Tipperary Hurling Tipperary GAA Premierview

The Killinan End

August 10th 2005

“The End of the Line”




“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there” L.P Hartley

Our past is just as Hartley describes above; somewhere foreign where we did things differently.

The past seemed fairly foreign all right when our world turned in on itself last Sunday week. When thirteen minutes of freeze framed panic ended our year. When Eoin Kelly the lone jewel in the crown must have been tempted to wonder what the point of all was when a goal and nine points as a scoring contribution still leaves your colleagues screaming for more. Defeat was to be our lot.

Ken Hogan’s second year in charge of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Team has ended in spectacular failure. His reign has seen Tipperary twice defeated in championship competition in back to back years. Tipperary have not troubled the All Ireland Semi Final Draw since the massacre of 2003. The twin heights of Provincial and All Ireland honours last annexed in 2001 look farther and farther away at time of writing.

Dress it up, chop it up, even go ahead and wrap a Vincent Hogan plated quill around it all and you still get the above analysis. We now find ourselves in a state of decline to rival and perhaps even surpass the mid nineties trough of despondency which followed the end of the last genuinely great chapter of Tipperary hurling’s history: The Keating era. Where to now has to be the burning question on every one’s lips.

Sunday was galling, we came with a brave team, battle hardened and brave after the mud of the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick had defined character. The Munster Final defeat may have seduced and lured a sense that perhaps the sum of our parts was more substantial then the reality, but hard earned credit brought us to Dublin with hope in our heart. Which made things cruel to watch when Galway fired us back to 1988 with a ferocity and a guile not seen since the grainy days of Lynskey and Lane, Tipp looked not just punch drunk but seemed to have their hands tied behind their backs when the rearguard needed to be manned.

The structural weaknesses of the team’s half forward line came back to haunt us again, a state of affairs that has never been properly arrested by management since the first ball was thrown in Thurles back in mid May. The personalities involved tell their own tales. John Devane’s finest performance of the year came many yards from the half forward line where he lay snared last Sunday. A costly experiment which not only provided piecemeal surgery to a half forward line badly needing to source even a Declan Ryan Lite, but on Sunday it robbed a full back line of a stabilising influence that was needed with the demise of Philip Maher’s shoulder.

Colin Morrissey and Benny Dunne have not excelled in attack. I think that’s fair to say and I think that’s not being disingenuous to anyone. We live in a hurling era where you just have to have scoring forwards, not possession type plodders who forage and (try to gather), for that one piece of Brazilian majesty against Limerick, Colin Morrissey sang with the larks but in attack on Sunday week he was all at sea, if he is to have a future it’s farther out the field, but not in attack, its hard to fathom what can be achieved when you send out forwards who are unable to take a score in championship hurling. The search has to continue throughout the County Championship to find consistent half forwards who can win possession and take scores, the 2005 half forward line was a consistent shambles and we will continue to be one rung below the Top Four if that situation is not solved.

The captaincy seemed to be a burden too great for Benny Dunne. His craft, eye, skill and heart are just not adding up to much. An infuriating penchant for indiscipline (one instance leading to one of Ger Farragher’s last quarter torpedoes) has cost us big time. It was a year for him to forget. Benny Dunne made such a bad fist of captaining his charges that it has brought back into discourse the question-marks over apportioning the captain’s armband as a bauble for the incumbent county champions. We have been in this area before most infamously against the same opposition in 1988 when mischief mongers within the county did their damnedest to interfere with Nicholas English’s build-up to that year’s All Ireland. The county captaincy “rule” has its roots in tradition harking back to the era when the county champions of the previous year provided the county with its senior selection for the following year’s inter county championship. By the 1920’s this had been overhauled by a large extent with the development of centralised and divisional authority in terms of games administration, but the incumbent county champions still by dint of convention and gentleman’s agreement had “first call” on nominating players from within their own ranks to represent Tipp. By the 1940’s all that was left of that convention was the captaincy “rule” and the right of the club secretary of the incumbent county champions to act as secretary of the following year’s county selection committee which at that time picked the Tipp team . That practice fizzled out gradually with such authority becoming vested in the County Secretary so that all that was left of the century old convention of acknowledging the incumbent county champions as “primus interpares” when it came to selecting the following year’s Tipp team was the right of nomination of a captain. There is precedent that the nomination should stay within the division (Nicholas English, 1988) or also leave the division (Bobby Ryan, 1989) in the event that the county champions do not have a representative selected in a championship starting fifteen. The above summation is worth going into to if we are to have a real debate about the origin, role and function of the captaincy and not some heated rant. The purpose of the current regime as I understand it is to acknowledge the achievement of our current county champions. That in my book is no bad thing. This rule has provided Tipperary with some of the finest men ever to captain a hurling team, it has also provided us (consistently I would add) with some of the best captains never to win an All Ireland Championship (Jack Bergin, Richie Stakelum, Declan Ryan are three that come to mind).
There is real merit in retaining a convention which enhances the standing of our county champions(hip). There is little merit I believe in dispensing with over 100 years of tradition solely on the basis of Benny Dunne’s performance in 2005. That would make no sense at all to me.

Back to the field of play at centre back Eamon Corcoran struggled manfully but was bested. Again a genuine great hurler and have a go hero shackled by poor placing. A midfield partnership with Paul Kelly would have been a braver and smarter call by Ken Hogan that regrettably was rejected. There’s merit in trying this combo out in 2006, for there’s no reason why last Sunday should at all be the Brackens man’s curtain call.

Micheal Webster has had the type of roller coaster championship that would leave players far more experienced than the Loughmore man bewildered with all the twists and turns. On balance he has to be accorded the garlands of success, a complete rookie who became the fulcrum of our attack. Micheal Webster take a bow you did your stint and no body can have any crib with your year in the Blue and Gold.

The substitution of Redser O’Grady quite simply was unfathomable; in the absence of any apparent evidence of injury or red card threat it beggared belief. This really was Ken Hogan’s “Let them eat cake” moment for 2005. Limited though he may be in the finesse stakes, Ger O’Grady brings the potential for mayhem that every forward line requires. I’m not quite sure where Sunday week leaves his inter county career it’s hard for anyone to come back after three successive years of being treated like a wallflower.

For some the rest of the boys of 2001 the future looks far from certain. Paddy O’Brien and Mark O’Leary can take little or nothing from 2005, the gauntlet has been firmly thrown down in each case for both to reinvent themselves. John Carroll’s second coming leaves his disciples in a serious quandary. John seemed to be desperately trying to play catch-up on his return to arms; it was a race he was never to win.

In midfield Paul Kelly had a very good year. His contributions from both play and placed ball were consistently impressive; a partnership with a rejuvenated Eamon Corcoran next year would have serious potential.

In the last line of attack stands our one true hurling mega-star. It is worth taking a moment to acknowledge his personal contribution to Tipperary’s championship season. In the first day against Limerick on a day when our starting six forwards could between them only muster 1-4, Eoin Kelly shot a total of 0-7. In the replayed Munster First Round well marshalled (sometimes out of bounds of the rulebook he scored 0-7 (six from placed balls). In the victory over Clare he provided a down payment on an All Star payment with a second half point that reinforced his reputation as the finest hurler in the game at the moment. 0-7 was his contribution, three of them I believe from play. Cut through to the Munster Final and both Kelly brothers were truly magnificent, Eoin Kelly scoring 0-6 (four from play) a saved penalty providing a rare blip of form. Cut through to last Sunday a goal and nine points (five from play).To put it bluntly Eoin Kelly should be renamed Bus Eireann because of the amount of passengers he is carrying at the moment.

The year’s end poses renewed question-marks about the half forward line. The class of 2005 were cleaned out here, and if and it’s a big one, if a serious attempt is made to rebuild John Carroll’s fitness and Redser O’Grady’s confidence, I see merit in retaining them with a view to having some half forward role for both in 2006. It will require also further trawling of the club scene to include perhaps the likes of Michael Farrell and others into the picture for 2006.

For Tommy Dunne this is most certainly his winter of discontent. To be feted as the elder statesman of Tipperary Hurling should right now be his just desserts. However the opinions of malcontents have interfered with things. Tommy Dunne’s contribution to Tipperary hurling has allowed to be shadowed by hearsay. They say eaten bread is soon forgotten; bearing that proverb in mind he should retire from intercounty hurling before the conspiracy theorists destroy the remainder of his well earned reputation. You owe us nothing Tommy and thanks for the memories.

The fates conspired to bequeath us to finish with a Tipp full back line that was so disjointed in personnel that in time it may go down in infamy to be remembered with the same “fondness” as the kamikaze selection of Frend-Shelley-Ryan for the 1996 Munster Final replay. Lets however get our mitigation in first; Hugh Moloney is exonerated on the grounds that he never should have been selected there in the first place and a migration to the half back line where he could be groomed for a reprise of his Munster Under 21 Final heroics where at that time he looked like developing into a cultured version of John Gardiner, having been slung to the ground for the most pivotal Galway score of the game though makes it’s clear that he has some making up to do, but the potential is there. Conor O’Mahoney is another worth persisting with but will need time to develop, in terms of defensive cover for the Lion of Borris it’s really a case of John Devane and no one else, why this option was not explored by Ken Hogan and Co., remains a mystery.

To compound our difficulties in Tipp, the Under 21s went down in a hail of gunfire to Cork in the Munster Final, some big names doing their reputations no good at all by all accounts. A badly needed rethink on Minor and Under 21 management, selection, development and preparation was called for last year and the year before. Ex players from the Keating era and iconic ones at that, surely need now to be actively courted to take charge of underage in Tipperary in 2006, why do I get the feeling that we will be having this debate again as we enter 2007?

A final word from this morgue goes to all those conspiracy theorists out there that are luxuriating at the moment in rumour and counter rumour. Ted Heath once fought a British General Election in 1974 under the banner of “Who Governs?”; it was meant as a provocative statement questioning whether Westminster was being undermined by elements such as the militant Trade Unions in the running of Britain. If we are to believe the hearsay regarding the Tipperary team and influences on team selections, then legitimately the question “Who Governs?” should be asked.

I have two things to say on the above. Firstly if it’s true and third party issues have interfered with team selection then that is a failure of management and nothing else. Would Brian Cody allow a similar alleged scenario to occur in Kilkenny? Would be fu*k!

Secondly Toomevara is not the root of the ills of Tipperary hurling, a disproportionate level of flak is heading in that direction from numbskulls who should know better. If you really believe in that type of fantasy you ought to do some growing up, and in a similar tone the personal abuse levelled at Tommy Dunne by so-called Tipperary supporters was a real cringeful moment during the Galway game; it proves the old theory of classical civilisation that when the old order falls the barbarians step into the void. We don’t need boo-boys in Tipperary Hurling at the moment save that for Celtic or whatever other British plc occupies your mind when the hurling is over. Time to let Tommy Dunne retire with a bit of dignity, he owes us nothing.

In the past we did things differently, that is for sure. The present is a poor place to be in at the moment and if things don’t change soon the future could be even worse.

GMB.





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The Killinan End

23rd June 2005

“Mission Possible for Brave Tipp”



The social history of the stretch of ground which runs from Portumna Bridge to the Suir Bridge dividing the feuding fiefdoms of Carrick town and Carrickbeg and which traverses from Kilross in the parish of Galbally all the way to Ballintaggart cross where the Munster river protects the parishioners of Ballingarry from Homo Noreinesis; is a subject dear to the heart of this writer. The social history of Tipperary is one like no other county, it drips with tales of rebellion of courage: consider Clonmel whose inhabitants held off the forces of Oliver Cromwell with their bare hands and the commemoration of such courage leading to the first ever use in Irish History of the phrase Premier County to describe Tipperary and her people.

Consider our National Flag. Much loved by our people, our banner in times of national celebration, our shroud in times of national mourning. Our tricolour, the first time flown in Ireland was in Tipperary, in 1848 in the Commons during the romantic futility that was the Young Irelander’s Rebellion. That event led to the description of our county in the newspaper “The Nation” as saying “where Tipperary goes Ireland follows”.

Consider Charles Kickham and his polemic of rural and agrarian revolution that is Knocknagow. If you really want to understand what it means to come from Tipperary. Read that book, read the story of heroes like Matt the Thresher, read the principles that Kickham seeks about; pride, patriotism, courage, freedom, communalism, heritage. Before you sing Slievenamon on the City End Terrace as we seek to drive their City of Culture down every one of their garrulous Corkonian throats, recall the words, it’s our Marsellaise, it’s our call to arms. Kickham bequeathed an anthem for Tipperary, the likes of which no other county has. Sing up on Sunday.

Consider Thurles, and all the Cathedral town symbolises. The Bethlehem of the GAA, have a right good look around you getting on the train on Sunday morning. You’ll see in your minds eyes, Jim Lanigan, John Maher of Killinan, Pat Stakelum, Sean Kenny, Tony Wall, Mick Murphy, Jimmy Doyle and many more coming off the Dublin train with the McCarthy Cup in their hands.

Consider Soloheadbeg. January 1919, the day the first Dail convened in Dublin’s Mansion House, it was Tipperary men who fired the first shots in the Irish War of Independence, the first engagement with the forces of the British Empire in that War of Independence taking place in Tipperary. The County Minor and Senior Hurling Cups are dedicated to two of the men present on that day.

Our social history has always emphasised our difference from the rest and above all our pride in our colours. We occupy an exclusive place in the Hurling world and should accept nothing less. We may be loved or we may be hated but you can never ignore us. Clare defined their existence and self worth around us, the pinnacle of their hurling history being their double win over us in 1997. When other counties spoke of famines, they did so as mere Johnny come latelys to the concept. Richie Stakelum created the template for others to adapt (Peter Canavan) rip-off (Fergal Hartley) or let them selves down (Anthony Daly) as the case may be.


So when you talk about a Tipp-Cork Munster Final, so talk about hundreds maybe even thousands of little vignettes of social history that every parish in Tipp has a story to tell. In storied hostelries like the Congo Bar, Jim O’ The Mills, Bohernacrusha in Holycross, the Premier Bar in Carrick or the Corner House in Killenaule this week, right up to Sunday, you’ll hear great tales of Tipp and Cork gone by. The County I sense is beginning to buzz with anticipation all week, of which only a Tipp/Cork Munster Final could inspire. This great communal movement that is the support of our senior hurling team binds all of us together this week. I think if you forget the past, you’re in danger of loosing your future. That’s why this column this far, we read as a sort of renewal of baptismal promises for Tipperary hurling supporters, this week. We need to do so, so we can commence battle as the 16th man with a clean consciousness!

The Tipp Cork rivalry is as old as the game itself. Two of the oldest clubs in the County: Holycross-Ballycahill and Killenaule took place in the earliest recorded inter county club tournament in the history in the game in Aghabullogue in Cork in 1886. On the road between Holycross and Boherlahan, past the Two Ford Bridges, you’ll see a plaque on a wall commemorating the invincible Tubberadora side of the late 1890’s, standing unbeaten, with three All Irelands, the side that gave us the Blue and Gold jerseys, the men who the pick of the Rebel County couldn’t beat, even forcing Tipp into playing a Munster Final at Butterly’s Amusement Park in Dublin, the site of the present day Croke Park. Drive out the Dublin Road in Thurles and after a stretch of a few miles or so (they’re not too choosy about precise distance measurement in those parts!) you’ll find the home of the next Tipp team to slay the Rebels a Two Mile Borris selection. A treatment of the early history of Moycarkey GAA is a difficult topic, given the amount of changing territory and teams, but these men were Two Mile Borris and their memorial as 1900’s All Ireland Champions mans the approach road used by many invading marauders to Semple Stadium from Noreside and such places.

I’ll skip on past 1916 and Tom Dwan of Beakstown Bridge another lionheart for the cause, and past the Triple Crown of 1930, to the epic of 1949, and the birth of Phil Purcell’s massive three in a row side. The championship clash was played in Killarney and on a day where eggs could have fried in the square the sides finished all square, Holycross were county Champions and provided the bulk of the team, Pat Stakelum was the Captain. It ended all square after normal time. Extra time was to follow. It was an eventuality that Tipp were prepared for. That morning, the men of Ballincurry Athletic Club home of the Ballincurry hare John Joe Barry who ran for Ireland at the previous year’s Olympic Games in London, loaded milk churns with spring water for dispatch to Killarney. The Ballincurry men were famed as one of the greatest Cross Country teams in Ireland at the time, and had general responsibility for acting as masseurs to the Tipp senior hurlers. As Phil Purcell ordered his troops into the dressing room, the Ballincurry boys got to work, and as Cork players grilled in the blazing heat, Tipp cooled off with a little bit of the Premier County. Irony of ironies that Tipperary Water was also to have a hand in future wins over the Rebels.

We met again in ’50, for an account of the amazing attempts to take out Tony Reddan in what must have been a sight to behold I refer you to the definitive account of the game on this site well penned by Conor Ryan. My own particular favourite being Reddan’s advice to Jack Lynch “F*k you Lynch. The next f*ing time you try that there’ll be an early f*ing by election in Cork!”

Victorious again in 1951. Then to Paddy Leahy’s team of 1957-1968 which is arguably the greatest side in history. 58,60,61,63,64,65,68, seven successive victories over Cork in Championship hurling an era which took in Vatican 2, the first man in space, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the presidency of John F. Kennedy, the Beatles, the Showband Era, and Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights Movement. An incredible decade in world affairs and the golden era of Tipperary Hurling.

Then the last hurrah, for the John Wayne of Tipperary Hurling it came in 1968 as John Doyle departed stage left, the barefoot wonder became the new pinup, but by the early mid 1970’s decline had set in, and the memory of summers past began to fade.

I suppose the story next takes a twist in Centenary Year. 1984. The tragedy that unfolded still leaves a deep scar. It was all set up for to be our day. And it nearly was, for Tipperary supporters on Sunday many will not remember 1984, when close on 60,000 crammed into Thurles and the Killinan End exploded into thunder. When Thurles was basked in the sun and Valley Ice Cream must have made a packet. The Cork team spirited into the Presentation Convent on Cathedral Street the night before, out of sight and out of mind’s way. Then the game itself. A day for big-boned beauty, Seamus Power and Seanie Leary, defensive injuries, four points up after Noel O’Dwyer’s point and jig of delight, and then le deluge”, suddenly it’s all over. 4-15 to 3-14 no Tipp man or woman of a certain age will ever ever forget that scoreline.

1985 in many ways represented a more just execution. It was the day that Nicky English first announced his presence as real star forward; 2-4 off his stick. Tipp twenty years on from that game have a real link with 1985 on Sunday, Jack Bergin a selector in 2005, was captain in 1985.

Then the delirium of ’87. In the year of Stephen Roche and the beginnings of Jack’s Army it is incredible to think that one of the few sports stories to make the front page of the still (at that stage) stuffy Irish Times in 1987, was Tipp’s win in Killarney. the breakthrough, First five minutes of the first game in Thurles saw some of the most ferocious pulling I've ever seen. We had a few right surgeons in defence that day, Sharkey Gibson, Colm Bonner with his green Coopers Ice Hockey helmet, John Heffernan and the bould Bobby, was their ever a back man more built for the hard road than Bobby ?.. Kieran Kingston's last gasp shot that seemed to ping across off Ken Hogan's stick, could have been '84 all over again. the replay: Killarney, Cork racing ahead, the disallowed Tipp goal, Nicky saving things at the death, extra time, Tipp come out in a set of blue collared jerseys, Fenton misses his first free of the day , Paul Delaney goes down with cramp, some Tipp lad with the butt of a fag in his mouth and a furry blue and gold cap on his head leps over the sideline fence to administer a massage, the stadium announcer in the heat of the battle announces that Paul Azinger has won the British Open Golf, 40,000 gaels start to curse the f****** announcer and the f****** golf. Then the goals, then the whistle, then Richie Stakelum and the famine. Donie Nealon apparently summoned up one of the finest dressing room orations ever heard that day.

1988 was mild in comparison, the day gave us the Viking of Cashel, the new Mackey Stand, and a flaxen headed warrior from Clonoulty named Declan Ryan first made our acquaintance too.

1990. Back to Thurles. Going for four in a row. Much has been made of the Babs Interview, for those who are familiar with Babs-speak, the interview would hardly have raised an eyebrow. “You don’t win a derby with a donkey”. A statement in Babs-speak borrowing from his custom of using racing parlance to make a point. What he meant was a comment on what it takes to win a Munster Final. I’ve heard racing punters use language like that to describe everything from the condition of the first cut of silage to their income tax returns. The scribes however were gathering and a bit of mischief was involved in twisting the words to suit a Leeside agenda. Cork came to town to tear Tipp apart. Canon Michael O’Brien is one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever met, I’ve heard stories from lads he trained that testify to his motivational genius, I’ve heard him to turn a decade of the rosary as Gaeilge into something that has the power of Shakespeare’s Henry V. The donkey quote was grist to his mill, and we came a cropper as a result. The headline in the Examiner said it all the next Monday. “Cork Dentist Drills Tipp- Not Bad for Donkeys”.

Revenge seldom tasted as sweet as it did twelve months on. 1991 was magnificent. The first day, the ducks drowned, Nicky had a point kicked that never was, to shut any gobshite from lesser counties (and this is particularly for our Galway audience out there) about question-marks over the bravery of Nicky English, watch the tape of that game and the kicked point that never was, Nicky’s legs almost getting shorn in two by Cork’s Brendan O’Sullivan when he lost his stick. Then the replay, nine points down, Leahy and Joe Hayes as if the honour of all of us depended on their beings mucked in like men never mucked before. Hayes like a tyro, Leahy turning the Cork attack into one great clusterfuck. That was the platform, Pat Fox and Declan Carr whose overhead volley was the most beautiful thing produced out of Holycross since they restored the Abbey. Then Aidan, then the goal, then the man in the wheelchair who led the pitch invasion to end all pitch invasions. Take that Cork Examiner. “Tipp Carpenter drills Cork – Donkeys sent back to the Funfair.”

1992 was hadn’t the muscle, Cork found a new star that day in Brian Corcoran, he is still around. Class act then. Class act still, it has to be said.

2000. The Nicky Revolution is temporally halted, two missed penalties, the departure of Paul Shelley, Tommy Dunne’s two goal master class.

2004: Back to Killarney, but well beaten, out hurled and out finished. Credit to Cork they deserved the win but permit the remember with fondness John Carroll’s shoulder on the “Rock” and Colin Morrissey’s invitation to take on the entire Cork Management, Subs bench, and Frank Murphy.

This time round things are decidedly different. I’ll put my neck on the block by saying that no correspondent of repute will predict a Tipperary victory in Sunday’s Newspapers. I’d be surprised if anyone plumps for us. The bookies has us hovering around the 3/1 mark, with Cork odds on favourites with everyone.

The two major talking points around the team selection would in my view, centre on firstly John Devane’s omission. Its very unlucky for John to lose out in the starting line-up. He hurled well in the Clare game, by no means all-star stuff but he did his job, what more can be asked of any man? He has been shunted from Billy to Jack of late: versatility can sometimes be a curse for a player, and with John Devane it has robbed him of the opportunity to bed down in a regular spot. However being realistic about it in a straight runoff for the full back spot between himself and the Lion of Borris, there is really only going to be one winner. However John Devane should be saluted for doing his job and playing his part, he did nothing to merit demotion but the squad system is a ruthless arbiter of selection. If called on to play a part on Sunday, John will no doubt oblige with the same industry that saw off the “mighty” Niall Gilligan.

Its clear that management hasn’t given up on Larry Corbett’s fitness, which inspires hope. The Duine Eile option is often prudent. In the case of the selection of a corner forward for Tipp it will keep John Allen and company guessing. Will it be Redser/Evan Sweeney/Paddy O’Brien/John Carroll/John O’Brien that they’ll be facing? That’s a good call by management when the doubt is genuine. The ideal scenario is to see Larry start. He’s done his stuff for us in every game so far this year. The speed and touch are back to near 2001 levels. That bit of industry and business like play he brings to attack is valuable. However you’d worry is he loosing the battle with time, hopefully not. If he weren’t to start Sweeney would possibly be in pole position with the Red One hot on his heels.

Cork name a formidable selection. A lot of talent evenly spread. In Cork the word is mixed about the full back line. Brian Murphy is a very capable man marker, but I would question his coolness at times. There’s always been a strong debate in Cork about the merits of Pat Mulcahy, I think he’s limited enough but like a lot of limited Cork hurlers he can get by on cuteness. Sherlock is a superior option, for quickness of striking and general stickiness you’ll find no better, but these boys snuffed out John Mullane to a large degree in Thurles the last day. Webster won’t have the same unknown factor about him the next day out, which could tell. The Cork tactic in 2000 in the full back line was to neutralise our battering ram capabilities by hatcheting Paul Shelley out of the game. Allen will see that Micheal Webster won over 90% of the aerial ball that was going in the Clare game,. Cork will have to counteract. Keeping Webster quiet could have the added bonus of preventing O’Sullivan from luxuriating in the Hollywood clearances he and his fans are so fond off. There is potential for Tipp in the full forward line that is for sure.

The Boy Wonder will possibly drift out towards the forty, Brian Murphy will rove with him I’d expect. If Eoin is drifting between the lines this could cause Cork’s difficulty with their Harlem Globetrotter style short passing game. Sean Og, Gardiner and Ronan Curran are individually highly skilled and worth a lot to the Cork cause. When the interplay however between them starts to fray you have problems. If a scenario where Eoin Kelly is cutting loose on the forty, the smart play would be for Morrisseyidinho to wrap one of Gardiner/Sean Og up in knots. Colin has a huge hand to play on Sunday. I see him as a spoiler and should be sent out to really get under one of the two Cork half backs skin. Gardiner is another Cork hurler whose temperament isn’t wonderful, perhaps something to exploit. The corollary though is if the Cork half backline are allowed to dominate from early one, it’s going to be a case of “Good Night Vienna”.

The textbook way to destroy a superior half lack line, is to ignore convention, and to play in front of them. The best way I can describe this tactic is not by words, but by example. Galway took Kilkenny out of it on the forty in the 2001 All Ireland Semi Final, at one time it looked they had a five man half forward line, The Cats if you can recall we totally hemmed in they tried several options for their extra man, all failed. Galway’s hard running and cute passing blew them away. It shows what can be done when the textbook is thrown out the window. Tipp need to completely ignore that Cork half back line on Sunday expect to torment the dickens out of them. Any half back line can be blown off course, Galway 2001 proved that, and I warrant you that if we are to win on Sunday, a fair dollop of the analysis on Monday next will be devoted to how we messed with the magic karma of the much vaunted Cork half back line.

The downside of writing a column like this is that sometimes you look back on your writing months maybe even years later and go that was some pile of shite. I’ve written about Ben and Jerry O’Connor in the past and have consistently underrated them, expecting them to be shunted into the breeze by some beefy Colm Bonner type at the first shot of a shoulder. Well that’s one of my many horse’s arses of a theory. You can’t do that to them, because they are to good for that. The O’Connors if they set their twin minds to it could bate us back to the Dunkettle roundabout off their own sticks. Benny and Paul Kelly worked the thing well between them the last day. Benny Dunne has some pair of balls of him (and I mean that in no ways in a homo-erotic sense) Colin Lynch may as well have been a traffic cone. Tom Kenny to go with it, it’s hard to see Paul Kelly spending the best part of the game policing that type of opponent. Paul takes too much stick from fans for being loose, it’s not his game be a limpet, even for Mullinahone he does his own stuff, and if and more hopefully when he chips in with a few long rangers on Sunday, then selection is justified. On balance Cork have an edge in midfield, but the game would have to follow a very conventional pattern for them to reap a jackpot here. But I’d be a bit weary here.

The Cork attack is stacked heavily on Niall McCarthy’s continued improvement. His ability to reinvent himself in 2004 was quite possibly the key difference for them when they went toe to toe against the Cats. David Kennedy is detailed to mark him, but I think in Declan Fanning we have the man to tame McCarthy, if we get a consistent 50/50 breakdown in the battle between Niall McCarthy and the Tipp half backline we have a real chance of coming through here.

In the last analysis, we have Hell’s Kitchen the last line and the scene of many a Cork downfall. You’ve had the five buck tour down memory lane so there is no need for a reprise. We have I believe a real winning hand over Cork in the inside back line, if everything is pretty going to plan further out, here is where we can really nail them. Philly Maher is a real real boost, Paul Curran is in the best form of his career, and at the risk of putting a massive hostage out to fortune I genuinely truly cannot see Eamon Corcoran posting a blow par performance, Here is the arena we can squeeze the lifeblood out of them. Were Deano or Corcoran to flame-out in Hells Kitchen you could just watch those City of Culture jaws drop like goose-shit through a downpipe.

Two final points: In Killarney in 2004 we had pulled up by the two furling pole, in Killarney in 1949 and 1987 and indeed in Thurles in 1991, we kept on travelling until the finish post. A sixty minute performance will be beaten by Cork, because they will fire everything at us in the last ten minutes, we have to have found that finish, if not we are bunched. Somewhere maybe in the mud of the Limerick replay or the driving rain of the Clare game we might have picked that up. The finish will decide all.

Lastly you can fault us on a few points, you can haul guys like Dave Kennedy up on a meat-hook all day for not being a Mick Roche, but you cannot fault this team’s fight nor its courage, nor its appetite for the hard road. They’ve earned our respect here, we have a serious chance on Sunday. It is most definitely Mission Possible.

It can be 1991 all over again.


GMB.




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June 10th 2005

“Game On”

The abiding memory of last Sunday’s Munster Senior Hurling Semi Final is a tale of the Prince and the Pauper. Brian Lohan; decorated gladiatorial leader of the Clare defence and reckoned by no less a sage than Micheal O’Muireachtaigh to be the greatest full back in the history of the game, was left vexed, vanquished and completely tangoed by Micheal Webster; a journey man full forward who had has much chance of getting on the Tipp team twelve months ago as Coronation Street’s Sally Webster.

In what could prove to be the death knell game for Clare Hurling: Micheal Webster was on hand to administer the last rites. How likely was that outcome in the bleak midway stages of the most forgettable National Hurling League season of the recent past? This column had flagged the potential of a second lighting strike by citing precedents such as Paul Shelley whose makeover to attack was one of our first glimpses of the tactical genius of Nicky English. The plaudits too to John Devane and Paul Curran who hurled and tracked and cleared and mullocked the Clare attack to beat the band. Declan Fanning’s grace under fire and leadership at half back won’t be forgotten either. On to Benny Dunne; whose progress to promise is slow but continuous: the scalp of Colin Lynch rests above the fireplace in Gurtagarry tonight.

In attack West Tipperary’s honorary Brazilian took on the Andy Defresne show for the credit of the little village on Sunday. Morrisseyidinho crawling through acres of mud and shit to keep Tipperary on track. Webster did it all, he caught ball after ball after ball, the one single facet of attack play that had been rendered into a comatose with the retirement of Declan Ryan and Johnny Leahy is aerial dominance. This was restored back to life by the ugly duckling from Loughmore. For that single act take a bow Mr Webster.

The old master himself was back for another display of his wares. A wonder point in the first half from close to the Mackey Stand sideline; his signature piece.

There’s only one Eoin Kelly: and he ain’t no Blaah. The Boy Wonder was his wonderful, beautiful self. It was all told, a great Tipperary win. A fighting dog-hard performance, the heart and soul of this much maligned and written off hurling team beats strong, that much we can say without fear of refutation: after three ballgames which stretched character and courage to the very max. Allied to this, Ken Hogan has finally emerged as a shrewd General with the smidgen of Napoleonic luck needed to sustain the onward charge of his team. We lost the Lion of Borris, were denied the services of our marquee cult-hero, and went into a game last Sunday written off by every GAA correspondent of note, Clare were money on, but now its game on, Tipp are back with a mild bang and the People’s Munster Final awaits.

Last week this column predicted “Tipp to prevail”: it wasn’t an act of clairvoyance or a startling piece of judgement, I’ll admit that much. A lot of it was faith, faith in the future, faith that we had turned the corner after the Limerick game, our boys were brave, our linemen were getting shrewder, and not even the twin catastrophes mentioned above could dent this faith. Clare are a beaten docket, yeah they’ll have one last hurrah in the qualifiers and maybe might deny one of the two Leinster also-rans a quarterfinal spot, but their big-ticket days are behind them. The League Final was as close as you’ll find to a hurling autopsy for them. The funeral service took place on Sunday last.

Redsergate could have derailed things. I think in hindsight the County Board PRO, Ken Hogan and indeed the man himself played a blinder in all of this. Action was swift and there was no entertainment of an option B. Contrast that with the way the Eamon Corcoran affair was “handled” in 2003, and allowed to fester right up to game-day. I think the calls with Redser were justified, and that saying something given that this column is one of his biggest cheerleaders, things could have descended into the pits of a blame game which would have played right into Daly’s hands, thankfully sober judgment ruled the day.

The day itself bore no relation in aspect or countenance to those fiery cauldrons of the last ten years. I think Tipp and Clare are made for the heat and the amphitheatre of Cork. The rain pissed down unrelentingly and the makey-up al fresco bar in the Woodfield House was washed out by one o’clock. Still the spirits were up, early tallies were showing that our presence was going to match that of the Banner men, the fickle Tipp following coming back to worship?

A celebrated former South Tipperary bookmaker thundered his prediction to me. “We’ll win by six points and Declan Fanning is leppin’ out of his fuckin’ skin”. All good. The pre-match conversation strayed to many topics: Ger Loughnane must have relations that are goalkeepers from Tel Aviv, the set of headlamps on yer wan in the Big Brother house and the chances of springing a surprise appearance from Redser.

Good to see the colours back. This column fully endorses the “Fly the Flag” stance adopted on Premierview. Those beautiful Ulrikas in the Swedish Embassy should be able to assist with Sweden flags for the Munster Final: their number is 01-6715822.

Was this writer the only person to think it strange that Daly left his charges out to be soaked before the throw-in. Hats off to Ken and the boys for making this early call spot on. A reverse of the tactics of Killarney in 1949, when Phil Purcell instructed the Tipp hurlers to be sponged down with spring water carted to the game in milk churns whilst the Cork team awaited extra-time lying out in the blazing sun.

The whistle blew and the sledging commenced. Pope Benedict and Colin Lynch colliding in the middle of the field with serious timber. The first score came from the Boy Wonder whose immaculate touch was even more remarkable given the conditions. A point from Eoin to set us underway. After some close exchanges Benny Dunne broke onto a ball about thirty yards out, his momentum was challenged by a bodycheck from Colin Lynch and the effort sailed wide. Early signs of a Tipp advantage in midfield. Clare went in front through Diarmuid McMahon until a thoughtful pass from an improved Francis Devanney yielded a second point for the Boy Wonder.

What follows next was a thing a beauty.

The first Tipp goal saw some great combination play across our full forward line. The signs of desperation and gamesmanship in Brian Lohan were flagged early on as he fouled Micheal Webster who offloaded to Larry Corbett and the Sarsfields man finished to the net.

We had barely time to draw breath when Tipp struck again. Webster swatting back the Clare backs; a tasteful shimmy in the mould of Saturday Night Fever, and calmly into the net for goal number two. Davy Fitzgerald sprinted out of goal to throw a tantrum, but the green flag was flying. The Clare defence had been cut to ribbons. Incredibly the onslaught continued, an entanglement in the square led to an Eoin Kelly yellow card for a trip on Gerry O’Grady. Brian Lohan went in to boss things up. The smallest man on the Tipp team: Evan Sweeney (an early sub for the injured Corbett) squared up to him and yielded no quarter. Benny Dunne fired over a long range beauty by way of reparation and the blitzkrieg had now yielded 2-2 without reply.

Clare in the guise of Barry Nugent went on to miss two first half chances; we had one beaut fired over the bar from the old Master. Webster was winning his battle with Lohan hands down. Ball after Ball he caught, one effort sickened Lohan so much he resorted to strike out at his tormentor with his hurley. A bad day at the office for Brian.

Off camera, and out of sight of the referee, a nasty incident involving our old friend Gerry Quinn, a second Clare defender and Tommy Dunne, saw the Clare men striking out at Tommy Dunne’s helmeted head, what could you expect from a pig but a grunt I suppose. Benny Dunne had no such luck when he was rightly yellow carded for a late pull. The final score of the half was a one two between that man again: Webster and Francis Devanney. A new chapter was underway allright.

At halftime, one can see from the RTE tape that Loughnane was not happy. Daly had seriously erred on the tactical front was the consensus. Live at pitchside we were soaked but happy. A Clare backlash was inevitable, we had the stuff in defence to contain an onslaught but the Clare goal chances had turned on a coin edge in the first half, that is to say they appeared out of no where, on a wet day some times no amount of fire fighting will prevent your opponent sneering in for a goal. So hopes were tempered.

On the resumption Clare fashioned a quasi-fight back. The lead was pared back slightly (four points was as close as they got). Eoin Kelly to centre forward on a creaking Seanie McMahon was a master switch which yielded the type of point that ballads should be written about, back to goal, first time, turn, shoot, and score.

In defence the play was solid and assured. Paul Curran emerging with some great efforts. John Devane doing well enough to keep the wolves at bay. Were in not for one or two potentially fatal hand passes the six backs would have earned douze points for their second half performance. David Kennedy who gave as much as any one else was retired, Declan Fanning went to centre back and his business like performance there helped steady the ship.

Up front it was still Friday Night at the Palladium starring the Micheal Webster show, causing more lay-offs then Jack Lynch’s General Election Manifesto of 1977. A neat one two with Evan Sweeney, keeping it local, was our final score.

Game ended in a six point win for Tipp. 2-14 to 0-14. The pundits were wrong about our team. We had the stuff to send Clare packing and onwards to a Munster Final date with the All Ireland Champions.

You can just about feel the momentum building around this Tipp team. The progress so far has echoes of 2001. The one thing this team has posted above all, is the ability to scrap, the bite and fight is there and is plain for all to see. Also players are taking their early season setbacks and learning from them. For example how easy would it be for Francis Devanney to up sticks after one howler of a debut. The guy deserves great praise for coming back into things and improving his return.

Ken Hogan has got all the calls right so far in this championship. Every one. There will be days when the herd instinct in all of us will call for retribution against sideline decisions, that much is inevitable. But credit to him for the tale thus far.

Now is a time for respite. Make no mistake about it, this was a big big win for us. Improvement will come and running repairs will allow things to tick over for another day out. I’m getting that winning feeling about Tipperary’05, but I caution you it’s still too early to tell. We have to be proud of our men so far, the plaudits of the week belongs to them.

No talk of Cork just yet, save to say we must start as ten point under-dogs. Next week’s column will focus on club matters and then it’s the Big One.

Game On!

GMB.




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The Killinan End
June 2nd 2005
“The Empire Strikes Back”

Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” is a monument to the fromage frais period of popular music that was the mid 1980’s. I associate the song with the era of tight Knight Rider tee-shirts, Valley Ice Cream Choc Ices, increasing unemployment, and shoulder-pad super-permed soap opera heroines. The lyrics of ISS came back with a bang on a wet and sullen evening in the Gaelic Grounds all of two weekends ago, when our boys in Blue held on to their Championship passports in the face of a furious Limerick on-slaught

To get to the point in the tale when 80’s flashbacks are inspired, we must go back a further six days to the scene of Act 1 in our merrie tale. On that day Tipperary delivered the get out of jail performance to end all jail breaks. Tipp spluttered into life at the early stages with some industry in attack that was to belie later difficulties. Of particular note being the banana curve of a point from Colin Morrissey that belonged on the Copacabana beach rather than Bansha central. A smash and grab effort from Eoin Kelly (who else.) and some lively work from the recently returned Lar Corbett. In defence however creaking exchanges were noticeable. None of the rearguard looked at all comfortable with matters of state, and a rare Declan Fanning lapse ended up with Donnacha Sheehan the diminutive Limerick corner forward netting the type of goal that Brendan Cummins rarely yielded. Limerick began to motor towards the half time break and suddenly with the blowing of the rather corpulent referee (whose name escapes me at this juncture) whistle, half time signified a chastened Tipp and sprightly Limerick. Our centre forward line had collapsed and it won’t surprise any one if that starting selection for the forty never sees the light of day between now and year’s end.

Like all the great matinee idols of yore, one Redser O’Grady swept into town to rescue the proceedings on the restart. But first the greatest lapse of judgment at the Town End since the decommissioning of Feile; Donie Ryan fouled the ball to the point of absurdity and was awarded by a set of umpires whose attachment to reason must be precarious in the extreme, a penalty for his troubles. TJ goaled and things were beginning to like decidedly shitty with the dreary steeples of away days to Dublin and Antrim looking ominous. Redser goaled after three spectacular mis-cues which left his audience awestruck. Then a sustained series of Tipp attacks yielding points for Tommy Dunne and Eoin Kely and a different perspective on things.

Limerick missed their cue to exit stage left, and sprung back to life, at this stage Paul O’Grady was merging with real credit in the centre of the park, and Frankie Carroll’s raindance of ’96 was looking like getting an encore, when Pat Tobin put Limerick back in front.

At the death it looked like curtains, Paul Kelly got a sideline cut from the Old Stand side and fired in a rasping looping projectile which somehow ended up in Two Goal Timmy’s net, John Devane the supplier.

A freeout courtesy of the Red one yielded a Limerick equaliser, which they were good value for. The day ending as conclusive as it started with the consensus being that Tipp had gotten out of jail, as previously stated.

It a bad performance and there were a number of culprits, but matters were unsettled and hope was still alive. Onwards to Act 2 on the Ennis Road.

Act 2 began with a few changes to the Dramatis Personae. Tommy Dunne, Micheal Webster and Diarmuid Fitzgerald introduced for Messrs O’Brien, Devanney and Maher respectively. The replay started in quite the same manner as the first with Tipp taking the game to Limerick in the early exchanges, again the tell tale signs that Limerick were not going to lie down easy was quite evident early on but what was noticeable was the more steadied look that Tipp were showing across all sectors of the field. No where was this more noticeable than in the guise of David Kennedy who was hanging onto his barstool in second chance saloon for dear life. John Devane eventually made way for Redser O’Grady who duly obliged with another goal. Tipp went in half time two points up, the sky was full of lead, Hitler had invaded Poland and Paddy, Holyhead…..sorry I digress…wrong thunder and lightning game !. The third quarter saw us nudge to three points in front. The Boy Wonder (timbered into a sugan) provided a fine point, fed Tommy Dunne for another, Diarmuid Fitzgerald was making a the first instalment of a down payment on a 2005 Vodafone All Star and Daivd Kennedy had refound his inner Jesus. Trundling onwards Limerick started to crank up the arsenal of kitchen sinks for the final onslaught. Enter the Beast of Roscrea shimmering like the fattened calf. And just to remind all of us in this crazy world of style over substance that sometimes being big-boned is to be a thing of beauty, Johnny Carroll almost had a major in what surely would have been the score to bury Limerick. On they slew with the sense of inevitability that a comeback is made off. Eyeball to eyeball with the qualifiers trapdoor somehow Donie Ryan conjured an equaliser, it ended all square….again. Extra time beckoned.

The deadball and the happy whistle had kept Limerick afloat throughout the previous seventy minutes. TJ Ryan nosed Limerick in front in extra time with a free, then came a magical championship moment from Evan Sweeney. The Loughmore man buried to the net, from then on it was the ultimate case of batten down the hatches. “Hunker Down You Hairy Dogs” is a regular defence command in Southern US College Football games, well our hairy dogs hunkered down, not a day for the pretty boys, a day for the body to outwear the lash, in truth Limerick had the chances to snatch a third day out ( A Munster Championship first in recent times ?) not to be. Tipp prevailed, heartstopping, absorbing, edge of the ER table stuff. Tipp survive.

Then the crazy shit started to happen. Redser got shot down in an up town foray detained at the local Gendrame’s pleasure for the evening. The accounts of events that night are varied and of no real use in terms of progressing matters, Redser has been excused from the panel for Sunday and Tipp are robbed of a potential asset. That’s the bottom line: The side is diminished in my view as a result. Great shame that it is too.

Next up Philip Maher’s precious knee took a wobbly and resulted in him out for some weeks after keyhole cartilage surgery in Ardkeen. Great shame for the Borris man, we wish the speediest of recoveries.

The imposed changes both medically inspired and otherwise, have led to some postional and personnel switches. John Devane returns to defence, to a role he has covered himself in collegiate glory with in the recent past. Francis Devanney returns to the forty with the Mighty Dunne alongside him. Morrisseydinho, he of the Brazilian curve finishes the half forward line. Micheal Webster returns to the full forward line in a resumption of a League role.

Clare and Tipp have a storied and coloured history in recent championship meetings, what price we’ll see another chapter writ large on Sunday. Clare has battered towards first rung respectability in the recent past but all bets on restored grandeur were off after a tepid display against Les Cats in the League Final. The vulgate versus the baroque. Gothic Clare all coarse lines and stand up-straight power hurling versus Tipp of the Tommy Dunne and Eoin Kelly grace. Simplistic?

Perhaps. Clare under Anthony Daly have stuttered close but no cigar just yet. How I can imagine he would love to bury Tipp under fire and brimstone. Well we shucked a fair bit of shrapnel in the trenches against Limerick and admittedly Clare may have more of the black arts for us to deal with, we should be up for the rustle and bustle. The Devane selection is a big talking point, but it could prove to be inspired, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Clonoulty man mop the floor with Niall Gilligan, its surely in him to do so. Diarmuid Fitzgerald gave a masterclass last time out and is primed for a reprise. I’d be lying if I said that the heart doesn’t quiver still over Number 6; but one should salute David Kennedy and judge him on the basis of his last return the amount of shit thrown at him it something to behold, a lot of justified critique but let the man have the chance to post two sweet ones on the rack. They think a lot of the returned canuck: Griffin. It will be interesting to see can carry Clare on Sunday.

I’m looking forward to Benny Dunne getting all hot and bothered with Colin Lynch. Benny has the contrariness of a bantam cock in him at the moment, there could be some skelping done in the centre field zone. I’m happy for Francis Devanney whose selection provides him with a chance to even up the score after the disaster of his debut. The McMahon of 2005 is not the 1997 nor the 2000 model but a fearsome prospect all the same. Sending a rookie in on Seanie is a real leap of faith, but with the Beast’s fitness and Redser’s exile our chances were limited. In attack the final line pits Lohan and Webster in close conflict, with the boy Wonder and Lar in both corners

We have to be hopeful; the Limerick result was a source of comfort after so much in the way of effort over 160 minutes. We grasped freedom with both hands on the second day out; the stellar performances of Fitzgerald and Kennedy in defence allied to Eoin Kelly’s fortitude in the face of some filthy marking led us home. The Limerick result has shown that we can eke out an existence in this championship on meagre pickings; 2005 might not be the year of the Hollywood headline it might in fact be the year of the slogger and the endurer, and when our boys face the Saffron and Blue on Sunday the blood will surely be up.

Since 1993 this has been a battle between different hurling civilizations, it more than any other rivalry has defined Tipp hurling in the recent era, at times it has even consumed us. Our deepest darkest days were as a result of whoopings handed out to us by Clare. The 1997 Munster Final, the 1999 Replay, 2003 First Round. Yet too there have been marvellous moments. The great victory of 2000, with Eugene and the Shellmeister larging it up; was a mighty step towards All Ireland glory in 2001. What of Eoin Kelly’s arrival as a starting championship forward in 2001 against Clare, and the attempts made to rearrange his posture that were fired back at his detractors with spades. What of the night of the Menace in Ennis in 1999, a great Under 21 Munster Victory snatched in the lion’s den.

Time to see our Flag unfurl.

Tipp to prevail.


GMB.








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The Killinan End



11th May 2005



“Hang Up Your Brightest Colours”.



In a letter addressed to Hannie Collins in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of her brother Michael, the Commander in Chief of the National Army and Head of the Provisional Government of Ireland at Beal na Blath in West Cork on the 22nd August 1922, the Nobel Laureate George Bernard Shaw reminding Hannie of the glorious deeds of her slain brother exhorted her “to tear up your mourning and hang up your brightest colours in his memory”. The letter was a call to arms in armed times; it has always struck me as a rather remarkable piece of correspondence; summoning great energy and pomp in the midst of deep anguish and times of darkness. Mr. Shaw’s published analysis of Hurling is little known aside from his celebrated definition of the sport as being “a mixture of hockey and a sudden death”, Shaw had he have been around today and had he been as passionate a follower of the blue and gold of Tipperary as he was of Michael Collins would no doubt have exhorted us to “tear up our mourning” to use his celebrated phrase.

For every mourning period (even for the professional classes of mourners such as politicians) has to come to some sort of end at some point. Tipperary Hurling has never quite been the same since we set forth for the arena by the marina one wet summers Sunday in the June of 2002, carrying with us the burdens of honours, both national and provincial on leaden shoulders. We made Waterford hurling that day, our surrender their coronation. I’m sure we all have our particular moment that raises the heartburn levels like a flat pint of Bulmers, mine own was the sight of my fellow South Tipperary native, one Andy Moloney formerly of Cathair Dun Iascaigh frolicking like a well fed Connemara lamb in the direction of Brendan Cummins and his inside defence in an effort to “soften” his opponents up. At least Judas Iscariot had the decency to depart from Gethsemane with some haste……

We were never the same after that day; one last stand for auld fashioned “daycency” took us to within a deuce of taking out the Cats in a celebrated All Ireland Semi Final. 2003 we bet ourselves by allowing our Valley of the Squinting Windows tendencies get the better of us. 2004 was an inauspicious beginning to the Ken Hogan era. The cranks beloved of phone in radio shows giving out about car journey times to Killarney seemed to capture the mood of the county’s year, worse was to follow; annihilation at the hands of Les Cats in the 21 Final. Annus Horribilus Majorum.

So plenty to mourn about and plenty to whinge about. Our opponents on Sunday have made a cottage industry out of this type of behaviour. Tipperary’s voyage of championship discovery begins in a storied setting though; too often the venue for heroic (1984, 2000) and less than heroic (1990) Tipperary failures. This is though our home, for me anyways its about more than a Stadium, it’s THE Stadium, are we to lower the colours in Tom Semple’s field to this Limerick team?? I think not. A bit of pride is worth a lot in Tipperary right now, we have a lot to embrace about Sunday and certainly the fact that the game is at home should, I say should, count in our favour.

That is of course if the Blue and Gold Army show up. Thurles can be like the Maracana when Tipp are in town and its big time Munster championship Sunday. The support has drifted away in dribs and in drabs since 2002. The hardcore loyalists call them Ultras, Gaels whatever you like will always be there, but the masses are swollen when the scent of a winning team hits the ground running. Our support was a shambles last year; Killarney was like a wake from a Tipp perspective. It’s a sad lookout for the so-called Home of Hurling, we have it a bit too soft be times in Tipp, lean years provide the hard road that less and less hurling supporters want to follow. We’re needed in numbers on Sunday, if for nothing else just to remind the Limerick hordes why its worth blessing yourself when you hit Bothar na Naomh and see those legends glowering down at you from the front wall of the Social Centre. The corresponding fixture in 1997 was a great Tipp victory with Skippy and Leahy leading the way, there was fire on the Killinan that day, we want more of the same on Sunday, more of the same.

The stakes are high, and if anything have increased in recent weeks. For the victor, in the view of this columnist at least, awaits a real prospect of a Munster Final tilt. Clare had the Emperor’s New Clothes treatment doled out to them by Kilkenny, to be brutally frank there seems to be a lot of front with them at the moment. Cork and the Decies will put themselves through the wringer on Sunday week, I’d fancy a Waterford win there, and then the scene may be all set for a 2002 Munster Final rematch.

So after all the whinging, it really is all to be played for. Our League form was erratic and poor, but are we not seduced enough by the eastern promise of League form in the past. We have won the damned thing enough at this stage to be worried about and getting excited about NHL 2005 and any ramifications thereof. The Cats game was a sort of litmus test, didn’t go so well, but then 2003 gave us a false reading. But what a day that was for Gerard the Red !..more on him later.

Our selection on Sunday bears the conservative hallmark of Ken Hogan. Cummins between the sticks admittedly a no-brainer, the full back line is reportedly boosted by Martin Maher’s assured recovery, The Lion of Borris lines out at full with Mullinahone’s Paul Curran steady but largely unspectacular form meriting the No 4 shirt, should be a busy day in the office, the gruesome twosome from Garryspillane those comely maidens by the names of TJ and Donie will have to be policed but shouldn’t over extend the wherewithal of our inside line.

David Kennedy is the slightly controversial choice at centre back. The Loughmore man is going through an induced type of second coming at the moment and seems to be in favour. Fanning and Corcoran make the centre half back line complete and both have the potential to stamp a fair degree of authority on the proceedings.

Morrissey and Kelly the elder for midfield where they will face fairly average opposition certainly nothing in the Derek Lyng category. Morrissey will be earnest and needs a bit more quickness of hands perhaps, Paul Kelly’s return to form will be warmly greeted by all genuine Tipperary supporters, could have a big say in the shake-down on Sunday.

Now to the trough of despondency that has been our half forward line of late. Captaincy for Benny Dunne will mean higher levels of application are required, I was mildly perturbed by his mid week interviews which seemed to hint at happier days spent for Toome in defence. That said he has a huge role on Sunday to steer the ship home, I can only imagine what it must feel to lead the Tipperary senior hurling team out on your first championship game as captain, I wish him well.

One of the neighbours lines out beside him on the forty, one Francis Devanney being our sole championship debutante, it is customary to wish the new man well, and sincerely it is meant, the clash between himself and Geary will be eagerly awaited.

The much travelled John Devane is dispatched to fill the second troublesome wing forward spot. A hurler of some style, well able to take a score, and once the adjustment to contesting the balls as forward and not a back is complete we may have a handy sort.

The full forward line: Paddy O’Brien reminds me of a definition of the perfect woman’s blouse: it should be like barbed wire in that keeps everything inside but doesn’t spoil the view. Paddy doesn’t spoil the view, he can be as easy on the eye in terms of hurling style as you may find, this is a real day of affirmation for him, Mark Foley will test him to the core.

Eoin Kelly the boy wonder listed to play in the corner but no doubt will have a roving brief across the full line. The most regarded and respected hurler from Carrigahourig to Carrick on Suir at the moment, our trump card, enough said.

The return of the Lar was the juicy media angle for the week, a few mazy hazy runs into the heart of the Limerick rearguard are just what the doctor ordered. An entire two ridings hope he will have packed the GPS in the gear-bag for Sunday.

On call in attack is the mighty Tommy Dunne and no doubt the Redser if needed. What a great cameo moment it would be to see the Redser unfurled at some stage on Sunday. Legend of Nowlan Park 2003 and the Menace in Ennis, 1999.

One thing is sure, we all start off the same next Sunday morning, we’re all as better off as Cork or Kilkenny before the throw-in at five past four. So let the games commence, remember who we were, who we are, and above all tear up our mourning and hang up our brightest colours for victory on Sunday.

To win just once, that would be enough….because that will set us up.



Come on the Premier!



GMB.





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“Paradise Lost”


First off, let’s get the formalities out of the way. Apologies to the seven or so people that read this column for the abruptness of last years “Killinan Ending”. A few attempts were made to pen a year of end audit of where the Blue and Gold had ended in 2004. This process proved too painful and I ended up giving it a mercy-killing; much like Paul O’Brien, Timmy McCarthy, the Mid Tipperary GAC, and the entire Kilkenny Under 21 team had administered to our marquee teams over the previous couple of months. If great teams are hammered out on the anvil of history then it is the sad lot of mediocre ones to be bludgeoned to death in less auspicious circumstances. One time National League and All Ireland Champions that now struggle to account for the might that is Down represents a fairly bludgeoned state of health.

The happy lot of the Tipperary hurling supporter is now to retreat into cheerleading mode, as Ken Hogan begins to rebuild a shattered team which in its 2004 state could no longer be justified as Championship contenders. Its neither helpful nor loyal to re-open the debate on how a team brimming with the type of messianic promise: Nicky English’s side of 2001 could have deteriorated to such an alarming degree. The task now is simply to adjust, adapt and to support the reconstruction effort. And if that reads as appeasement, then so be it. The long road back begun with the injury time goal blitz which spoiled Down hurling’s greatest ever recorded result, it has continued with the bore-fest that was last weekend’s victory against Limerick and on and on it shall go.

The new talent that has emerged is largely of the microwavable variety. Reheated and regurgitated names that are thankfully finally given their audition-time. Micheal Webster; a charismatic figure in both codes for the Loughmore men in 2004 is the hired muscle to supplement our attack. Its very early days yet to read whether the next Cormac Bonnar has been unearthed, but any forward that has to ability to win aerial ball is a necessary (if novel !) addition to Hogan’s squad. Evan Sweeney, son of the vampire toothed former custodian of many a fearsome Loughmore team, is presented as a tasty sort with attacking promise and dead ball qualities, again I would submit a work in progress. Donal Shelley from Ballingarry has had his proponents for some time. Mother nature didn’t intend Donal to be classified as a heavy goods vehicle, however a natural stickyness and a healthy dollop of Ballingarry bouldness compensates for manufacturing deficiencies, looks like he is taking his opportunity with both paws, the hardy and talented point-men on the Cork and Wexford half back lines will decide whether he stays or goes I would say. Darragh Egan, minor star, talented and resourceful, looked good against Limerick, again nothing jumps out at you yet to remove him from the “we’ll see” category, deserves to be there though. Finally the man blessed with a immortal Tipperary forward’s surname: Francis Devanney; again looked good against Limerick took his goal well and did all that was to be expected, the bar climbs a notch from here out though.

Throw in Tadgh Slevin from the Borrisokane club at midfield he seems to be tryer and the reincarnation of one David Kennedy to the Tipp centre back berth, and that sums up the changes in personnel to date.

Its still too early as I’ve already said and these young men deserve support and encouragement at this stage in the year, one can afford indulgence in the National League, and with two wins under the belt (skittery-arsed and all as the Down one was) and some serious auditioning under way, I think we are greedy if we were to ask for more at this stage in the game. Paradise as we once knew it, is lost, lost and gone, the hard yards and the bitter inches have to be fought for and reclaimed. The other option would be to continue the hand-wringing and to continue entertaining ideas way above our station, and the decline continues and soon we become………..well we become Limerick!

At this stage in the year everyone dreams of Sundays in September !

GMB.





The Killinan End 26th August 2004



Leahy’s Army Marches On.



The road to Dan has taken us on a few turns since the new “whiter than DAZ white” County Championship format was first unveiled many months ago. The mercurial nature of this competition has required much explanation; with the big difficulty people have tried to grapple with being the notion that events in the spring could have such a definitive bearing on events in the autumn. The notion that clubs are masters of their destiny by dint of diligent application to their divisional championships has been shattered. The three teams who were defeated in last weekend’s Divisional Finals are now all out of the County Championship, with one of last weekend’s victors the beneficiaries of an express route to the County Semi Final, and now, theoretically at least, a hour away from a date with Dan Breen.

A negative deferential of five points cost Killenaule their place in the closing stages of the County Championship proper, it must be particularly galling to be the first club in recent times to loose out in the County Championship on points difference. Clonoulty came within a hair’s breath of a West title, but mediocre Round Robin form saw them done for. Borris whose grasp on the North title was shucked away from them at the death as well are also gone and finished with. Their efforts in the Group of Death with Toome and Loughmore not enough, it would have taken the Dallas Cowboys in any event to have beaten Toome on points difference.

Weep not for the vanquished, every one of the three defeated teams, knew their fate before a ball was pucked last weekend. However it is worth remarking that were it any other year, all three would still be alive. This level of attrition will surely focus the mind more on the Group Stages next year, where increased vigilance over points differences and more focus on the consequences of not coming through your Group will surely prevail.

The decision of the South Board to play the South Finals in Kilsheelan beggared belief. With adverse weather conditions for last weekend flagged well in advance and zero cover for patrons (that’s if you take the trees out of it !), this venue had the makings of a disaster from the start.

Conditions weren’t going to suit either team, with both having a penchant for fast open hurling. Killenaule had the better of the opening quarter, with inter county Centre Back Declan Fanning particularly dominant on a pedestrian John Leahy. Fanning’s two first half points from play particularly impressive. Then as the time ticked down to half-time, a pivotal event occurred. Killenaule failed to convert a goal mouth scramble into a green flag, whilst following suit at the other end Mullinahone scored the only goal of the half to go in 1-5 to 0-7 to the better, a one point lead which flattered them and left Killenaule looking particularly rueful.

An exchange of points between both sides in the third quarter saw Mullinahone extend their lead to 1-8 to 0-8, and then misfortune struck, the hitherto peerless Fanning miscued a routine free which was lovingly gathered by the hitherto anonymous John Leahy who executed a move with culminated in Pat Croke scoring Mullinahone’s second goal. Game effectively over.

Conditions as described above made the exchanges farcical at times, however it won’t bother the Kickham men too much, over the hour they were the better side, and that old adage of goals winning games, proved to be right once more. Killenaule’s hopes suffered a cruel turn when Michael Farrell lost his battle for fitness, although the scales were somewhat balanced by the omission of Paul Kelly from the Mullinahone line-up.

Make no mistake about it, Mullinahone firmly have the bit between the teeth in this County Championship. Without having hit full pelt they are in a County Semi Final, and what was most noticeable last Sunday was the neat interplay and sweet striking of the Mullinahone men despite the worst possible conditions for play. For Killenaule their year ends on a sombre note, but the historic feat of repeating the County Under 21 success of 2003 was a massive achievement. Their day will come.

That eventual path to the final will be dictated by events in other parts of the Premier County. Eire Og/Golden’s victory in the West Final was one in the eye for the nay-sayers who believe that the Combination of Intermediate teams in a Senior Club Championship has no place in 21st Century Tipp. This columnist, albeit tentatively, predicted victory for the “Combo” who now have horizons opened up to them that would have been unheard of at the start of the year. Roscrea rolled back the years in the North Final and now have a Quarter Final tilt with Holycross in reward; a game that could literally go anyway, this is the real outside rail for the hunt for Dan Breen and the winners of that tussle will be perched nicely come the Semi-Final draw.

Sars and Drom face off for a quarter final slot, last chance saloon for the Blues who have spluttered to deceive all year. Toome have to overcome a potential iceberg in the shape of Moneygall to make the last eight and keep the title defence alive. The Mid champions await the victors of that all-North playoff, with the added kick in the arse for Boherlahan if defeated of a one-way all expenses paid trip to the Relegation play-offs. The new system strikes again !

I don’t think there’s many Gaels in Tipp that would be able to name four members of the Down Under 21 hurling panel without reference to a team selection such is the anonymity of the Blue and Gold’s opponents in Portlaoise next Saturday. If you were the run the formbook rule over this game, there would be no hope for a Down win. If one was to adopt the practice beloved of tabloid soccer writers in the UK and feed all the possible permutations into a mythical computer, the one result to be churned would surely read victory for Tipp. Let’s be honest about it, everyone from Portumna Bridge to Carrickbeg expect nothing less than a Tipp victory. Question posed though isn’t this a loaded gun in our hands.

Yes it is, and don’t mind the crawshawning about being disrespectful to Down, they surely wouldn’t treat us with respect if we were to start extolling their virtues of a sudden. Would they hell; to thine own self be true as the old saying goes. This is how I see it. This is the most important game of the year for Tipp, all the remaining chips rest on Saturday afternoon. Defeat marks the end of 2004 and waves the white flag. Victory and we are in an All-Ireland decider of an prestigious competition. Simply put, defeat is not an option. Defeat or the dread of such a thing is the ultimate guard against complacency. Our boys should be directed to hurl as if their lives depended on it. That’s how you show your opposition respect, not by plamas but by hurling like the hungry dogs that we are.



How sweet it would be to prevent the Cats from taking a clean sweep ?

Lastly, I turn to the ongoing malcontent that seems to still hang around Tipperary’s departure from the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship like a stale fart in a space suit. The gloves were off at County Board level as Donie Shanahan leaped into the fray to command the Tipperary Football Selectors to stand down for a period of time (helpfully suggested by Croke Park) for the “good of Tipperary”. The meeting, it is reported, descended into a shouting match when delegates queried under what authority the Chair was recommending the suspension of the said selectors. What we seem to have here, is the ultimate gimpshow. Relations between the football fraternity (if I may call them that) and the County Board Executive seems to have deteriorated rapidly. This columnist would submit that club delegates to the County Board should appoint a committee (the composition may be agreed in advance between the Football Board and the County Board Executive) the terms of reference of which should be simple:

“To fully and without equivocation investigate and establish the both the background circumstances to and the causation of the withdrawal of the Tipperary Senior Football Team from the Bank of Ireland Senior Football Championship”



That report should be prepared for the County Convention, with Delegates mandated to debate both the contents and the conclusions contained therein.



Sound like a plan to you?



GMB.






The Killinan End 20th August 2004

Cold Turkey for September



There are two distinct types of hurling supporter in existence on God’s green earth at present. Both groups enter the last week of August with a very different set of priorities in mind. For the first group the first pangs of a ticket seeking frenzy is beginning to kick in; heads are being scratched as the plans to procure the golden ticket for the All-Ireland Hurling Finals are set out, calendars have bright red rings around them where the weekend of the 10th to the 12th September is noted, employers are being sweet talked into lenience over Monday morning no-shows on the 13th, provincial journalists are beginning to trawl the dusty archives to chronicle battles of yore, bunting is been ordered by industrious parish priests, roadside signs are being speedily commissioned hailing hometown heroes.

The second group, to which none of the above applies, contains our good selves in Tipperary.

Cork and Kilkenny for the Final, should be a good one as major milestones are at stake for both sides most notable being the twin concerns of primacy in the Roll of Honour and of course Kilkenny’s Three in a Row bid. It’s probably too early for us to start doing an audit of why we won’t be painting the road-signs Blue and Gold, the custom in years past was to wait to see the end of the County Championship, a custom shattered by last year’s palace coup but one that should be observed this year, if only for allowing us the luxury of sitting out the autumn without the feelings of heartburn that year-end auditing will bring. Anyway we are still involved in a very do-able bid for the All-Ireland under 21 Championship which may take some of the very bad look off 2004.

The club scene trundles on and although it wasn’t announced by the Mid Board officially, it seems that Don King Promotions have taken over the running the Mid Tipp SHC. This columnist wasn’t in Templemore last Friday night, so I’ll spare ye the judgment of an absentee, but from what I’ve read and heard it seems that somewhere in the middle of a game of hurling an episode of The Sopranos broke out. Both clubs in question are too good to be letting themselves down like that. Whatever about the rights or the wrongs of last Friday (I wasn’t there, I cannot judge), it seems to point to the fact that it doesn’t take much to trigger off a full scale brawl these days. Things really take a turn for the Tarantinoesque when mentors, club “ofeeshells”, and spectators get involved (again not insinuating that anything of the sort went down in Templemore), and as we have seen in other counties what you have is essentially a major public order incident.

Loughmore won the game (not sure exactly who won the fight, split decision perhaps?) and face Drom in the Mid Semi Final. A funny sort of game to have to run the rule over, both sides have impressed at underage over the last six years or so, with Drom’s considerable achievement of a County under 21 two in a row being most noteworthy. Clubs like Drom and to a similar extent Galtee Rovers and Killenaule are now in that “difficult second album” period: trying to replicate underage success with senior. Loughmore are very impressive on paper and haven’t been strangers either to underage success recently. It should be an intriguing contest. However if the romantics might favour a Drom win, I think they’ll be disappointed, I’d be reasonably certain of a Loughmore win.

In the North as with two other Divisions it’s Final Day. Roscrea and Borris-Ileigh, two big-time clubs of the past now chasing a place in the future. Roscrea haven’t won a title since 1982, Borris since 1988, the re-emergence of Toomevara as a force in senior hurling in many senses was allied to the decline in the fortunes of both clubs. Borris’s form looks the stronger of the two with the victory over Toome being most striking. But I would suspect that the formbook will soon go out the window when both sides hit the field and the sniff of silverware is in the air. Sticking my neck out either of these two teams could conceivably go all the way to the Dan Breen, to dismiss this would be to bestow on the rest of the competitors for County Honours, unnecessary praise. Gun to head time, you’d have to fancy Borris, who look more balanced and composed, but it’s a tight call.

In the West Division, an unlikely final pairing of Clonoulty and Eire Og/Golden. There’s few clubs in Tipp, who can hammer out a result like Clonoulty on their day, their capacity for living on the scrapings of the pot is quite something. Testament to a super club spirit. Galtee Rovers, the team who couldn’t be stopped at any grade nor code in the West last season were given the tar road by Clonoulty en route to this decider. Eire Og/Golden have a few notable scalps in the bag too, so on the face of it, should be close enough. Not having seen the combination team hurl this year, I cannot assess how cohesive a unit they are. Grafting a team out of two rival clubs isn’t an easy task, but one would assume that these “bonding” issues have been long since dealt with on the road to the West Final. It would be some night in Golden and Anacarty if Clonoulty can be tamed on Sunday, and you know what I can’t see why not. Combo to prevail, hope that’s not the kiss of death for them!

In the deep South, all road leads to Kilsheelan, for the 93rd South Senior Hurling Final. An interesting venue choice, the home ground of the South Secretary, Fethard and Clonmel may have been deemed unsuitable due to the South Football Final being played on the same day, so Kilsheelan it is to be. Mullinahone’s arrival as a force in South Hurling completely changed the script. The Killenaule-Ballingarry v. Carrick-Clonmel axis was completely turned on its head. Mullinahone arrived with a confidence that at first bordered on outrageous arrogance but soon came to the backed up with substance. It’s probably true to say the up to then and certainly since the demise of the Mighty Davins, the Southern clubs saw nothing beyond the horizon of a South Final decider. The lazy stereotypical theory ran that South teams hadn’t the bottle the hurlers to make it happen on the County stage. The old adage that there “wasn’t a hurler south of the Briquette Factory railway line” held sway and cut deep. That boundary doesn’t just cover two divisions (Mid and South) but effectively it’s a county boundary as well, North and South Tipp. Even though I think almost all the West Board area is in the County of South Tipp, you never get the same sense of distinct identity over there as you down in the South Board area.

Ironically enough the two sides that meet on Sunday have done most to shatter that psychological break on progress. In both 1988 and 1990 Killenaule had serious chances to put the eventual County Champions of those years (Loughmore and Holycross out on their arses at County Semi Final and Quarter Final levels respectively. The one team who could have ambushed the Toome revolution in 1992 before it even ever got off the ground was Ballingarry who had the chances in the Stadium to perhaps change the face of Club hurling in Tipp for the 90’s by running them damn close.

In 1993 Mullinahone showed up, and almost as if they were the South Tipperary reincarnation of civil rights doyen, Rosa Parks, they weren’t prepared to give up their seat on the bus for their perceived social betters, for any money. That’s the key thing with Mullinahone: outrageous self-belief, never been shackled with the self-doubts of others, they just took it on. John Leahy is far more than a hurler for them, at the risk of ridicule I’ll submit that Mullinahone as almost evangelical in their approach to hurling, and it’s served them well.

Killenaule have the opportunity to put thirteen years of barren under-achievement behind them on Sunday next. The loss of Mickey Farrell is potentially fatal, the ultimate big-time hurler for club, it’s an occasion he’d really relish and revel in. Fanning, Caesar, Doyle and Shelley will all have to step up to the plate and show leadership in Farrell’s absence. Mullinahone were very one dimensional in the Ballingarry game. Eoin Kelly was the entire focus of their whole game. Seasoned Kelly watchers will note that at almost every grade, he ahs been shackled by Killenaule defenders, the Kennedy brothers are two back men that are as good as you’ll find in club hurling in Tipp, whilst the task is great, there is a distinct possibility of Mullinahone having to head for Attack Plan B.

It’s a mouth-watering clash, Mullinahone hold serious cards, Killenaule will be up against it. The 2002 decider was played between both sides and resulted in a Mullinahone victory, incentive is there in spades for Killenaule to even the score. It will go down to the wire.



Finally best wishes to our Camogie Team who face the Yellowbellies in the All-Ireland Semi Final, they’re doing for Tipp Camogie what the 1958-1965 Hurlers did for Tipp Hurling. High but deserved praise.



GMB.





The Killinan End August 12th 2004



The Minors are out and the bad times continue to roll……

The opening stanza to another doze of whinging? I hear you say. Whinging no, pondering perhaps. To come within a coat of goalpost gloss paint of a much hyped All-Ireland Treble Minor chasing team was a creditable enough days outing in HQ, at first glance at least. But the stomach gnawing truth of it is that Tipp were bossed out of yet another make or break championship situation by opposition that frankly we seemed to take time out to admire in between the torrential bursts of rain.

Without wishing to post anyone their P45, last Sunday provided a neat little line to draw under four years worth of performances at Minor level. Four Munster Finals contested, three Munster titles annexed, extending our dominance in the provincial roll of honour over Cork to six. All-Ireland Final contested: result an annihilation with a few pound thrun’ to a few legal eagles in the process. Three further Croke Park semi-final exits, a pounding (2001 v. Galway), a two-goal mugging in three minutes (2003 v. Galway), and last Sunday’s mud-lark fest.

Failure to land the Irish Press Cup, is the big indictment, and without sounding cruel about it chances where there over four years, and it’s over four years that efforts must be judged if we are to stop the cant and start calling progress as it really is in Tipp.

Conclusion: the current plan is only capable of getting us so far, to the three furlong post but no more.

Things not happening for Tipp teams in the last quarter of activity is proving to be a tiresome habit of late. And the most galling thing of the latest defeat apart from seeing a fine collection of proud young hurlers troop off dejected was that once again the Black and Amber have it over us again. We seem to be their warm-up act too often these days: U-21 hurlers take note.

Four years worth of Minor panellists has produced just one hurler capable of holding down an inter-county senior jersey: Diarmuid Fitzgerald. This columnist might be scolded for expecting too much from fellas too young but would submit that even allowing for the current “Works in Progress”, there doesn’t seem to be much coming down the assembly line, certainly when you look lustfully over to the other side of Fennor Hill, we’re the bucks still bringing the turf home in creels whilst it’s all gone 4WD over in Catland.

So where are we going wrong, well perhaps it might be a start to admit that things could do with an improvement. We have invested wisely as a county in many worthy projects of recent that may yet turn the tide. Certainly the introduction of dedicated Games Development Officers on a County-wide basis was a step in the right direction. The people appointed to these roles, by my reckoning are first class, positive and energetic and deserving of our support both moral and investment-wise. The Advanced School of Hurling (ASH) project is an exciting innovation, but results won’t appear over night, they never do in any code where you radically introduce a new departure into coaching, so here let’s be patient.

What this writer wonders is whether or not the other sides of the equation are maxing our potential. For example take the clubs, is the club unit too autonomous in Tipp and should more incentive be placed at pooling resources and knowledge amongst juvenile clubs from the same districts. Now I’m not suggesting combos for U-12 or anything of the sort, I just think that you can’t have enough co-operation between clubs when it comes to games promotion and development and I’m unsure as to whether this is being maximised in Tipp at the moment.

Take the issue of Development Squads. Lots of talk about them at the moment, but how do they work. Well and forgive me if my understanding of them is a bit hazy but as far as I’m aware in Kilkenny they are organised at every year, from u-14 up. There’s no such thing as trials as we understand them to be, merely the responsibility is on individual clubs to nominate players usually four per club. No one is turned away, in fact from what I can gather it’s mixed ability: the ideal educational environment for kids to learn from each other. Result: you have 100 kids in Kilkenny at the various stages from u-14, u-15 etc. or varying ability all feeling part of the future of Kilkenny hurling. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Kilkenny system has merits and dare I say it “breeds winners”.

So the commissars at the top who run Tipperary GAA will have to realise that thinking outside of the box has now become de rigeur in terms of guaranteeing future success. If we are to take a leaf out of our near neighbour’s notebook it would be to adopt a “winning tradition from early age”. The role of past inter-county Tipp senior hurlers here is crucial, perhaps some body some where might take the time to arrange some type of system whereby all those who represented the County with such distinction over the last thirty or so years, are contacted and asked whether or not they are interested in coaching kids with a view to organising a development squad system. Would seem to me to be a more constructive use of the County Board’s time then having a snigger at poor old Babs.

Defeat visited an unlikely door last weekend when Borris accounted for County Champions: Toomevara in the North Semi Final. Two grand old gunslingers of the past now do battle for the Frank McGrath Cup, namely Borris-Ileigh and Roscrea. Wouldn’t either club if on hand to collect the Dan Breen later in the year both throw up mouth watering County captaincy prospects. Perhaps an argument for another day.

Toome of course very much still alive with Route A to the County Quarter Finals availed of already, at time of writing Sars and Loughmore are scheduled to re-convene in the Mid, the winners to face Drom, whilst Boherlahan wait in the long grass already through to the Mid Final having caused a quasi-upset accounting for Holycross.



The Clare County Board and that internationally renowned Human Rights victim from Corofin, Mr Gerry Quinn are reported in today (Thursday 12th)’s Independent to be considering legal action against RTE over the Sunday Game coverage of the incident that left Henry Shefflin on a Surgeon’s table. Their beef seems to be with the analysis of the Sunday Game team in the aftermath of the incident based on televised footage beamed into our homes that evening. "We wish to protest in the strongest possible terms at some of the coverage, and in particular at the comments from the panelists on The Sunday Game on August 1 and we wish to make no further statement at this time except to say we will be pursuing the matter,” is how the Clare GAA line was reported in the paper.

I must admit to be being a bit puzzled by all of this; the nature of the legal complaint being groused hasn’t been expanded on. Is it Libel ?, and if so how do the Rumpoles of Cusack Park propose to deal with the defence of “fair comment”. Perhaps the bould Larryo is in the firing line for saying that “Quinn should be shot” (immediately retracted on air) what precedent would be used ?: the Case of Pat Spillane’s mother and Armagh’s Francie Bellew, M’Lud wherein it was claimed that the said Mrs Spillane of not so tender years could run faster than Mr Bellew. Do you know maybe the bould Babs will be produced as the star witness for the Mighty Banner as precedent for how comments on the Sunday Game may cause injurious loss.

Clare’s capacity for alienating sensible public opinion rolls on, and if this circus rolls into court, the rolling that will be done will be the rolling in the aisles with gales of laughter.

Hope Vodafone have a few bob handy, a trip to the Four Goldmines costs a fair bit more than the car boot sale in Inness !

GMB.







August 5th 2004.

Welcome to the Killinan End; a weekly epistle on all matters obliquely relating to Tipperary Hurling and anything else that occupies this columnist’s head at time of writing. You will be afforded no right of reply here, this is a one hundred percent one –way conversation, I write and you listen…or not as the case may be, let the games commence.

It’s takes a fairly unique talent to be able to prompt the Tipperary County Board into paroxysms of outrage ten years after one has vacated the job of Tipperary Senior Hurling Manager. But, then Michael “Babs” Keating certainly fits the description of a unique talent. The “bare-foot wonder” scribing for the Murdoch shilling, launched into his own particular take on the post Killarney’04 state of Tipperary hurling from the confines of his Sunday Times Column.

Babs started off tame enough with a cut off Tipp’s lack of discipline in the Cork game. A fair enough opening salvo. His next port of call was to step into the shoes of Mystic Meg with the clairvoyant words: “Nothing has happened in Tipp that I didn’t foresee”, Babs makes the reasonably valid point that Nicky English should have been retained in an overseer’s role after he left the manager’s job. I say reasonably valid, I see the point Babs is trying to make: Nicky’s capacity for getting a performance out of his charges is something we have continually missed since he has left, but on the other hand having Nicky recalled in some vague shadow role would not only be unorthodox but possibly counter productive as well. Anyone for a cup of spoiled broth?

John Devane and Declan Fanning are then used as two examples of players who are lacking the specialist training required for them to excel in their respective positions. A non-too subtle dig at the current training regime methinks. Things start upping it a few gears when the choice of venue for the Cork game was mentioned. This debate has been flogged to death with both sides of the argument well bitched and counter bitched about at this stage. Babs seems to see the paltry Tipp attendance at the Cork game as some sort of referendum result by Tipp followers on a number of issues not least the standard of the team and managements performance to date.

Then the piece de resistance, out of leftfield Babs fires a few Scud missiles in the direction of the County Board, describing them as a clique whose sole purpose is to perpetuate their election to office, denouncing their relationship with their colleagues on the Mid Tipperary Board and decrying the fact “none of the committee that picks the manager of the senior hurling team was ever a hurler.”.

Cue the next meeting of the honourables and notables of the County Board where it is reported that Babs is roundly dismissed and scoffed at, and there’s a general murmuring from all concerned of “down with that sort of thing”.

The Keating article interests this writer greatly, not so much for its entertainment value (which it has) but for the interesting point made about the paltry Tipperary attendance in Killarney. Much has been said on the matter of location and traffic congestion and Saturday not being as pre-ordained a day for leisure as it may have been in years gone by. However taking all those points on board, it was a piss poor turn out by Tipperary supporters, it s hard to remember one worse in recent times. So Tipperary supporters voted no confidence in Ken and Co., even before they took the field agin’ the auld enemy? So it would seem. Support fluctuates considerably in every county as the level of momentum behind a team goes up and down. However this was a bust a gut, do or die moment for “Tipperary Hurling 2004” and the crowds didn’t show.

So maybe Babs has a point and Tipperary people have given up the ghost on our current senior hurling team. The post-match analysis has been scathing with management particularly excoriated over certain selections and the general conservative approach to team selection been roundly condemned. However unlike 2003, no beginnings of a palace coup, no real debate about why we find ourselves so much in the shits, and no appetite for headhunting. Well I suppose that’s what the long evenings are for, but as for now an uneasy peace reigns in the Premier County.

Predictably enough the County Board’s reported reaction to Nurse Keating’s medical report centred on deflecting the criticism levelled like a barrow load of dung at their own doors. It’s the easiest thing in the world to accuse an organisation of being beholden to a clique. Everything and everyone from a political party to a Parish Burial Grounds Committee suffers from this attack from time to time. County Board Executive Officers are all democratically elected at an Annual Convention which to this writer would refute the first definition of a clique: that it’s self-appointed. If the personnel doesn’t change from year to year it’s usually because in GAA circles most would-be officers have to come up through the ranks of first their clubs then their division and then finally chance their necks at the County Convention. I for one don’t think the Executive Officers we have at the moment in Tipp aren’t causing our inter county half forwards to misfire game after game, by all means judge them on their administrative capabilities (what they were voted in to do) but it’s a tad unfair to be taking a pot at them as some extensionary reason for why we got dumped on in Killarney last month.

When Judgment Day comes in the deep mid winter for our County Board, the real beef to be looked for will be that of the appalling vista that unfolded over in front of our eyes of how this county failed to fulfil an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship fixture this year. That’s one inquest this writer would like guillotine-side tickets for.

Last Sunday on a pitch that looked like straw had been cut and baled of it that morning, South Tipperary’s four remaining senior hurling clubs kicked off in the Glanbia South Tipp SHC. The first semi-final pitted two-peat County Under 21 Champions Killenaule against Carrick Swan. In a game that really failed at any point to ignite a fart not to mind anything approximating a flame, Killenaule cantered home to a 2-13 to 0-8 win. The score line didn’t flatter the Robins as they controlled the game from start to finish some neat interplay between County men Caesar and Farrell set up an attacking threat that promised much in the first half. Swan wasted an inordinate amount of placed ball opportunities that could have seen them closer then the four points they found themselves adrift at halftime. Two second half goals from Michael Farrell and Tony Doyle assured Killenaule of victory and while the Swan men staged a quasi-siege of the Killenaule goal in the last few minutes it was to no avail.

The second game saw a potentially combustible match-up. Ballingarry will rue this defeat for many a day for having had Mullinahone on the rack for most of the hour, they were vanquished at the death by a brace of Eoin Kelly goals. Eoin Kelly came out of this game with 4-8: the type of tally that should inspire someone to write a ballad commemorating the deed. Liam Cahill’s 0-11 haul on the other side the fruits of a stunning individual performance. Even the most ardent of Mullinahone supporter will be concerned at the lopsidedness in their attack, as apart from Kelly and Pat Croke, the rest promised little and that included some big-game hunters indeed like Denis Byrne and John Leahy. Kelly is the best hurler in the county of that there is little doubt a precious talent at that. It will be intriguing to see how far he can carry Mullinahone on the back of that level of scoring prowess.

We’re Under 21 Hurling Champions of Munster again. Thank Christ the dreaded Rebel whitewash was avoided. This was a very brave performance by Tipp, and the reward of a potential All-Ireland Final outing is now firmly on the table. Nine years is too long to be waiting for national honours in this crucially important grade, a major part of our rehabilitation as a force in Senior Inter County Hurling next year will be how our Minor and Under 21 teams finish this year up. The Minors are out against the Kittens on Sunday next. Kilkenny present an enormous challenge, they seem to be holding the Irish Press Cup in an almost vice-like grip at the moment. The power of their last two All-Ireland Minor winning teams was frightening to watch. In 2002 our boys were simply blown away, last year Kilkenny looked even stronger. The pace of underage hurling development in Kilkenny seems to be unmatched anywhere else. But this time round we come to the table ourselves bearing gifts too. This is one of the better classes of Tipp minor team, fair enough we left a Munster “four in a row” after us in Thurles, but it could be justifiably said that you’re going to be swimming against the tide trying to beat Cork for the fourth year in a row in a final, the law of averages will tell you that much. It’s a Tipp Minor team with a lot of balanced talent, sound defensively, good midfield pairing in Dixon and Bergin and a potentially lethal attack. So here’s hoping the Croke Park hoodoo the Cats hold over us is lifted by these young men in Blue and Gold on Sunday.

The talking point if the hurling week was undoubtedly Gerry Quinn’s assault on Henry Shefflin in last Saturday’s All Ireland Quarter Final. It’s been a week of the sort of coverage you’d associate more with sexually confused reality TV show inhabitants then hurlers. First the micro analysis of the incident, then the outrage and finally the tabloid apology. Gerry Quinn is no stranger to this type of occurrence, fondly remembered for his attempts to permanently re arrange Mark O’Leary’s posture some years back. The victim industry was also out the blocks quickly with some Clare GAA official whose name escapes me, pompously intoning that they would back their man to the hilt, we also had some tabloid journalism effort at stage-managing the publication of Quinn’s apology in an almost Nixonian manner.
Being blunt about, it is unacceptable and there is zero justification for any hurler to push in through your marker’s faceguard twice with the butt of your hurley. This guy disgraced himself and narrowly avoiding maiming a fellow amateur sportsmen.

Intent is notoriously at to prove in most walks of life, this columnist would submit that the potential danger to Shefflin was so great that the attempt is enough to convict Quinn. He should walk the line, forty eight weeks worth of a line.