Tipperary Welcome Meath to Semple Stadium This Saturday

21 Feb 2018

Tipperary Welcome Meath to Semple Stadium This Saturday

The Tipperary panel which drew with Clare

It is fair to say that as we approach the midway point of this year’s Allianz National Football League Division Two campaign that both Meath and Tipperary have endured a topsy-turvy season to date with a win, a draw and a loss each. Such a mixed bag of results has ensured that both teams will be hoping to kick start their seasons with victory on Saturday and cement themselves firmly in the race for promotion.  This game promises to be an entertaining, sporting clash between two well matched sides and playing it under floodlights certainly adds to the occasion as it tends to create a fantastic atmosphere for supporters and offers something a little different to the traditional Sunday afternoon league matches.

While the sides last met in 2010 in the league, with Tipperary coming out on top on a 1-9 to 0-10 score line, one has to travel back 122 years for our first and only championship meeting, the All-Ireland final of 1895 (played in 1896) where once again Tipperary endured, this time by one point, 0-4 to 0-3 in front of 8,000 spectators. This was a historic final for a number of reasons. It was the first year that the hurling and football finals were held in Croke Park, then called Jones Road, with Tipperary recording a unique double with the hurlers also capturing All-Ireland glory accounting for aged old rivals Kilkenny, 6-8 to 0-1. Also, it was the final time that a goal was worth five points with its value reduced to three for the 1896 campaign, a rule that still stands to this very day.

 

Tipperary, represented by the county champions Arravale Rovers, won the game in controversial circumstances over Navan side, Pierce O’ Mahoney’s. Willie Ryan, scorer of all of Tipperary’s points, was by all accounts the best player on display with Canon Philip Fogarty in the Tipperary GAA Story describing how he kicked the ball from midfield, followed it into the forward area, caught it again and kicked the equalizing score. With time just up, Tipperary won a free and Ryan took on the responsibility and sent the Premier into the lead, a lead they would not surrender.

Tipperary, represented by Arravale Rovers, winners of the 1895 All-Ireland senior football championship.
Front Row: J. Ryan, President, W. Ryan, M. McInerney, R. Quane, W.P. Ryan (Captain), M. Connery, W.P. Quane, J.J. Burke Secretary.
Center Row: J. O’ Brien, P. Daly, J. Carew, R. Swords, J. Riordan, M. Butler.
Back Row: J. Luddy, W. O’ Shea, W. Dwyer Treasurer, P. Dwyer, P. Glasheen, M. Ryan, J. Wyse Assistant Secretary

However, the following day The Dublin Press published a letter from the referee, J.J. Kenny, in which he confessed “that one of the Tipperary scores was illegal, because it was secured from inside the twenty-one yards mark, and that therefore the match should have been a draw”. The Central Council of the GAA met soon afterwards and decided that the final score would stand, with Meath sportingly not seeking a replay. Instead, another match was arranged between the sides with a new set of medals on offer for the victors. This time the game ended on 0-5 apiece and a third game was required to separate these great teams. On the final occasion, Arravale Rovers prevailed 2-13 to 1-4.

 

Interestingly, following the All-Ireland final with the crowds cleared from the pitch, the GAA held a long football kick competition with John Luddy, Tipperary town, winning on 66 yards, just one ahead of Pat Davern of Templemore.

 

Sigerson Cup

We extend our congratulations to Liam Casey, Jimmy Feehan and Charlie Manton who were part of the University College Dublin side which captured the Sigerson Cup last weekend after a dramatic win over the National University of Ireland, Galway, 1-13 to 2-9. In fact, Liam Casey kicked the last two points of the game to ensure that this prestigious title went to the capital.

Jimmy Feehan, Liam Casey and Charlie Manton with the Sigerson Cup

Tipperary LGFA Team

We extend our congratulations to the Tipperary LGFA side which defeated Tyrone last Sunday in Drumragh Sarsfields GAA Club, Tyrone, 0-12 to 0-9. The team have been on a phenominal run of form going unbeaten throughout 2017 and they have won all their games so far in 2018. Next up is another trip to Ulster, this time Cavan, and we send them our best wishes.

Templetuohy’s John Lee with Siobhan Condon and Emma Buckley in Tyrone last weekend.

Weekend Fixtures

 

North Tipperary

Saturday, February 24th
North Tipperary Under-21 A Football Final
Borrisokane v Clonakenny-Moneygall

Venue: Borrisokane  3pm Extra time in the event of a draw

 

North Tipperary Under-21 B Football Championship Final
Newport v Kilruane MacDonagh’s

Venue: Dolla 3pm Extra time in the event of a draw

 

South Tipperary

Sunday, February 25th
Clonmel Oil South Tipperary Under-21 A Football Championship Final
Clonmel Commercials or Kilsheelan-Kilcash v Moyle Rovers
Venue: Cahir  11.30am Extra time in the event of a draw

 

South Tipperary Under-21 B Football Semi-Final

Killenaule V Anner Gaels

Monroe, 12pm Extra time in the event of a draw

 

West Tipperary

Saturday, February 24th
West Tipperary Under-21 B Football Championship Final
Knockavilla Kickhams v Golden-Kilfeacle
Venue: Clonoulty 2.30pm Extra time in the event of a draw

 

Sunday, February 25th
West Tipperary Under-21 A Football Championship Final
Cashel King Cormacs v Clonoulty-Rossmore
Venue: Bansha 12 noon Extra time in the event of a draw

 

Mid Tipperary

Saturday, February 24th
Darmody Sports Turf Mid Tipperary Under-21 A Football Championship Final
Loughmore-Castleiney v JK Bracken’s Og
Venue: Templetuohy 5pm Extra time in the event of a draw

 

Darmody Sports Turf Mid Tipperary Under-21 B Football Championship Final
Upperchurch-Drombane v Moyne Temlpetuohy-Thurles Gaels
The Ragg  2pm Extra time in the event of a draw