Just the football or the hurling as well?
The O’Byrne Cup is a joke, Laois are in a group with Westmeath, where they play two games against each other to advance. Horseshit. Time for these to be sent on their way due to the new structures.
Could they not give u21’s or development players a go, fellas would surely be chomping at the bit to be given a run of a few games and put themselves in the shop window early in the year
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As FOTF Woolberto says, fuck all gain out of these “show windows”. They’re played in shite weather/pitches, with a skelp of players all trying to make a mark, all knackered after a training day the day before. At this point, they’re more trouble than they are worth.
It’s where Larry Corbett got his break, he tells a great story about how Mammy got the call in the pub from Nicky English and he thought it was the lads messing with him and the morning of the game he waited around the corner til he saw who was getting on the minibus
I have a feeling Larry would have made his break with or without the WC.
Who knows, he could have been just a simpleton publican living in Thurles for the rest of his days
Electrician. He wouldnt have gotten the pub without the hurling shur.
Yeah he could be an electrician too
Tipperary dismantled Laois in a one-sided senior hurling challenge game played at Puckane on Saturday afternoon (3-27 to 0-12) - the contest was hosted by the Kiladangan club with all proceeds going toward the Kiladangan National School defibrillator fund and Living Links Ireland.
Laois, managed by Eamon Kelly (Kiladangan) and coached by Conor Gleeson (Boherlahan-Dualla) were, unfortunately, a long way off the pace, but the Tipperary management team will probably still regard this outing as a useful exercise.
Fielding an experimental side Tipperary raced into a 1-11 to no-score lead and held a ten-point advantage at the break (1-11 to 0-4) before adding two more goals to their tally in the second half and won by twenty-four points in the end.
Ger Browne notched 3-2 from play (3-7 in all) and certainly caught the eye, but the impact of Conor Kenny and Paul Shanahan should not be discounted. Besides winning primary ball and providing the assist for a whole series of scores this duo got in some bone-crunching hits and the knock-on effect meant that the outstanding Barry Heffernan and Tom Fox took complete control at half-back. Barry Heffernan’s distribution was especially impressive while Tomás Hamill was excellent at full-back. Although Ger Browne made a startling contribution to the scoreboard the leading candidate for the man of the match award here was Conor Kenny who looks like he means business this season.
Tipperary led 0-7 to no-score after the opening quarter while also firing six wides and dropping four shots short. It appeared as if some fringe of members of the squad were eager to get on the scoresheet and on a number of occasions the man in the best position was ignored which is understandable given the competition for places in the Tipperary squad. Laois re-structured their side in the second quarter and employed the sweeper which worked to curtail the Tipperary advances somewhat.
Tipperary created a goal chance of note in the 24th minute when Barry Heffernan picked out Niall O’Meara, but the Kilruane man was hooked with the goal at his mercy. Tipp struck for the opening goal of the game in the 29th minute when Ger Browne won a Seán Curran delivery and finished well.
Laois notched their opening score of the game in the 30th minute.
Twelve minutes into the second half Tipperary struck for a second goal when a terrific ball from Michael Breen picked out Ger Browne and the rising Knockavilla Kickhams star rifled a left-handed shot into the roof of the net. Four minutes later Browne completed his hat-trick when Niall O’Meara shipped some serious punishment before setting up his colleague in the Tipperary full-forward line for a third goal.
The Tipperary team benefitted greatly from the work rate of their forwards and moved the ball smartly up the field on the counter-attack. Indeed, the score of the game materialised in the 48th minute when Tomás Hamill won a hanging Laois delivery, moved the ball out of the contact area short to Tom Fox and the Éire Óg Annacarty found Conor Kenny at right wing-forward with a superb diagonal ball - the quality of the delivery reduced the Laois defender to a mere spectator and Kenny fired over a top quality score.
Tipperary scored 3-17 from play, but also fired fifteen wides and dropped seven shots short - plenty to work on, but also plenty to feel encouraged about.
The Premier County hurlers will not participate in the up-coming Munster Hurling League and launch their league programme away to Clare on January 28th.
Tipperary: Paul Maher (Moyne-Templetuohy), Alan Flynn (Kiladangan), Tomás Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy, 0-1), Donagh Maher (Burgess), Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule, 0-1), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg, 0-1), Tom Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty), Jason Forde (Silvermines, 0-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 sideline), Seán Curran (Mullinahone, 0-3, 0-2 frees), Conor Kenny (Borris-Ileigh, 0-3), Paul Shanahan (Upperchurch-Drombane), Michael Breen (Ballina, 0-2), Ger Browne (Knockavilla Kickhams, 3-7, 0-5 frees), Mark Russell (Lattin-Cullen, 0-1), Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonagh’s). Subs: (44th) Justin Cahill (Kilruane MacDonagh’s, 0-1) for Jason Forde, (49th) Seán O’Brien (Newport) for Donagh Maher, (57th) Séamus Kennedy (St Mary’s, Clonmel, 0-2) for Conor Kenny.
The Laois starting team read as follows: Enda Rowland, Donnacha Hartnett, Leigh Bergin, Podge Lawlor, Colm Stapleton, Liam Delaney, Eric Killeen, James Ryan, Paddy Purcell, Éanna Lyons, Jack Kelly, Cian Taylor, Aaron Bergin, Charles Dwyer, Willie Dunphy.
Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla Kickhams).
GOod scoring for young Browne today
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Jesus, that Laois team 
Good alright. Well able to score with a decent bit of leg on him. I’d question his ability to win ball on his own though
He’s maybe a bit light at this stage but there isn’t much pace in the squad so I could see him being an impact sub in the summer
TIPPERARY SENIOR FOOTBALL CHALLENGE
Tipperary will play Limerick on Saturday next December 16th in a senior football challenge in Golden at 2pm as they continue preparations for Division 2 of the Allianz Football League. Last weekend an understrength Tipp side played Galway in a challenge match with the Tribesmen coming out on top 2-16 to 1-11.
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I hope Limerick murder the cunts today
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Don’t think Tipp will have much of a team out. George Hannigan got married yesterday or else it’s on today - can’t remember which one. The main lads will be at that. The limerick game is for lads at the tail end of the panel. They played at full strength last week vs Galway. Stephen O Brien supposed to be flying.
Senior manager Liam Kearns has named a 36-man panel as the Tipperary football team gears up for the forthcoming Allianz National Football League campaign - Cork are 5/2 favourites to win division two, the Premier County are fifth in the market on 13/2 while Clare and Louth are expected to face the drop.
Tipperary are planning to play a number of challenge matches during the coming weeks while Liam Kearns’ men launch their Allianz National Football League division two campaign away to Cork on Saturday, January 27th in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (throw-in 5pm - the hurling league encounter between the Rebels and Kilkenny also features on the night, that game begins at 7pm).
The Premier County then host Roscommon on February 4th (2pm) before travelling to face Clare on February 11th (2pm). Next up is a home game against Meath on Saturday, February 24th (7pm) before Tipperary host Louth on March 4th (12.30pm). Liam Kearns’ men complete the group stage of the 2018 league with trips to Down (March 18th) and Cavan (March 25th). The division two league final is scheduled to take place on April 1st.
Tipperary will face Waterford in a Munster Senior Football Championship quarter-final on May 19th while the winner of that clash will face Cork on June 2nd. The Munster final is fixed for June 23rd. Kerry (1/3) are favoured to win the Munster championship while Tipperary are distinct outsiders (15/2).
The Tipperary senior football management team features Liam Kearns (manager, Kerry), Pascal Kellaghan (coach, Offaly) and selectors Shane Stapleton (coach), Paul Fitzgerald and Brian Lacey. The Tipperary team will, of course, be captained by Robbie Kiely in 2018.
SENIOR FOOTBALL PANEL
The Tipperary senior football panel reads as follows: Philip Austin (Borrisokane), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers), Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers), Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers), Seán Carey (Moyle Rovers), Liam Casey (Cahir), Paddy Codd (Killenaule), Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Ian Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty), George Hannigan (Shannon Rovers), Josh Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Ciarán Kenrick (Moyle Rovers), Robbie Kiely (Carbery Rangers, Cork), Shane Leahy (Arravale Rovers), Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch), Brendan Martin (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), David McGrath (Moyle Rovers), Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney), Stephen Murray (Burgess), Stephen O’Brien (Ballina), Shane O’Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle), Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe), Michael O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials), Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials), Liam Ryan (Clonmel Commercials), Jody Sheehan (Fethard), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen) & Liam Treacy (Loughmore-Castleiney).
Tipp will be good at bog ball in 2018
Who won?