Tipperary county hurling team

Tipperary
Sport:Hurling
Irish:Tiobraid Árann
Nickname(s):The Premier men[1]
County board:Tipperary GAA
Manager:Liam Cahill
Captain:Noel McGrath[2]
Home venue(s):Semple Stadium, Thurles
Recent competitive record
Current All-Ireland status:Munster (third) in 2023
Last championship title:2019
Current NHL Division:1
Last league title:2008
First colours
Current season

The Tipperary county hurling team represents Tipperary in hurling and is governed by Tipperary GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and the National Hurling League.

Tipperary's home ground is Semple Stadium, Thurles. The team's manager is Liam Cahill.

The team last won the Munster Senior Championship in 2016, the All-Ireland Senior Championship in 2019 and the National League in 2008.

History

The teams of the Tipperary County Board, together with those of Kilkenny GAA and Cork GAA, lead the roll of honour in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (SHC). The Board's teams have won 28 All-Ireland SHC titles as of 2019 — the third most successful of all county boards. Three teams also have the distinction of twice winning three consecutive All-Ireland finals (1898, 1899, 1900) and (1949, 1950, 1951). The team of the 1960s is considered the greatest of all Tipperary teams. The county's fortunes declined during the latter half of the twentieth century to the extent that only seven All-Ireland SHC titles were won in the period 1966–2019; however, new systems and extensive work at underage level brought SHC titles to Tipperary in 2010, 2016 and 2019, with old rival Kilkenny defeated in all three. As well as being victorious in four minor and three U21 All-Ireland hurling finals since 2006. For more detail on hurling history, see here.

Team sponsorship

Since 1991 the following companies have sponsored all of the Tipperary hurling teams.

Support

There exists a supporters' club. According to Liam Kearns, this provides €100,000 in revenue annually for the hurling team.[3] Babs Keating first established it in 1986 and it was the first such supporters' club in Gaelic games. By 2016, it had raised several million euro for the county hurling team.[4]

Rivalries

Sticks of John Leahy, Raymie Ryan, Liam Cahill, Brendan Carroll, Declan Ryan, Colm Bonnar, Cormac Bonnar

In the All-Ireland series, Kilkenny are Tipp's main rivals. This rivalry has lasted since Kilkenny's coming to power in the early 20th century. Tipp are the only team to have beaten Kilkenny in the All-Ireland SHC (and also in All-Ireland SHC finals) more times than they have lost.[citation needed]

Another rival of Tipperary, in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship (SHC), is Cork. These teams have met 80 times in the championship, more than any other rivalry in hurling. They have also met them countless times in the National League and pre-season challenge tournaments. A Tipp and Cork Munster hurling final in Semple Stadium is often claimed by supporters of both counties to be the most traditional Munster final and the games between them are nearly always close. The draw and replay games of 1987 and 1991 and the 1949–1954 rivalry encapsulates this rivalry and the 1991 replayed final in Thurles is claimed to be one of the greatest Munster hurling finals. This is one of the few rivalries in the provincial championships that is contested by two teams of similar stature whose honours and titles complement each other on a fairly equal basis. Kilkenny and Wexford in hurling have major difference in titles and in football, Dublin and Meath also have a gap between their respective winnings. The football teams of Galway and Mayo enjoy a similar rivalry and whose honours are divided in equal measure.[citation needed]

Tipp also have a strong rivalry with the other county teams in Munster and have had major tussles with Limerick in the 1930s and 40s when the latter's star was in the ascendent, though Tipp enjoy a major advantage in titles and honours won. The Tipp – Clare rivalry came with Clare's coming to power in the 1990s and the Tipp-Waterford rivalry was forged in the period 1957-63 and renewed again due to Waterford's resurgence in the 2000s, when that county enjoyed its most successful period of the modern era.[citation needed]

Current panel

Team as per Tipperary vs Clare in the Munster SHC Round 5, 26 May 2024

No. Player Position Club
1 Barry Hogan Goalkeeper Kildangan
2 Johnny Ryan Right corner back Arravale Rovers
3 Craig Morgan Full back Kilruane MacDonaghs
4 Eoghan Connolly Left corner back Cashel King Cormacs
5 Barry Heffernan Right half back Nenagh Éire Óg
6 Ronan Maher Centre back Thurles Sarsfields
7 Brian McGrath Left half back Loughmore-Castleiney
8 Paddy Cadell Midfield J. K. Bracken's
9 Willie Connors Midfield Kildangan
10 Alan Tynan Right half forward Roscrea
11 Jake Morris Centre forward Nenagh Éire Óg
12 Seán Kenneally Left half forward Moneygall
13 Andrew Ormonde Right corner forward J. K. Bracken's
14 Gearóid O'Connor Full forward Moyne–Templetuohy
15 Mark Kehoe Left corner forward Kilsheelan-Kilcash
No. Player Position Club
16 Rhys Shelly Substitute Moycarkey-Borris
17 Conor Bowe Substitute Moyne–Templetuohy
18 Michael Breen Substitute Ballina
19 Jason Forde Substitute Silvermines
20 Patrick Maher Substitute Lorrha-Dorrha
21 Dan McCormack Substitute Borris-Ileigh
22 John McGrath Substitute Loughmore-Castleiney
23 Noel McGrath Substitute Loughmore-Castleiney
24 Bryan O'Mara Substitute Holycross-Ballycahill
25 Conor Stakelum Substitute Thurles Sarsfields
26 Darragh Stakelum Substitute Thurles Sarsfields

INJ Player has had an injury which has affected recent involvement with the county team.
RET Player has since retired from the county team.
WD Player has since withdrawn from the county team due to a non-injury issue.

Current management team

Appointed in July 2022:

Managerial history

Ken Hogan managed the team between 2003 and 2005.

Tipperary — like Cork and Kilkenny — traditionally appoints managers from inside, rather than seeking a "foreign" appointment.[8]

Dates Name Origin Provincial titles All-Ireland SHC titles National League titles
1971–1978 Donie Nealon Burgess 1971 1971
1978–1985 Len Gaynor Kilruane MacDonagh's 1979
1985–1986 Tony Wall Thurles Sarsfields
1986–1994 Babs Keating Ballybacon-Grange 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993 1989, 1991 1988, 1994
1994–1996 Fr Tom Fogarty Moyne-Templetuohy
1996–1998 Len Gaynor (2) Kilruane MacDonagh's
1998–2002 Nicky English Lattin Cullen 2001 2001 1999, 2001
2002–2003 Michael Doyle Holycross-Ballycahill
2003–2005 Ken Hogan Lorrha-Dorrha
2005–2007 Babs Keating (2) Ballybacon-Grange
2007–2010[9] Liam Sheedy Portroe 2008, 2009 2010 2008
2010[10]–2012[11] Declan Ryan Clonoulty-Rossmore 2011, 2012
2012[12]–2015[13] Eamon O'Shea Kilruane MacDonagh's 2015
2016–2018[14] Michael Ryan Upperchurch-Drombane 2016 2016
2018[15]–2021[16] Liam Sheedy (2) Portroe 2019
2021[17]–2022[18] Colm Bonnar Cashel King Cormacs
Dunhill
2022–[19] Liam Cahill Ballingarry

Players

John O'Dwyer against Galway in the 2015 National Hurling League
Pádraic Maher (right) against Galway in the 2015 National Hurling League

Notable players

Captaincy

Historically, the captain of the Tipperary senior hurling team for each season was decided by the club that won the preceding Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship. For example, Willie Ryan was the team captain for 2009, as chosen by his club Toomevara. This system, however, meant there was little consistency from year to year and often meant that the team captain was not an integral part of the team or even a first choice player (as in the Willie Ryan example).

For the 2010 season, the responsibility for choosing the team captain was given to the county's management team. On 12 February 2010, it was announced that Eoin Kelly from the Mullinahone club would captain the county, with Declan Fanning acting as vice-captain. Eoin Kelly was again selected as captain for the 2011 season. Paul Curran was named as hurling captain in January 2012.

In February 2013, Shane McGrath was appointed captain for the 2013 season.[20][21]

In October 2013, Brendan Maher was named as Tipperary captain for the 2014 season.[22] Maher continued as captain for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.[23][24]

In November 2016, it was announced that Pádraic Maher had been nominated as Tipperary hurling team captain for the 2017 season.[25]

On 22 January 2019, Séamus Callanan was named as Tipperary hurling team captain for the 2019 season. He remained as captain for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.[26]

On 5 February 2022, Ronan Maher was named as team captain for the 2022 season. The decision was made by a secret ballot vote from all members of the panel.[27] On 14 November 2022, Noel McGrath was named as the new Tipperary captain for the 2023 season.[28]

Records

Most appearances

Top scorers

Most All-Ireland SHC medals

Multi All-Ireland SHC winners
Medals Players
8
John Doyle
6
Jimmy Doyle
5
Kieran Carey, Tommy Doyle, Theo English, Mikey Maher, Donie Nealon, Tony Wall, John Walsh Snr, Liam Devaney, Mick Burns, Jack Maher, Michael Maher
4
Mickey 'The Rattler' Byrne, Seán McLoughlin, John 'Mackey' McKenna, Pat Ryan, Jack Gleeson, Mike Wall, John O'Donoghue, Denis Walsh, Tony Brennan, Phil Byrne, Pat Stakelum, Tim Condon, Ed Maher, Tommy Ryan
3
Jimmy Finn, Paddy Kenny, Phil Kenny, Seán Kenny, Declan Ryan, Pat Stakelum, Tony Reddin, Mick Roche, Len Gaynor, John Hough, Jack Power, Paddy Riordan, Donal Ryan, Jack Ryan, Phil Ryan, Tom Ryan, Tommy Ryan, Jim O'Keefe, Joe O'Keeffe, Peter O'Sullivan, Will Devane, Jim Devitt, Jack Doherty, Watty Dunne, Mick Ryan, Paddy Fahey, Jack 'Thady' Flanagan, Séamus Bannon, Ned Brennan, John Maher, Sonny Maher, Roger Mounsey, Mick Murphy, Tom Semple, Phil Shanahan, Hugh Shelly, John Leahy, William Carroll, Flor Coffey, Jack Connolly, Liam Connolly, Mick Hynes, Jimmy Kennedy, Séamus Callanan, Brendan Maher, Noel McGrath, Patrick Maher, Pádraic Maher
2
Eoin Kelly, Nicky English, Bobby Ryan, Pat Fox, Noel Sheehy, Michael Cleary, Ken Hogan, Declan Carr, Aidan Ryan, Conor O'Donovan, Cormac Bonnar, Colm Bonnar, Conal Bonnar, Lar Corbett, Brendan Cummins, John O'Brien, Michael Cahill, Gearóid Ryan

Cú Chulainn Awards

1963: John Doyle, Liam Devaney, Jimmy Doyle
1964: John Doyle2nd, Tony Wall, Mick Roche2nd, Theo English, Donie Nealon, Babs Keating, John "Mackey" McKenna, Jimmy Doyle2nd
1965: John O'Donoghue, Kieran Carey, Tony Wall2nd, Seán McLoughlin, Mick Roche3rd, Donie Nealon2nd, Jimmy Doyle3rd
1966: Theo English2nd, John "Mackey" McKenna2nd
1967: Mick Roche4th, Donie Nealon3rd, Len Gaynor, Babs Keating2nd

All Stars

Tipperary has 104 All Stars, as of 2019. 49 different players have won, as of 2019. Nicky English, Eoin Kelly and Pádraic Maher each won six All Stars. Tipperary players have received at least one All Star in 39 of the 50 years since the inauguration of the All Stars Awards Scheme.

1971: Tadhg O'Connor, Mick Roche, Francis Loughnane, Babs Keating
1972: Francis Loughnane2nd
1973: Francis Loughnane3rd
1975: Tadhg O'Connor2nd
1978: Thomas Butler
1979: Pat McLoughney, Tadhg O'Connor3rd
1980: Pat McLoughney2nd
1983: Nicky English
1984: Nicky English2nd
1985: Nicky English3rd
1986: Bobby Ryan
1987: Ken Hogan, Aidan Ryan, Pat Fox, Nicky English4th
1988: Bobby Ryan2nd, Colm Bonnar, Declan Ryan, Nicky English5th
1989: Conal Bonnar, Bobby Ryan3rd, Declan Carr, Pat Fox2nd, Cormac Bonnar, Nicky English6th
1990: Noel Sheehy, Michael Cleary
1991: Paul Delaney, Noel Sheehy2nd, Conal Bonnar2nd, John Leahy, Michael Cleary2nd, Pat Fox3rd, Cormac Bonnar2nd
1992: Michael Cleary3rd
1993: Michael Cleary4th
1994: John Leahy2nd
1996: Liam Cahill
1997: Paul Shelly, Tommy Dunne, Declan Ryan2nd, John Leahy3rd
1999: Tommy Dunne2nd
2000: Brendan Cummins, John Carroll
2001: Brendan Cummins2nd, Philip Maher, Eamonn Corcoran, Tommy Dunne3rd, Eddie Enright, Mark O'Leary, Eoin Kelly
2002: Paul Kelly, Eoin Kelly2nd
2003: Brendan Cummins3rd
2004: Eoin Kelly3rd
2005: Paul Kelly2nd, Eoin Kelly4th
2006: Eoin Kelly5th
2007: Declan Fanning
2008: Brendan Cummins4th, Conor O'Mahony, Shane McGrath
2009: Pádraic Maher, Conor O'Mahony2nd, Lar Corbett, Noel McGrath
2010: Brendan Cummins5th, Paul Curran, Brendan Maher, Noel McGrath2nd, Lar Corbett2nd, Eoin Kelly6th
2011: Paul Curran2nd, Michael Cahill, Pádraic Maher2nd, Lar Corbett3rd
2014: Darren Gleeson, Brendan Maher2nd, Pádraic Maher3rd, Shane McGrath2nd, John O'Dwyer, Patrick Maher, Séamus Callanan
2015: Séamus Callanan2nd
2016: Cathal Barrett, James Barry, Ronan Maher, Pádraic Maher4th, Patrick Maher2nd, Séamus Callanan3rd, John McGrath
2017: Pádraic Maher5th
2019: Brian Hogan, Cathal Barrett2nd, Ronan Maher2nd, Brendan Maher3rd, Pádraic Maher6th, Noel McGrath3rd, Séamus Callanan4th

All Star winners
Awards Players
6
Nicky English, Eoin Kelly, Pádraic Maher
5
Brendan Cummins
4
Michael Cleary, Séamus Callanan
3
Francis Loughnane, Bobby Ryan, Pat Fox, John Leahy, Tommy Dunne, Lar Corbett, Noel McGrath, Brendan Maher
2
Tadhg O'Connor, Pat McLoughney, Declan Ryan, Conal Bonnar, Cormac Bonnar, Noel Sheehy, Paul Kelly, Conor O'Mahony, Shane McGrath, Paul Curran, Patrick Maher, Ronan Maher, Cathal Barrett
1
Mick Roche, Babs Keating, Thomas Butler, Ken Hogan, Aidan Ryan, Colm Bonnar, Declan Carr, Paul Delaney, Liam Cahill, Paul Shelly, John Carroll, Philip Maher, Eamonn Corcoran, Eddie Enright, Mark O'Leary, Declan Fanning, Michael Cahill, Darren Gleeson, John O'Dwyer, James Barry, John McGrath, Brian Hogan
Cú Chulainn Award winners
Awards Players
3
Mick Roche, Donie Nealon, John McKenna, Jimmy Doyle
2
Babs Keating, Tony Wall, Theo English, John Doyle
1
Liam Devaney, Kieran Carey, Seán McLoughlin, Len Gaynor, John O'Donoghue
Hurler of the Year winners
Award Players
Tony Wall (1958), Liam Devaney (1961), Donie Nealon (1962), John Doyle (1964), Jimmy Doyle (1965), Babs Keating (1971), Nicky English (1989), Pat Fox (1991), Tommy Dunne (2001), Lar Corbett (2010)
Tommy Dunne (2001), Lar Corbett (2010), Séamus Callanan (2019)

Honours

National

Provincial

  • Munster Senior Hurling Championship
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (42): 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
    • 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up (28): 1894, 1904, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1926, 1935, 1936, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1963, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2019, 2021
  • Waterford Crystal Cup
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (4): 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014
  • Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (9): 1961, 1963, 1966, 1971, 1972, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2013
  • Munster Junior Hurling Championship
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (16): 1910, 1911, 1913, 1915, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1933, 1951, 1953, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
  • Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (21): 1964, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2019
  • Munster Minor Hurling Championship 40
    • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winners (41): 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022

References

  1. ^ Leonard, Séamus (19 June 2011). "Tipperary 4–19 Clare 1–19". RTÉ. And a minute later the Premier men were in front for the first time in the match when Hurler of the Year Corbett flashed a trademark bullet to the net to put his side 3–03 to 1–07 ahead.
  2. ^ "McGrath to captain Tipp as Cahill names first panel". Hogan Stand. 15 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Premier ambitions - football finding its feet in hurling country once again". RTÉ. 2 December 2020. But there is a hurling supporters club there that pumps €100,000 into the hurlers every year.
  4. ^ "Can Cork GAA afford not to have its own supporters' club?". The Southern Star. 1 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Liam Cahill appointed as new Tipperary manager on three-year term". RTÉ. 18 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Padraic Maher joins Cahill's management set-up in Tipp". RTÉ. 23 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Padraic Maher part of Cahill's Tipperary backroom team". Hogan Stand. 23 July 2022.
  8. ^ Breheny, Martin (24 November 2012). "The import and export business". Irish Independent.
  9. ^ Sheedy resigns as Tipp manager BreakingNews.ie
  10. ^ Ryan appointed new Tipperary manager Irish Examiner
  11. ^ Ryan quits as Tipperary manager The Sunday Times
  12. ^ Eamon O'Shea appointed as Tipperary Senior Hurling Manager Tipp Tatler
  13. ^ Eamon O'Shea steps down as Tipperary manager The Irish News
  14. ^ All-Ireland Winning Tipperary Manager Michael Ryan Resigns Balls.ie
  15. ^ "Liam Sheedy confirmed as new Tipperary hurling manager". Sky Sports. 25 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Sheedy steps down after three years in his second term". Sky Sports. 16 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Tipperary appoint Colm Bonnar as new senior hurling boss". The42.ie. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Colm Bonnar 'relieved from his duties' as Tipperary senior hurling manager". The42.ie. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Liam Cahill appointed as new Tipperary manager on three-year term". RTÉ. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Shane McGrath new Tipperary hurling captain". Nationalist. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  21. ^ "McGrath named as new Tipperary captain". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  22. ^ Brendan Maher named as new Tipperary hurling captain The42.ie
  23. ^ "Maher retains Tipp captaincy as key duo set to miss league". Hogan Stand. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  24. ^ "Brendan Maher to lead Tipperary hurlers again next season". Irish Examinerl. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  25. ^ "Tipperary SH Pre-Season Training Panel". Tipperary GAA. Tipperary GAA. 29 November 2016.
  26. ^ Seamus Callanan named Tipperary hurling captain for 2019 Irish Examiner
  27. ^ "Ronan Maher appointed Tipperary captain for 2022". Tipperary Live. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Noel McGrath named captain as Tipperary unveil 40-man senior hurling panel for 2023". The 42. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.