FBD Semple Stadium today plays host to the first ever all Tipperary Harty Cup Final – Munster Schools Senior A Hurling Final between Thurles CBS and Cashel Community School.
Thurles CBS will be aiming to win their ninth Harty Cup final, whilst Cashel will aim to upset the odds and go for their first title.
Thurles CBS came through the Group Stages and following a narrow victory against St. Coleman’s College Fermoy; they again had a comfortable win against Midleton CBS in the semi final. Cashel successfully navigated the group stages and a 3 point victory against CBC Cork was followed by a sensational win against Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, by the narrowest of margins in the Semi Final.
Apart from being the first all ‘Premier final’ in the competition’s 106 year history, today’s clash will see club mates square off, with Cashel King Cormac’s and Knockavilla Kickhams having representation on both panels. An interesting family battle is also expected, as Thurles CBS and Holycross Ballycahill star Robbie Ryan will, no doubt, aim to gain the upper hand over his uncle Brendan Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill GAA), who manages the Cashel CS team.
The presence of two Tipperary teams in the final is a testament to the dedication of the players, their mentors and Teachers and also their GAA clubs and mentors, from all over Mid and West Tipperary.
Throw in for todays historic fixture is at 1:00pm.
All GAA games due to be played in Co. Tipperary, this weekend, have now been cancelled as a mark of respect, following the death of inter-county hurler Mr Dillon Quirke; who sadly collapsed during a club match at Semple Stadium here in Thurles on Friday evening last.
Mr Quirke’s club ‘Clonoulty-Rossmore’ were playing ‘Kilruane McDonaghs’ when the 24-year-old sportsman suddenly collapsed just before half-time. Mr Quirke was immediately treated by medics, before being rushed to Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel.
Tipperary GAA, in extending their sincere heartfelt sympathies to Dillon’s family, friends and clubmates, also wish to thank all those who attended to Mr Quirke, both in Semple Stadium and in Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel.
Dúrlas Óg U15Team Picture Courtesy John O’Loughlin, Thurles.
Thurles.info would like to congratulate Dúrlas Óg and their Captain Evan Nolan, on winning the Féile na nGael, National Division 1 U15 Hurling title today in Abbotstown; defeating Ahane GAA in today’s final.
Final score: Durlas Og 2–10(16pts). Ahane 0–03(3pts).
The famous Christy Ring trophy returns to Thurles for the first time in 32 years.
While acclaimed American actor and comedian Mr Bill Murray’s American motherland is instinctively more basketball than sliotar; more baseball bat than hurl and more NFL than GAA, today’s all Ireland quarter final double header in Semple Stadium didn’t seem to get “Lost in Translation”.
Mr Murray appeared to take great interest in the Cork vs Galway/Clare vs Wexford, double-header, as a guest of businessman Mr JP McManus today, in Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Note: Mr Murray’s grandfather hails from Co. Cork, while his mother’s family have origins in Co. Galway.
Legendary jockey Mr Lester Piggott, sadly passed away today aged 86, while in hospital in Switzerland, following a recurrence of a previous heart problem. Mr Piggott had emigrated to Switzerland in 2012, where he had continued to reside in rented accommodation with his mistress Lady Barbara FitzGerald, latter more than 20 years his junior.
Born on November 5th, 1935 in Wantage, Berkshire, England; Mr Piggott is regarded as one of the greatest flat racing jockeys, and the finest of his generation. Mr Piggott, who won the Derby nine times, began racing horses from his father’s stable when he was ten years old winning his first race in 1948, at the aged of twelve, on a horse called ‘The Chase’, at Haydock Park racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. His final victory was on the same course in 1994, a few weeks before his 59th birthday. He retired in 1995.
Believed to be one of his last visits to Co. Tipperary; on Thursday May 23rd, 2013, Mr Lester Piggott, accompanied by his daughter, RTE television presenter Tracy Piggott, was the guest of honour at the official launch of the newly redeveloped Tipperary Racecourse, at Ballykisteen, Limerick Junction, Co. Tipperary.
Tall for a jockey at 5 feet 8 inches, and known as “The Long Fellow”, Mr Piggott kept himself thirty pounds (14kg) under his natural weight to remain competitive. During a career lasting almost 50 years in all, he rode 4,493 winners and was crowned champion jockey 11 times between 1960 and 1982, and last year was inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.
In a low point in his career, he served 366 days of a three-year prison sentence handed down in 1987 for tax evasion and was stripped of his Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Piggott married Susan Armstrong, the daughter of trainer Sam Armstrong, in 1961 before moving to Newmarket, Suffolk. The couple would later separate, but remained married. They had two daughters, Maureen, married to Derby-winning trainer William Haggas and Tracy, latter a sports presenter on Irish television station RTÉ. He also had a son, Jamie, from his relationship with personal assistant Anna Ludlow.
In 2014 his Eve Lodge Stables training yard and complex, (which included four semi-detached, two-bedroomed bungalows) which could then house up to 100 horses, was put on the market for £1.25 million.
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