Sport « Thurles Information

Tipperary Hurling Management Step Down

The Tipperary hurling management team of Mr Michael Ryan; hurling coach Mr Declan Fanning; and selectors Mr John Madden and Mr Conor Stakelum, have all decided to step down following a disappointing Championship campaign for Tipperary, which saw them crash out of the competition in the inaugural Munster round-robin phase.

The Drombane-Upperchurch Liam MacCarthy cup winner in 1991, Mr Michael Ryan, had been first appointed as Tipperary manager in 2015 having served as a selector under both Mr Eamon O’Shea and Mr Liam Sheedy.

During his term he guided Tipperary to an All-Ireland title in his first 2016 season in charge, with a decisive victory over Kilkenny. In the following season, 2017, Tipperary lost out to eventual winners Galway at the All-Ireland semi-final stage by just a single point. However this year, Tipperary failed to make headway in four Munster games; having drawn with Co. Cork and Co. Waterford, but losing to both Co. Limerick and Co. Clare.

Accepting the decision of the Tipperary hurling management team, Mr John Devane, (Tipperary County Board chairman) expressed his gratitude, stating:- “As chairman of Tipperary County Board, I wish to express the sincere thanks and appreciation and that on behalf of all Tipperary supporters to our Senior Hurling Management team who have today confirmed their intention to step down from their roles,” he said. “Each one, Mick, Declan, John and Conor have given selflessly of their time over the past three years for the greater good of Tipperary, reaching the pinnacle of success in their first year with All Ireland glory. In particular, manager Mick Ryan has given unparalleled service over many years on the field of play and on the sideline as a selector, initially under two separate managers before stepping up to that level himself in 2016. As players and management we couldn’t have asked for more of them and I wish them every success now and for the future.”

In a full statement from Management announcing their decision, they declared:-

“On behalf of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Management team, we wish to confirm that we are stepping down from our roles with immediate effect.
Having carefully considered what is in the best interest of Tipperary hurling and our current crop of players, we believe the time is now right for a change of direction at Management level. It is our hope that a change in management will bring fresh new thinking to ensure Tipperary continues to compete for top honours in the coming years.
We wish to sincerely thank the Tipperary County Board and its Officers for giving us the opportunity 3 years ago to take on the Management of the Senior Hurling Team.
We enjoyed some fantastic days and endured some equally disappointing defeats which are all part and parcel of sport at every level. It has been a great honour and privilege for each of us to have been entrusted with these roles.
We are extremely fortunate in Tipperary to have such a positive and active Tipperary Supporters Club which has been supporting Tipperary Hurling at all levels since 1987. Tipperary Supporters Club has given us fabulous support and encouragement and we are very grateful to them for the tireless work they do for the benefit of Tipperary Hurling.
Our back-room team have been key to preparing our players over the last 3 years and we have been exceptionally well served by a fully committed team who did everything within their power to help our players.
We would especially like to acknowledge and thank the Tipperary public who have been fantastic supporters through thick and thin during our Management term.We wish we could have delivered more success particularly this year with the new hurling structures and fantastic hurling that has been played in this year’s Championship.
And finally we wish to thank the players who have worked tirelessly with us and given their all for Tipperary. These are extraordinary young men whose passion and commitment for our game has made working with them so enjoyable and rewarding for us every single night we trained or played our game.
We wish the players, the new Management and back-room team every success for 2019 and beyond, as we re-join the Tipperary supporters in Semple Stadium and around the country encouraging our players to great victories again.”

Tipperary Garda Receives €1.16 Million In Compensation

The Minister for Finance has agreed to pay a former 44-year-old Tipperary hurling Captain, Garda Mr Aidan Flanagan, €1.16million following injuries suffered when he was kicked in his back, during the making of an arrest.

Compensation of €175,000 in general damages and €45,000 for the loss of future opportunity, had previously been awarded to the Garda by Mr Justice Bernard Barton. The Justice had then adjourned further ruling in relation to the case; pending a review of ongoing negotiations between Mr Micheál Ó Scanaill, SC State Counsel for the Finance Minister) and Mr Alan Keating BA. LL.B; (Barrister for Garda Flanagan).

Following further negotiations and taking into account Garda Flanagan’s past and present loss of earnings; Mr Ó Scanaill, appearing with Barrister Ms Rebecca Graydon BCL, LL.M (Commercial), M.C.I Arb., informed Judge Bernard Barton that now a consent order for €1.16m could be made in Garda Flanagan’s favour.

Mr Justice Barton, in his earlier ruling and following a Garda Compensation hearing in the High Court, had stated that the ferocity of the blow Garda Flanagan had received to the base of his back, had devastating consequences for the injured man’s future.

The Judge stated that Garda Flanagan had suffered the injury when he was only 30 years of age and had made a substantial €1.47m claim for general damages and recurring pecuniary losses.

Garda Flanagan had been a fit young man who had a passion for the game of hurling, a sport in which he had excelled, playing for Tipperary. He had earlier won an All-Ireland medal at Under 21 level, before being elevated to the Tipperary senior panel, to hurl for his county, going on to become Captain of the Tipperary senior team during the 1997 National Hurling League.

Judge Barton explained that Garda Flanagan, because of his injuries, had faced financial embarrassment to the extent that attempts had been made to re-possess his home, which in turn led to him having to be treated in the St John of God Hospital in Dublin.

Garda Flanagan had arrested a youth, following a store burglary in which alcohol had been stolen; some of which had been consumed by the youth together with a quantity of tablets prior to his arrest.

On entering the back seat of a squad car to restrain the handcuffed teenager, he, Garda Flanagan, had received a kick into the small of his back. Following this attack and over subsequent years there had been a serious and significant deterioration to the Garda’s physical and mental capacity, as a result of ongoing chronic pain; leaving the officer with the feeling that he considered he could no longer serve as a Garda. Indeed, he had since applied unsuccessfully to be retired on health grounds.

The degree of force used by Garda Flanagan’s assailant had been somewhat controversial during the 15-day hearing of this case, since one of the issues before the court, prior to the 2005 assault had been the fact that he had previously suffered back injuries in a car accident and in a fall.

Still Now The Hurling Hero’s Hand

Still Now The Hurling Hero’s Hand

© Author & Poet Tom Ryan.

[Dedicated to Thurles Sarsfields Hurlers of the past.]

Still now the hurling hero’s hand
That wedded to the ancient ash of his camán
On green and glorious fields of youth
Forged memories magical.
Abandoned now the stalwart hurl of pride,
Hewn from the ash of Killough Hill,
That in many a field of trial had fashioned
The powerful poetry of play.
The game is over,
The nets are down,
The passion spent,
The hero’s home.
He hurls but now in memories
On dark, cold winter nights
By the fireside’s of Cuchulainn’s Gaels.
Or wherever hurling folk assemble
With the ash in their head and heart,
To play and play again
The stirring games of yesterday.

End.

Tom Ryan, “Iona”, Rahealty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Launch Night For Thurles Sarsfields New Pitch Development

Thurles Sarsfields Club Chairperson, John Cahill, reports:-

“On behalf of the Officers of Thurles Sarsfields GAA Club, I would like to extend an open invitation to friends and followers of Thurles Sarsfields GAA Club, and to every member of the wider Thurles Community, to attend the launch night for the Thurles Sarsfields New Pitch Development which takes place tomorrow night, Friday 30th March at 7.30pm.

This is an important social infrastructure development for the parish of Thurles, which will be of major benefit to the community in the years ahead. The Club is launching this ambitious project on Friday night at 7.30pm at Thurles Sarsfields Social Centre, in Bohernanave where Club Officers will provide a short information session on the project.”

Note: All members of the public are most welcome to attend.

Tipperary Keep Cool To Deny Dublin

Despite a rather unexplained sluggish start, the Premier County have gone on to reserve a place in this year’s Allianz NHL semi-finals, following an 11point victory over Dublin at Croke Park today.

Dublin came into the game from the start, with a definite mission and had chalked up eight points to their credit within the first ten minutes, same coming courtesy of Keaney, Burke, Winters, Sutcliffe and McGibb.

However, Tipperary kept their cool, while stepping up the gears, to meet Dublin’s advance and had restored full uniformity by the 23rd minute. Tipperary now showed their true skill and their ability to control the final result, as confirmed by John McGrath’s 27th minute goal, granting them a well-deserved 4 point lead at half time.

However, the Premier would be reduced to 14 men in the second half, with their No.9, Ronan Maher, side-lined following a second yellow card offence. Despite this numerical disadvantage, Tipperary continued to extend their lead, with points coming courtesy of Alan Flynn, John McGrath and Jason Forde and despite hitting 10 points in their opening 12 minutes, Dublin managed only another 10 points for the remainder of their game.

Overall, Tipperary provided the greater skill in the second half, no doubt encouraged by a 49th minute Michael Breen goal and eventually finished up the victors by 11 points despite their numerical inconvenience.

Final Score: Dublin 0-20 (20pts) — Tipperary 2-25 (31pts).

Man Of The Match: Padraic Maher, (Centre-back).

Tipperary Scorer on Target:– J. Forde 9pts; J. McGrath 7pts ; M. Breen 3pts; R. Maher 2pts; S. Curran, C. Darcy & J. O’Dwyer 2pts each; and finally A. Flynn, S. Kennedy, B. Heffernan and P. Maher 1pt a piece.

Tipperary Team: Brian Hogan; Alan Flynn; James Barry; Michael Cahill; Barry Heffernan; Padraic Maher; Paudie Feehan; Seamus Kennedy; Ronan Maher; John McGrath; Billy McCarthy; Seán Curran; Michael Breen; Jason Forde & Cian Darcy.

Substitutions: John O’Dwyer for C. Darcy; Paul Maher for S. Kennedy; Paul Shanahan for M. Breen; Tomas Hamill for P. Feehan; Willie Connors for B. McCarthy.

Referee: Sean Cleere (Co. Kilkenny).