TIPP CLUB HURLING: Championship draw sets up some bangers!

Players’ WhatsApp groups and team meetings this week will be a little more intense as the teams now know the path to glory for 2023. The senior championship looks wide open again this year in Tipperary however for Kiladangan, Clonoulty, Thurles Sarsfields and Borris Ileigh the route is filled with danger as they are drawn together.

The rollercoaster that is the Tipperary senior hurling championship just got even wilder this time around with the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 county champions all colliding in group 4 of the county hurling championship. Last year’s finalists Kiladangan won it out in 2020 and being top seeds is scant consolation when faced with Borris Ileigh - a side that beat them in the 2019 final. The 2017 winners, Sarsfields bowed out of last year’s championship to a late Stephen Ferncombe penalty as 2018 champions Clonoulty overpowered them in an intense encounter.

All four sides are capable of beating each other on their day. Kiladangan will hope Willie Connors and the Gallaghers find the form of old while the Padraic Maher managed Sarsfields will look to Ronan Maher and the Stakelum brothers to provide inspiration. Clonoulty, with Jack Ryan and Enda Heffernan a year older and wiser as well as being on the county panel, will prove tough opponents for all sides while All-Ireland finalists in 2020, Borris Ileigh, will depend on lively intercounty hurlers Eddie Ryan and Dan McCormack for inspiration.

Two will emerge from the group which means that two of the top teams could bow out at the group stage before knockout hurling kicks in. There is a lifeline however. The winner of the divisional championships is allowed a second chance in the form of an extra round of the championship should a divisional winner be knocked out in the group stage. This means that the divisional championships will be ferocious and as hard fought as ever. 

That group is too tight to call. Elsewhere Drom-Inch and JK Brackens will be expected to top group 1 however Nenagh are always a difficult proposition and with Jake Morris now an established star they have the quality to upset the top two. Drom-Inch will be expected to top the group while mid dual champions JK Brackens will be difficult to beat if the Cadell brothers and Lyndon Fairbrother hit top form. Mullinahone are still reliant on veteran Eoin Kelly while Nenagh will prove troublesome to all sides if they play to their potential. Mullinahone had a difficult campaign last year and will need new energy to reach the knock out stages.

In group 2 the Eddie Brennan managed Moycarkey take on north trio Roscrea, Toomevara and Dan Breen holders Kilruane MacDonaghs. It is a wide open group as Kilruane have lost former Tipp U20 keeper Paudie Williams and a couple of outfield players to emigration however Kilruane will still be formidable and in Jerome Cahill they have one of the stand out club hurlers in the county. There is momentum surrounding Roscrea and with Alan Tynan now a Tipp starter they will mount a serious challenge too. Toomevara have reached the knockout stages in recent years and will aim for that again. All sides are capable of beating each other on their day.

Upperchurch and Loughmore will be firm favourites to emerge from group 3 but Holycross have some quality hurlers and if they can get the blend right they will test their mid rivals for top spot.  Upperchurch, led by Jack Butler, face an up and coming Holycross side that will have Bryan O’Mara in defence for this year’s meeting. Church neighbours Templederry are also in the mix with county panelist Sean Ryan hurling so well for Tipp, while the perennial contenders Loughmore with their pedigree will be hot favourites to top the group. The groups in full are below. 

 Group 1:Drom-Inch, JK Brackens, Nenagh Eire Og, Mullinahone.
Group 2: Kilruane MacDonaghs, Toomevara, Roscrea, Moycarkey-Borris.
Group 3: Upperchurch, Loughmore-Castleiney, Holycross-Ballycahill. Templederry.
Group 4: Kiladangan, Clonoulty Rossmore, Borris-Ileigh, Thurles Sarsfields.

 Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship: 

Group 1: St Mary’s, Cashel King Cormacs, Moyne-Templetuohy, Ballina

Group 2: Eire Og Annacarty, Thurles Sars, Sean Treacys, Carrick Swan

Group 3: Burgess, Silvermines, Clonakenny, Newport
Group 4: Gortnahoe-Glengoole, Portroe, Killenaule, Lorrha.

The Premier Intermediate is wide open with Group 1 particularly difficult to navigate. Moyne have two intercounty players in Conor Bowe and Gearoid O'Connor and could be dark horses here. Cashel are all strong if key players are fit. Eoghan Connolly will lead the way but Ger Browne is out with a knee injury currently so Cashel will miss his dynamism. St Mary’s will have county senior Seamus Kennedy while Ballina will have two county players to lead them in dual star Steven O'Brien as well as Mikey Breen.

Sarsfields look the pick of group 2 as they will have a good sprinkling of players with Dan Breen cup medals at home. Treacys are always tough opponents while Annacarthy beats Sarsfields first team in recent years and have a number of players with west Tipp senior medals so they will be many peoples fancy for the title. Burgess and Clonakenny will be contenders for top spot in group 3. Jason Forde will have a say in the group positions too if he can lead his club to glory while north side Newport have some good forwards if they hit top form.

The final group is wide open with the Declan Fanning coached Killenaule a difficult prospect for the other sides. Lorrha are on the up having won some silverware last year under Ken Hogan while Gortnahoe have been working hard in recent years to get things right on the field. Overall the entire championship looks wide open and the games will draw the crowds.

Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship: 

Group 1: Drom-Inch, Knockavilla Kickhams, Carrick Davins, Arravale Rovers 
Group 2: Kiladangan, Golden Kilfeackle, Ballingarry, Cappawhite 
Group 3: Moneygall, Kilsheelan Kilcash, Boherlahan-Dualla, Shannon Rovers
Group 4: Skeheenarinky, Borrisokane, Upperchurch Drombane, Ballybacon Grange.

The Intermediate championship looks wide open too. Carrick Davins will fancy their chances in group 1 however Knockavilla Kickhams are there and are a promising outfit with Harty cup hurlers Adam Daly and Eoin Horgan both part of this years panel they will look to make inroads in the championship.

Group 2 sees Golden Kilfeackle the main challengers to Kiladangan, Two genuine sides Ballingarry and Cappawhite will both go all out to win their first game and if they do they will take stopping. In group 3 Moneygall are the front runners and county under 20 star Sean Kenneally will be a player to watch. They pushed Lorrha close last year in the county final and will target a good start to get momentum this year. Boherlahan/Dualla look like the side with all the aces too and will fancy their chances this year if they can draw on their underage stars of recent years.

Group 4 is wide open with Skeheenarinky and Borrisokane both formidable at this level. Newly promoted Upperchurch will be without last year’s stand out player at junior level, James Barry, who has transferred to Skeheenarinky. A tasty game is in store there with All-Star winner James Barry having been the main driving force that ensured the Church won last year’s county junior championship.