Walk-overs are making a mockery of senior football in Tipperary

The sorry spectacle at Leahy Park, Cashel, on Saturday last, where a Junior B team fielded against a senior team in the semi-final of a ‘new’ Tipperary senior competition is something that football followers should not have to witness again.

Whether this scenario of David v Goliath in football terms was any better than the other semi-final outcome when a walk-over was conceded is a matter of opinion. Certainly neither do anything to help the advancement of football.

Obviously, Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill, a small parish trying to compete at senior in both hurling and football, have their sights set on next weekend’s hurling relegation decider with Templederry, and understandably didn’t want to risk players; Drom/Inch likewise with their focus totally on a Dan Breen Cup semi-final with Kiladangan.

But it goes a bit deeper than that and walk-overs in football are becoming far too common.
Eire Og footballers also conceded to JK Brackens in their final game of Group 4; while Drom/Inch conceded to Moyle Rovers in their final Group 2 game.

A disappointing day for Tipperary football - Rockwell Rovers into Tom Cusack Cup final

Having gone through their three group games pointless, Drom/Inch won their only football game of the year in the Tom Cusack Cup quarter-final, defeating Cahir 0-11 to 0-10. Senior status now secured, they then conceded to Killenaule in the Tom Cusack Cup semi-final.

Elsewhere on the same day, Aherlow Gaels were being relegated when losing a cliff-hanger relegation battle with Cahir, two clubs desperately seeking to preserve their coveted senior status.

Aherlow had drawn with Ardfinnan in the group stages, lost by a point to Eire Og in the Tom Cusack Cup quarter-final, and had a late penalty to force extra-time against Cahir. They gave everything to the cause.

So either clubs want to play senior football or they don’t, but the status quo whereby clubs can opt in and out of fixtures as they see fit, subordinating football to hurling without penalty, cannot be allowed to continue. Something needs to change or to be changed.