At tonight’s Tipperary County Board meeting the management teams for 2018 were ratified

Senior

As expected Liam Kearns will continue as senior football manager following his successful stints in 2016 and 2017. In 2016, he led the county to their first All-Ireland senior football semi-final since 1935 while 2017 saw Tipperary win the Allianz National Football League division three title following a confident victory over Louth in Croke Park.

 

Former Tipperary goalkeeper Paul Fitzgerald will once again fulfil the role of selector. Fitzgerald won a Munster minor medal in 1995, the McGrath Cup (2003), Tommy Murphy Cup (2005), National Football League division three (2009) as well as two Tipperary senior football championship medals with Fethard in 1997 and 2001.

Fitzgerald will be joined by Brian Lacey who played at right corner back for both Tipperary and Kildare. Lacey, a former inter-provincial player with both Munster and Leinster, was part of the backroom team in 2017 and is the holder of two Leinster championship medals as well as one Tommy Murphy Cup.

 

Kearns will be joined once again by highly respected strength and conditioning coach David Moriarty, lecturer at Setanta College and former trainer with the Limerick footballers and hurlers. Moriarty was also involved with the Glen Rovers side which won the Cork senior hurling title for the very first time in 26 years in 2015 and they retained it again in 2016.

Acting as both coach and selector is Shane Stapleton from the Golden Kilfeacle club. Shane is an experienced trainer and is very popular among the players. Former Munster and Irish rugby player Ian Dowling will continue in his role once again in 2018.

We wish our senior management team the very best for 2018.

Tipperary Senior Football Management 2018 (2 year term)

Liam Kearns – Manager (Austin Stacks)
Shane Stapleton – Selector (Golden-Kilfeacle)
Paul Fitzgerald – Selector (Fethard)
Brian Lacey – Selector (Round Towers)

Under-20

2018 will see a new under-20 championship to replace the old under-21 grade which was played for the very last time this year.

 

All-Ireland winning minor manager (2011) and former Wexford senior and junior football boss David Power (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) is manager of this team for 2018. David brings a wealth of experience having previously taken charge of the Tipperary junior and under-21 sides.

 

He will be joined by coach Mick O’ Sullivan (Drom & Inch), assistant coach Kieran Maguire (Grangemockler Ballyneale), mentor Tommy Toomey (Arravale Rovers) and the Institute of Technology, Carlow hurler of the year for 1997 and Sky Sports GAA presenter Damien Lawlor (Kilruane MacDonaghs) will also fulfil the role of mentor.

Tipperary U20 Football Management 2018 (2 year term)

David Power – Manager (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
Mick O’Sullivan – Coach (Drom & Inch)
Kieran Maguire – Assistant Coach (Grangemockler-Ballyneale)
Tommy Toomey – Mentor (Arravale Rovers)
Damian Lawlor – Mentor (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

Under-17

2018 will also see the introduction of a new under-17 grade to replace the under-18 grade. It is hoped that this new championship will have the dual benefits of relieving the pressures of combining the Leaving Certificate exams with the expectations of playing under-18 inter-county football from our young players as well as preventing the postponement of adult club games due to an eighteen-year-old being involved with an inter-county minor team.

 

Matt Doherty (Arravale Rovers) will take charge of this side and he will be assisted by selectors James Boland (Inane Rovers), John Nevin (JK Brackens), Benny Hickey (Cahir), Jason Coffey (Ardfinnan) and Viv Downey (Upperchurch Drombane) will take the combined role of coach and selector.

Tipperary Minor Football Management 2018 (2 year term)

Matt O’Doherty – Manager (Arravale Rovers)
Benny Hickey – Coach (Cahir)
Viv Downey – Selector (Upperchurch-Drombane)
James Boland – Selector (Inane Rovers)
Johnny Nevin – Selector (JK Brackens)
Jason Coffey – Strength & Conditioning (Ardfinnan)

 

 

Meanwhile the hurling management teams have also been confirmed and are as follows:

Tipperary Senior Hurling Management 2018 (3 year term)

Michael Ryan – Manager (Upperchurch-Drombane)
Declan Fanning – Coach/Selector (Killenaule)
John Madden – Selector (Lorrha-Dorrha)
Conor Stakelum – Selector (Borris-Ileigh)

Tipperary U21 Hurling Management 2018 (3 year term)

Liam Cahill – Manager (Ballingarry)
Michael Bevans – Coach (Toomevara)
John Sheedy – Selector (Portroe)
Sean Corbett – Selector (Boherlahan-Dualla)
T.J. Ryan – Selector (Clonoulty-Rossmore)

Tipperary Minor Hurling Management 2018 (3 year term)

Tommy Dunne – Manager (Toomevara)
Ger Ryan – Selector (Cappawhite)
Tony Shelly – Selector (Killenaule)
Paul Collins – Selector (Drom & Inch)