second half, to record their first victory since 1888.

Cashel knocked Clonoulty out of the West the following year but Clonoulty returned the favour in the final of 1992 when they beat Cashel at Bansha. Peter was the goalscorer in the first half. This was the year of the controversy with the Mid clubs because of their refusal to play as fixed. The county quarter-finals eventually went ahead a month late and Peter is of the opinion that the delay set them back a lot and they were beaten by Thurles Sarsfields. Had the games gone ahead on the original fixture it might have been a different year for Clonoulty and for Peter.

Peter played senior in 1993 for the last time, leving him with two West and one county senior hurling medals. He played junior A in 1994 and junior B for a number of years afterwards but without success.

Peter was a selector on the team when Clonoulty defeated Cashel in the West final at New Inn in 1996. He wasn't there the following year when the club, having lost out in the West championship, got back in by vicrtue of success in the Crosco and went on to win the county final.

While he was still playing Peter trained underage teams, most notably in 1988 and 1989 when Clonoulty won West titles but lost both county finals. More recently he looked after the under-12 team which won the last of of three county A titles in 2005. His son, Paul, was on the team. In the same year he helped Tom O'Brien to coach Clonoulty N.S. Seven-a-Side team to a county final.

Born in Clogher in 1960 Peter went to Clonoulty National School before going on to Thurles CBS, where he won White, Croke and Fitzgerald Cup medals. He won two under-16 medals with the club as well as an under-21 title in 1981. After secondary school he spent a year at Rockwell Agricultural School before he went farming. While at Rockwell he won an All-Ireland 7-aside competition for agricultural schools.

At the inter-county level he didn't feature at minor or under-21 level but was drafted on to the Tipperary senior panel after the drawn Munster final in 1987, and has a Munster medal to show for it. He was retained on the panel the following year and won a National League medal when Tipperary beat Offaly in the 1988 final.

Whereas he never took football too seriously he played it when they were gone from the hurling, and did so with success. He won West and county junior medals in 1985 and West and county intermediate medals in 1986.

Peter served as club secretary for two years in the early eighties and has always had some involvement in the running of the club. At the moment he is a member of the executive committee of the club, which is supervising the redevelopment and transformation of their playing facilities outside the village.

Married to Anne, the couple have two children, Paul and Niamh. Peter will be remembered as a tremendous servant of the Clonoulty-Rossmore club, who always played his heart out when wearing the green and gold. His favourite positions were full-forward or center-forward and, because of his size and strength, was a difficult player to watch. He was an important play-maker on a team, good to lay off the ball. Always having the club at heart when he was on the playing field, Peter continues to serve it with the same enthusiasm in many other capacities. He is worthy of recognition as the Player of the Past.

<span class="postTitle">Peter O'Sullivan's Impressive Sporting Achievements</span> West Senior Hurling Final program, August 31st, 2008

Peter O'Sullivan's Impressive Sporting Achievements

West Senior Hurling Final program, August 31st, 2008

Cork's outstanding performance in the recent hurling qualifier, when they defied the odds to defeat Galway, has a parallel in one of the outstanding performances of Peter O'Sullivan's career. The occasion was the final twenty minutes of the 1970 Munster final after Liam King was sent off and Peter had replaced the off-form John O'Donoghue in goals. His defiant performance inspired Tipperary to an outstanding display and they would have pulled off a stunning victory had a John Flanagan shot gone into the net rather than barely wide.

Peter, who had been understudy to O'Donoghue for a number of years, took over as goalkeeper and went on to win and All-Ireland in 1971. He gave another fine display on the occasion and won Sports Star of the Week for his performance. His hurling career came to a premature end in 1972 when he was badly injured in a severe work accident.

Peter showed early promise and was on the successful Rosegreen juvenile team of 1957. He progressed to minor level, winning three West hurling titles in 1959, 1960 and 1961. In the last year he was also on the Tipperary minor team that won the Munster final but lost to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final.

He moved up to under-21 level in his final year as minor and won the first of three West medals. The other two were in 1963 and 1964, when the competition progressed to the county for the first time and Cashel were beaten in the final by Roscrea. In the same year Peter was on the county team that won the first under-21 All-Ireland.

In 1963 Peter won a junior hurling All-Ireland when Tipperary defeated London in the final at Thurles. Also on that team were Babs Keating, Mick Roche and Jim Fogarty.

Peter's displays in goals at minor, junior and under-21 led to him being drafted in as sub-goalkeeper for the senior team. He won All-Ireland medals in 1964 and 1965 as well as National League medals in the same years. As a result of the 1965 Home Final victory he travelled with the team to the U.S. to play New York in the final proper. For the journey all the members of the team were outfitted with blazers and slacks, the first occasion that this happened. As well as winning two league medals Peter played in two losing finals, 1966 and 1971.

The Oireachtas was still a major tournament during the sixties and into the seventies and the winners got very attractive medals. Peter won five of these during his career, in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1970 and 1972. He played Railway Cup with Munster in 1972.

Parallel with Peter's successes at the intercounty level were his achievements with Cashel King Cormac's. He has five West senior hurling medals to his credit, won in 1965, 1971, 1975, 1976 and 1980.

Among his other achievements was to hold the position of county junior hurling selector in 1985 when Tipperary won the Munster final but went down to Wexford in the All-Ireland final, which was played at Kilkenny.

Peter was also a referee for about fifteen years. His most important match was the county junior hurling final between Moyne-Templetuohy and Ballina, played at Cashel in November 1990. He never put off a man during his career and continues his association with the job by doing umpire for John Ryan (B)

<span class="postTitle">Lorrha and Moycarkey-Borris Renew Rivalry</span> County Tipperary Intermediate Final Program, Nov. 28, 2007

Lorrha and Moycarkey-Borris Renew Rivalry

County Tipperary Intermediate Final Program, Nov. 28, 2007

Rivalry is probably too strong a word to use when writing about the meeting of Lorrha and Moycarkey-Borris in Sunday's intermediate county final. More likely 'a bit of history' might be a more accurate description since the two clubs haven't met that often coming as they do from different divisions.

But there are two major years in this history, 1946 and 1984, when the clubs met in county finals, one intermediate and the other senior, one victory going to Lorrha and the second going to the men from the Mid.

The first of these years, 1946, is a very important one in the history of the Lorrha club because it marks the first county final victory in the club's history. It should have been a momentous event but in fact it went almost unnoticed. Only in retrospect did it appear a ground-breaking year. The victory in the intermediate championship sent Lorrha into senior ranks, which they were to retain until relegation sent them back to intermediate in 1998.

Having come out of the North, with victory over Eire Óg, Nenagh in the final at Borrisokane on November 3 by 5-6 to 3-5, Lorrha had to wait until the end of 1947 for the county semi-final and final to be played. They overcame the West champions, Galtee St. Peacaun's, in the semi-final and had as their opponents, Moycarkey-Borris, in the final.

This game was played on December 7 and the venue was Gaile. Lorrha supporters always wondered how the fixtures committee could possibly have fixed the match at this venue, which was described as being as close to the parish of Moycarkey-Borris as it was possible to be, without being actually in it!

Maybe, becuase of this and the fact the match was played in the dead of winter that very few Lorrha supporters turned up. The number is estimated to have been seven, although there was a crowd of one thousand at the game. According to rumour the referee let everything run. A number had to go to the doctor after the game. When Paddy O'Sullivan presented himself to the doctor at Thurles and explained how he had got the injury, the latter said: 'I can expect more so!'

Maybe this is the reason Mid president, Mickey Byrne, quipped some years back at the unveiling of a plaque at the entrance to what was Gaile sportsfield: 'I suppose if you searched these trees you would find some skin attached to them!'

At any rate Lorrha won by 4-4 to 3-3 and the team that played was as follows: Paddy Maher, Des Donohue, Mick Donohue, Mick O'Meara (L), Billy Hogan, Paddy O'Sullivan, Tom Lambe, Hubie Hogan, Eugene O'Meara, Tommy Ryan, Dan O'Meara, Jim O'Meara, Paddy Guinan, Mick O'Meara, Vincent Darcy,

So, after 1946, it was 1 up for Lorrha! Moycarkey-Borris got their revenge in 1984 in the senior final that Lorrha would have dearly loved to win. Not only was it Centenary year, but Lorrha had never won a senior final, having lost at this stage in 1905, 1948, 1956 and 1966.

Lorrha strongly believed in their chances going into the final having accounted for Eire Óg, Nenagh in the North final, Eire Óg, Annacarty in the county quarter-final, and Drom Inch, who had beaten Moycarkey-Borris in the Mid final, in the semi-final. Moycarkey, having lost to Drom in the Mid final, defeated Carrick Swan in the county quarter-final, and Cappawhite, in a replayed semi-final.

The final was fixed for October 14 but Lorrha refused to field, claiming multiple injuries as a result of a tough encounter with Drom Inch in the semi-final. The county board conceded and the game was played on October 21. Lorrha started well and were 0-6 to 0-1 in front after 21 minutes. They led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval. Lorrha continued to lead after the resumption and were unlucky not to get a goal from a Willie Fogarty shot after ten minutes. Five minutes later Moycarkey got the goal to level the scores, 0-8 to 1-5. A few minutes later John Flanagan got a second goal and try as they might, Lorrha could not get the scores they needed so badly, and Moycarkey won by 2-8 to 0-9. Jack Bergin was the winning captain and he went on to captain Tipperary in 1985. Eamonn Darmody got Man of the Match.

The teams were: Moycarkey-Borris: Tom Doran, John Hackett, Willie Ryan, Tom Mullins, Eamonn Darmody, Jack Bergin (capt.), Jimmy Leahy, Liam Bergin, Liam Dempsey, Timmy Cullagh, John McCormack (0-1), David Fogarty (0-1), Ned Slattery (1-2), Dick Quigley (0-1), John Flanagan (1-3). Subs: Robert Hayes for J. Leahy, J. Leahy for John Hackett, Jim Flanagan for L. Dempsey.

Lorrha: Ken Hogan, Martin Young, Mick Brophy, Padraig Kennedy, Eamonn Sherlock (0-1), John McIntyre, Eamonn Maher, Pat Kelly, Brian Mannion, Joe Kennedy (0-3), John O'Sullivan (0-1), Kieran Hough (capt.), Aidan McIntyre, John Shelly, Willie Fogarty (0-4). Subs: Cathal McIntyre for Eamonn Maher, Donal Donoghue for Aidan McIntyre.

Referee: Willie barrett (Ardfinnan).

And so, the score stands at 1-1 and each side will be striving might and main today to make it 2-1.