The Tipperary GAA (Club and intercounty) Discussion thread 2012

jimmydkid

Any one know which terrace tipp fans are in on sunday?

Loughc

ger2111 wrote: »

looking forward to it in any case.
Think the Munster title is all either side can hope for this year what ever the result.
Hope its a dry day!

As long as Declan Ryan is manager I have to agree with you the Munster title is the best Tipp can hope for this year too.

Tipp-Cork always tends to get good sunny weather, I can remember plenty a year I got burnt alive sitting in the uncovered stand! Hopefully it'll be sunny again on Sunday!

icjzfmq7ewon1t

jimmydkid wrote: »

Any one know which terrace tipp fans are in on sunday?

Both terraces are open on Sunday and Tipp have been allocated the City end.

looder

ger2111 wrote: »

looking forward to it in any case.
Think the Munster title is all either side can hope for this year what ever the result.
Hope its a dry day!

Good teams don't go bad overnight. Tipp have the strongest panel in the country at the moment, maybe not the strongest starting 15 but definitely the strongest 20.

If the management improve on their mistakes, Liam McCarthy could very well be in Thurles this September again.

tippspur

lockie1983 wrote: »

Yea the rumors are true there has been alot of infighting in the Tipp camp this year. But I fail to see how that will make it an easy win for Cork?

Every camp goes through these bad spells, some you wouldn't even hear of or would know about by how how good they play together.

I don't see this an easy game for either team by any stretch of the imagination. It's never easy getting a result against Cork in Cork but that's what we'll be aiming to do come Sunday!

What infighting would this be now? the lying internet rumour type is it? :rolleyes:

Loughc

tippspur wrote: »

What infighting would this be now? the lying internet rumour type is it? :rolleyes:

Not from the internet at all, my brother is a coach for the Tipp Senior Footballers and he was just saying what he's heard at training. But yes they are still rumours and as I said in my previous post even if there is infighting that won't affect how well they can play on the pitch.

ormond lad

Tipp v Cork: Cummins,C O'Brien,Curran,Cahill,Stapleton,O'Mahony,Paudie,B Maher,S McGrath,G Ryan,Bonner,Bourke,O'Meara,J O'Brien,N McGrath

tippspur

ormond lad wrote: »

Tipp v Cork: Cummins,C O'Brien,Curran,Cahill,Stapleton,O'Mahony,Paudie,B Maher,S McGrath,G Ryan,Bonner,Bourke,O'Meara,J O'Brien,N McGrath

Kelly not first choice any more is a big change,had to happen I suppose,plenty of good forwards to spring off the bench it things are not working out for us.

tippspur

tippspur wrote: »

Kelly not first choice any more is a big change,had to happen I suppose,plenty of good forwards to spring off the bench it things are not working out for us.

Kelly overused during the winter i think. No sense to it whatsoever to have him mullocking during the wet days and nights. The man turned 30 this year and should be used more sensibly then that.

I would say there is a good bond between the players as otherwise we would have folded against Limerick and not made a comeback. However i do think there could be communication issues with the management.

As for that row the Cork poster was referring to, i had heard of an incident which allegedly took place the Sunday night after the Limerick game alright but id say a storm has been created in a tea cup. Kilkenny's winter training sessions took place in the local GAA club of a girl i used go out with a couple of years ago and she was telling me at the time that the brawls that used take place during training because of the intensity was unreal. Cody never batted an eyelid once. Of course it goes without saying that if any rifts did occur within their camp they concealed it very well.

Loughc

Deleted User wrote: »

Kelly overused during the winter i think. No sense to it whatsoever to have him mullocking during the wet days and nights. The man turned 30 this year and should be used more sensibly then that.

I would say there is a good bond between the players as otherwise we would have folded against Limerick and not made a comeback. However i do think there could be communication issues with the management.

As for that row the Cork poster was referring to, i had heard of an incident which allegedly took place the Sunday night after the Limerick game alright but id say a storm has been created in a tea cup. Kilkenny's winter training sessions took place in the local GAA club of a girl i used go out with a couple of years ago and she was telling me at the time that the brawls that used take place during training because of the intensity was unreal. Cody never batted an eyelid once. Of course it goes without saying that if any rifts did occur within their camp they concealed it very well.

Well said rifts happen the whole time in GAA clubs its part and parcel of the game but most of them are hidden well as you said.

I 100% agree there def appears to be some communication problems amongst management, which could prove to be our downfall this year.

I firmly believe we were lucky against Limerick, a stronger team would have had finished us off!

lockie1983

lockie1983 wrote: »

Well said rifts happen the whole time in GAA clubs its part and parcel of the game but most of them are hidden well as you said.

I 100% agree there def appears to be some communication problems amongst management, which could prove to be our downfall this year.

I firmly believe we were lucky against Limerick, a stronger team would have had finished us off!

If Kilkenny had that lead on us we wouldn't have got within a sniff of them. In fact i reckon that it would have turned into a battering. Compare to Ken Hogans u21 panel and Davy Powers minor football panel, the senior hurling management seem extremely disorganised by comparison.

Tipp IHC team named to play Cork at 2pm.

Strong team by looks of it. Taken from HoganStand.

The Tipperary Intermediate hurling team to play Cork on Sunday next in the Munster IHC semi-final has been named.

Tipperary (IHC v Cork) - James Logue (Ballingarry), Gerry Walsh (Carrick Swan), Kevin O'Gorman (Thurles Sarsfields), Christy Coughlan (Templederry Kenyons), James Barry (Upperchurch Drombane), Eddie Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney), Ronan Sherlock (Silvermines), Michael Gleeson (Thurles Sarsfields), Paudie White (Clonoulty Rossmore), Sean Carey (Moyle Rovers), Damien O'Brien (Burgess), Michael Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg), Kieran Morris (Moycarkey-Borris), Joe Gallagher (Kildangan), David Butler (Drom and Inch).

Loughc

Deleted User wrote: »

If Kilkenny had that lead on us we wouldn't have got within a sniff of them. In fact i reckon that it would have turned into a battering. Compare to Ken Hogans u21 panel and Davy Powers minor football panel, the senior hurling management seem extremely disorganised by comparison.

Well said, couldn't agree with you anymore!

tippspur

Sean Og and John Gardiner dropped off Cork team for Sunday.

icjzfmq7ewon1t

lockie1983 wrote: »

Well said, couldn't agree with you anymore!

As in ever again

Patsy fyre

Half back line in serious trouble so far!

Loughc

Philip Tasty Marsupial wrote: »

lockie1983 wrote: »

Well said, couldn't agree with you anymore!

As in ever again

Haha no!

Disappointed they didn't take John o brien off before he got sent off. He looked like he was gonna get sent off in the first half alone! Why didn't they take him off??

Great to see Lar back!

tippspur

Great win fir Tipp,time for beer now.

Magnificent guts shown from Tipp today. A testament to the great spirit that is within this panel of players. I thought when JOB was sent off that we were in trouble but credit to the team, backs to the wall and they got over the line.

Article on the amazing Bonnar Maher in todays indo

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/action-man-quickens-tipps-step-3147519.html

Action man quickens Tipp's step
Patrick 'Bonner' Maher's dynamism is now a vital ingredient for the blue and gold, writes Damian Lawlor

DECLAN FANNING swears Liam Sheedy did it for the devilment. "Every time we'd play a match in training, Sheedy would put Bonner Maher over on top of me," Fanning says. "Every single time. At first you'd wonder was it a coincidence but it just never let up.

"I'd say he got a right kick out of putting a young workhorse on me as I was coming to the end of my inter-county days. Sure it was torture, it was actually like marking a corner-back. He never stopped working or hassling. He was full of speed too. Direct as a bullet.

"With some lads you'd think to yourself, 'grand, I'll get a little break here'. Not with Bonner, though -- it was 100 per cent direct running and hunger from the first to the final whistle. I'd get away from him sometimes, I'd be about to clear a ball downfield but that's when he was at his most dangerous. Out of nowhere a hurl, boot or hand would come in and he'd block me. I actually think he goes up a gear when he doesn't have the ball. I was sick of marking him."

By the time the final whistle sounded in the Munster quarter-final three weeks ago, so too were Limerick.

With Tipperary six points down Declan Ryan made the biggest call of his managerial career. He whipped off Eoin Kelly, who has scored 21-357 in championship hurling, and replaced him with Maher. Six minutes of the second half had elapsed. In just 29 minutes he fielded the ball nine times and set up 1-3 for his team-mates. He was fouled at least once more although no free was awarded. Maher didn't score himself but that didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Bonner Maher is 100 per cent legit," says one team-mate. "By that I mean he acts like he hurls -- straight down the line. There's no second-guessing him or no acting around. He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke and plays only for the team. I would go as far as saying that since 2000 he's the best specimen of an athlete and team player I have seen wear a Tipp shirt."

Eamonn Corcoran, who retired in 2009, feels the time is fast coming where the Tipp attack must be based around him, especially for grinding encounters like this afternoon's in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

"We have several quality hurlers but they're all of a similar type," Corcoran notes. "Bonner maybe makes them all gel with his own style. During the National League we had a severe shortage of goals and everyone said it was because Larry Corbett wasn't around or because Seamie Callanan was injured. They should look deeper, though. I think the goals dried up because Bonner wasn't there to break ball for the boys. He was out for ten weeks with a knee injury and we suffered rightly. The only plus side is the break might have helped him stay fresh."

Within the Tipp camp they reckon the biggest problem is stopping him from overtraining. By far the fittest player on the squad, Maher, who works as a fitness instructor at the County Arms Hotel in Birr, is inclined to do too much.

"A few years ago we were wired up to the GPS tracking systems that monitor how far and how long you run for," Fanning remembers. "The average player on our team covered eight kilometres per game but I think Bonner was well up around the 11-kilometre mark."

It's no surprise to many of the current or former Tipp hurlers that Maher has only scored 1-3 in 11 championship games. Scoring is only a secondary consideration. In last year's Munster final against Waterford, for instance, he could easily have gone for goal himself but instead laid it off to Callanan to do the honours and raise a green flag.

"There were many other times when he has been through only to flick the ball off for someone else," Corcoran adds. "Some forwards feel they have to raise a flag or they'll be taken off but he doesn't seem to be influenced by that way of thinking."

The experience gained from his first taste of championship hurling has helped shape this selfless style. Following Tipp's exit to Cork in the 2010 provincial opener, Maher made his debut against Wexford in the qualifiers and zoned in on goal when a pass was a better option. Noel Carton saved his effort and both Lar Corbett and Eoin Kelly strode out to remonstrate with the youngster. In the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway, he found himself in the same position but this time passed to Kelly who scored. Once more both Corbett and Kelly came running out to him. This time, though, all you could hear was praise. 'Your score . . . your score.'

In a county that has lauded stylists like Kelly, Nicky English, Jimmy Doyle, Pat Fox and Michael Cleary, they're now starting to look upon Maher as the heartbeat of the team. That's some going for a guy more renowned for work rate.

"I actually don't agree with that theory at all," Fanning shrugs. "When Bonner came into the set-up he had these tags like 'work rate' and 'determination' slapped on him. Now, I'd take those traits every day, but the point I'm making is that he's totally underrated. Eamon O'Shea has brought his hurling on no end, his stick work is top-class and he could get a lot more scores if he wanted to. It's just that most of the time he'd prefer to play in a fella who is in a better position."

The raw materials were always there. Shane Brophy, the secretary at Maher's home club, Lorrha, can testify to that. "His pace has always set him apart and his hunger, too, but just recently we played Borrisokane in the championship and Bonner got in front of Philip Austin, the Tipp football captain. Running at full pelt he clipped the ball from the ground into his hands without breaking stride. It was absolutely brilliant to watch.

"And back in 2007, when he was only 17, we played Ballina in the North Tipp intermediate final. We were a point down in the last minute when he got the ball and broke through their defence. We thought he'd clip it over the bar, get the draw and we'd live to fight another day but instead he broke through and buried it. We won by two in the end. He only had one thing on his mind."

There have been plenty of hills for the youngster to climb to reach this stage of his career.

Despite hammering in three goals in the county's run to the 2007 All-Ireland minor title, it took the Tipp public some time to appreciate just how much he brought to the table at senior level. He didn't make his championship debut until 2010.

"Look," says another team-mate. "A guy can come on the scene, burn the ground up in his first few games and you'll think the world of him. He could be gone two years later. But a fella who gradually earns respect will hang onto it for much longer. That's the way it is with Bonner."

Corcoran says it won't matter whether Maher stays at centre-forward or roams to the wing against Cork today because his probing runs will attract space for team-mates anywhere on the pitch.

"He doesn't do non-work days and he's after perfecting this trick of trapping the ball in the air with his hurley and rolling it, or flicking it, into a team-mate's path," Corcoran observes. "You can play him anywhere on the field with an ability like that.

"But it's the dirty ball that you have no hope of getting, the ball you don't want to chase after, that's where Bonner comes into his own. He won't rest until he gets it back. He's nearly the most important man on the team as far as I'm concerned."

No one is quite sure what game-plan O'Shea and Sheedy concocted for him in the 2010 All-Ireland final when he kept Tommy Walsh quiet -- Walsh only struck the ball out of hand on five occasions -- but it's clear he sacrificed his own game for the good of the team. Three times during that final O'Shea ran onto the field to reassure Maher that he was 'doing a terrific job'. The youngster needed reassurance that even though he wasn't pointing from all angles himself he was still doing the job the team wanted.

A year later, a ferociously hungry Walsh got the better of him in the first half but, along with John O'Brien, Maher showed fierce resolve in the second half to keep the team in the hunt for successive titles.

Contrary to popular opinion, he didn't pick up his nickname from the Tipperary hurler of the 1980s and 1990s, Cormac Bonnar, whose game centred on bravery and aerial ability and it led to the theory that Patrick Maher was renamed with the Cashel man in mind. The truth, however, is that his first sporting hero was Packie Bonner whom he watched as a five-year-old at USA '94. After every Ireland game Maher would take to the front lawn to practise his diving. Hence the nickname.

If the Tipperary forwards were submitted into the market place and put on a transfer list in the morning, you cannot help but think that Maher would be a player Brian Cody would instantly look for. His influence is a great tableau of little things -- he's a creator, destroyer, workhorse and team man. They are qualities that the young lad from Lorrha brings to Páirc Uí Chaoimh today.

He mightn't rattle the net too often, but he's the heartbeat of his team. Tipp are lucky to have him

sideboard

I just wonder who it is that decides on 'Man of the Match' award. How could anyone who knows anything about the game not see that it was Bonner who influenced that great victory over Cork yesterday from start to end...who else came close to him yesterday over 70 minutes? In my view Bonner is the Heart of Tipperary hurling and yesterday his pulse was immense!

sideboard

sideboard wrote: »

I just wonder who it is that decides on 'Man of the Match' award. How could anyone who knows anything about the game not see that it was Bonner who influenced that great victory over Cork yesterday from start to end...who else came close to him yesterday over 70 minutes? In my view Bonner is the Heart of Tipperary hurling and yesterday his pulse was immense!

No doubt about it buddy. He is immense and has unbelievable control. When Tipp are playing they should just rename the man of the match award the 'Man of the Match other than Bonnar' award. You talk about great catches but look at that catch in the build up to the goal. Absolutely fantastic.

Noel scored 1-4 from play yesterday and wasn't on the ball an awful lot so i can understand his choice as MOTM, but behind every attack we get is Bonnar Maher either in one form or another. He is a handful. I do wish thought that his fellow forwards would get up in numbers at times and help im out. Bonnar has the ability to suck in players which creates space for other players.

Overall though my MOTM yesterday was Shane McGrath who is back to his best. He covered every blade of grass when we went down to 14 men. Its a headache to pick our MOTM yesterday really.

Loughc

The Independent today gave Bonnar Maher MOTM, and rightly so!

lockie1983

lockie1983 wrote: »

The Independent today gave Bonnar Maher MOTM, and rightly so!

You could never object to him getting MOTM in any game. The senior hurlers became the 4th Tipperary team in 2012 to beat Cork down in Cork yesterday.

Minor Footballers
Under 21 Hurlers
Intermediate Hurlers
Senior Hurlers.

Amazing when you think of it. And the senior hurlers have become just the 2nd team to win in Cork since 1928. Even the most successful Tipperary team with John Doyle etc or in later years the team with Pat Fox and Nicky English have never achieved this feat but of course the class of 2008 during Liam Sheedys first year was the only other occasion

sideboard

Deleted User wrote: »

No doubt about it buddy. He is immense and has unbelievable control. When Tipp are playing they should just rename the man of the match award the 'Man of the Match other than Bonnar' award. You talk about great catches but look at that catch in the build up to the goal. Absolutely fantastic.

Noel scored 1-4 from play yesterday and wasn't on the ball an awful lot so i can understand his choice as MOTM, but behind every attack we get is Bonnar Maher either in one form or another. He is a handful. I do wish thought that his fellow forwards would get up in numbers at times and help im out. Bonnar has the ability to suck in players which creates space for other players.

Overall though my MOTM yesterday was Shane McGrath who is back to his best. He covered every blade of grass when we went down to 14 men. Its a headache to pick our MOTM yesterday really.

I agree with you in that Shane McGrath had a good day and that it is good to see his form return. But Bonnar caused panic throughout Cork whenever he got the ball yesterday and lifted the Tipp fans with his runs. But you are right, his catch alone that led to Tipps goal was as spectacular as Padraig Maher's at his best (the only other player that inspires his fellow teammates -and County- in my view).
I hope that whatever is happening to Brendan Maher will soon pass, as we need him on top form if we are to dislodge KK this year (with all respects to other teams that we get to Croke Pk. in Sept!). It was sad to see him replaced as we know the abundance of talent that this guy has.
Do we have too many 'lovely' hurlers in our forwards, who just won't 'mix-it' (fairly) aka Bonnar?

Minor team to play Decie in Semple Wed night. Ive bolded the dual players.

The Tipperary minor hurling team to play Waterford in the Munster semi-final at Semple Stadium on Wednesday evening shows 4 changes from the team which defeated Kerry in the first round. Barry Heffernan, Tadhg Gallagher, Steven O’Brien and Sean Ryan come into the team instead of Luke Mullally, Tom Kirwan, Sean Nally and Kevin Slattery. The team is -

1. Paul Maher (Moyne-Templetuohy)

2. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

3. Michael Breen (Ballina)

4. Jack Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

5. Dylan Fitzelle (Cashel King Cormacs)

6. Thomas Hamill (Killea)

7. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg)

8. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash) CAPTAIN

9. Tadhg Gallagher (Kildangan)

10. John McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)

11. Jack Shelly (Mullinahone)

12. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)

13. Stephen Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)

14. Mark McCarthy (Toomevara)

15. Sean Ryan (Sean Treacys)

hawkwing

Deleted User wrote: »

Even the most successful Tipperary team with John Doyle etc or in later years the team with Pat Fox and Nicky English have never achieved this feat but of course the class of 2008 during Liam Sheedys first year was the only other occasion

Tipp played Cork in Limerick almost every time through the 50's and 60's however.87-Thurles/Killarney,88-Limerick,90 thurles,91-Drew in Cork,1992-Lost in Cork, so the Bab's/Fox team played there twice only i think with 1 draw and 1 defeat.

Waterford wanted the Munster final moved to Thurles but it was thrown out at the Munster Council meeting last night :mad:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2012/0626/326537-munster-final-confirmed-for-pairc-ui-chaoimh/

I understand if Cork have long term plans to develop PUC then they need match-day revenue but surely safety should be paramount. I think the site in Cork is pretty much ideal for a stadium but the stadium itself is an outdated wreck.

I mean to have the final in Thurles is geographically convenient for Waterford fans. They would get a fairly equal allocation of tickets and they like playing there.

This is the concourse that thousands of fans are expected to pass through on July 15th. The Munster GAA needs to have a major rethink about this.

hawkwing

hawkwing wrote: »

Tipp played Cork in Limerick almost every time through the 50's and 60's however.87-Thurles/Killarney,88-Limerick,90 thurles,91-Drew in Cork,1992-Lost in Cork, so the Bab's/Fox team played there twice only i think with 1 draw and 1 defeat.

Jesus i hadnt actually realised that. I thought it was a rarity for Cork v Tipp to be played anywhere other then PuC/Athletic Grounds or Thurles. I suppose the best way of asking the question is how many times did tipp beat them down there and out of how many appearances since 1928?

ReacherCreature

Maher was simply immense. Posters around here know my fascination with the man but now he's getting the attention he deserves. He got a great few write ups and there's a buzz about him now. He's likely the best player we have at the moment. Just wish he'd go for points or goals more but he's doing a serious job at the moment and an all-star awaits him even if the season ended today.

It was a terrific game and my heart wasn't well for some of it! Noel McGrath had a good game and looked effortless. Correct decision for Ryan in pushing him forward. Great to see McGrath back to his best and he was storming all over the field. I thought Paudi Maher got slaughtered in the first few minutes but got better as the game went on. Michael Cahill had a tough time while Stapleton played well. O' Mahony with a solid game. Corbett didn't do much but his assist was lovely and his presence alone allowed other Tipp players to move around.

Still a little concerned about bombing it down the field when it would have been sensible to pass it around.

RE: Munster Final, it's silly having it down in Cork when Thurles is ideal.