TOWN END COLUMN: A feast of high scoring drama for spectators

The fantastic display of colour in Croke Park last Sunday as well as the outpouring of emotion at full time highlighted the depth of feeling an All-Ireland final day holds.

Armagh’s victory was rare - only their second ever - and is testament to the efforts put in by their manager Kieran McGeeney over a decade. Despite being shouted at and given out about by certain club delegates he stayed put in the role for the players, the jersey and what he believed.

It wasn't as high scoring as a hurling match but the win over Galway was dramatic and tense with scenes reminiscent of what Nowlan Park was like when the Tipperary minors won in recent weeks with just 13 players on the field.

That Tipperary minor victory will be long remembered as will the minor camogie All-Ireland success at the same venue a couple of months previously. The experience of the Tipperary camogie team there last Saturday was a world apart.

They were pipped by a single late point by Galway which was just cruel for players like Mary Ryan and Cait Devane who have worked so tirelessly for many years to win an All-Ireland.

The Tipperary camogie team have now lost six semi finals since 2018. In the aftermath, Tipp manager Denis Kelly looked to Kieran McGeeney for inspiration and referenced how the Armagh manager was looking to reach an All-Ireland for ten years before getting there (and winning it) last Sunday.

Perhaps this Tipp camogie team will get there, perhaps they won’t but either way their efforts are to be commended in trying to reach the summit.

It was a pity that some games in the Tipperary club hurling championship were scheduled for the same time as the camogie team took the field, especially when some of the hurlers had family members playing in the camogie game.

Loughmore and Lorrha changed their game to Friday night to ensure there wasn’t a clash with the camogie, however other fixtures went ahead at that time.

The sun shone at all the games. A hopping ball on dry sod meant high scoring games. The lively new sliotar, which is much easier to strike further than the ball of twenty years ago, allowed for it.

It would be really interesting to find out if the ball is in play more now with high scores and a fast sliotar or was it in play more a couple of decades ago with the much heavier ball when a puck out often reached just past half way.

These days it has become commonplace for a ‘free out’ to be a scoring opportunity and the freetaking corner forward often makes his way back to the half back line to routinely strike over the bar.

Scores have become extremely common with Moycarkey totting up 3-25 against Roscrea, JK Brackens hitting 6-26 against Templederry and the high scoring draw meant both Clonoulty Rossmore and Kiladangan struck 4-20 a piece.

Shocks were few in the senior championship with Loughmore clinical in accounting for senior newcomers Lorrha on Friday night. Holycross overcame Nenagh in the other game in that group setting up an exciting Loughmore versus Holycross clash in round two that will draw the crowds.

In group 1 Borris were too strong for Toome while Jerome Cahill and company ensured Kilruane found some form to beat Drom-Inch. That is a tricky group for all four teams and one slip up could see a team in relegation so stakes are high next time where Borris face Kilruane and Drom play Toome.

In group 2 Moycarkey proved they had serious work done under Brian Moran and Kilkenny manager Eddie Brennan as they absolutely blitzed Roscrea on Saturday. Max Hackett and Kyle Shelly are two that must be on the radar of Liam Cahill such was their skill and speed of touch albeit against a Roscrea side that looked a shadow of the team they were a couple of seasons ago when winning the O’Riain cup.

Sarsfields continued with winning ways under Paidi Maher and Paddy McCormack. Sars looked to have Mullinahone well beaten with 15 left to play when Mullinahone stormed back into the game by scoring a goal, had another ruled out when an advantage was just called back before the ball was struck and blazed another close as well.

Conor Stakelum was the standout performer, striking for sport while the evergreen Eoin Kelly was steady and assured in goals for Mullinahone. The Sarsfields versus Moycarkey clash in round two will draw the crowds and all eyes will be on Moycarkey to see if they can find some consistency to prove they are a team to be reckoned with.

The club has the potential to be a big gun in the division and the tradition of success is there also which is always a subtle benefit in the GAA world.

In group 4 Clonoulty and Kiladangan hit 4-20 and drew while Templederry hit 3-20 and lost heavily. 6-26 from Brackens is serious scoring and they, along with Holycross, have the potential to be dark horses for the county.

Paddy Cadell and his brother Conor are always steady players, Shane Doyleis in good form while Lyndon Fairbrother is a high percentage freetaker. This year Jamie Ormond has stepped up to senior comfortably and he struck 1-5 against Templederry.

The big test will come for them in round two in what is a finely poised group where Clonoulty and Kiladangan are the big guns and, like Moycarkey, finding consistency in their quality of play is key.

In the Premier Intermediate both the favourites fell in the first round with Carrick Swans accounting for Upperchurch and Gortnahoe for Cashel King Cormacs. Both favourites still have divisional final wins secured as an insurance as they are guaranteed to be in the knockout stages but the losses will be a grounding experience.

Elsewhere Boherlahan captain Mark Downey overcame a series of injuries to play and he scored two first half goals as they beat Clonakenny in group 3. Mid Tipperary teams Boherlahan and Sarsfields clash in an intriguing tie now in the next round while Clonakeny will need a win over Newport to stay in contention.

In group 4 outsiders for the title Burgess are calmly going about their business as they beat Killenaule in a close game. Stephen Murray struck sidelines, frees and the rest in another great performance. Good news for ‘The Robins’ is that Bubbles is back playing after injury so they will hope he can ignite their season yet.

St. Mary’s beat ‘ The Treacys’ who are down a few through injury at present but the group is still wide open. It is all to play for still in all the groups.

Teams just keep on searching for a day like Croker last Sunday.