JK Brackens had a notable win over Clonoulty which books their spot in the Quarter Final. I’ve been very impressed with them. They have been the best team going forward in the competition so far. A lovely chemistry between their main players like Cadell, the Ormondes, Fairbrother and McBride. Shane Keegan of Off the Ball fame and ex Dundalk/Cobh/Galway United manager is in charge and has them purring. Need to tighten things up at the back but they are serious dark horses now. Clonoulty will need to beat Templederry to stave off a relegation battle which i think they will.
Toomevara had a fine win over Drom in what was effectively a knockout game. Drom continue to flatter to deceive. I’ll let @StoneCold comment more on this one.
Mullinahone dogged it out to beat Roscrea. You have to hand it to them. They aren’t going to be winning any County Final but they are smart and game.
Sars gave Eddie Brennan/Niall Corcorans Moycarkey a bit of a trimming. Setback for Moycarkey but sets it up nicely for their final game v Mullinahone to see who goes through.
Nenagh handed Lorrha an almighty beating. 7-28 to 3-07. Jake Morris filled his boots with 4-05 from play. Think Lorrha are going to be going straight back down.
In Premier Intermediate, Upperchurch got their season back on track with a comfortable win over Silvermines, Swans backed up their Round 1 win by beating Ballina by 5, Eire Og made it 2 wins from 2 by edging out Gortnahoe and St Marys had a notable win over Burgess. Marys now 2 from 2 under Jamie Wall’s stewardship despite being down Seamus Kennedy and James Morris to ACL injuries. Killenaule beat Sean Treacys comfortably too for a finish.
I had 2 toddlers with me at the match so I cannot tell you too much about individual performances but Drom’s performance once again lacked any sort of urgency or motivation needed in a knockout game. I just don’t think they are up to much and are stuck playing a weird hybrid of going short or going long.
The game was essentially decided in the 20 minutes before half time, where Toome outscored Drom 10 points to 3, the score being 1-5 to 0-5 after 11 minutes.
There is a real lack of pig headedness and leadership on the team; Seamie Callanan would remind you of CR7 with his gesticulating and general demenour.
Johnny Ryan came on at half time, scored 2 points in as many minutes and put himself about which would make me wonder if he was fit enough to come on, why didn’t he start?
A battle to stave off relegation now but Inthink there is a bleak future ahead in general.
The talent should be there. Reigning Co. U21 A champions, Minor A champions in 2019. The Tommy Nolan generation who dominated underage hurling in Tipp during the mid 2010’s and the old guard with the experience from winning the Senior County in 2011.
No other club including Thurles Sarsfields have as many lads who’ve worn the Tipperary jersey at some level.
Its a bit of a mystery to me how they can’t get it together. I get the sense the older generation have absolutely no time for the young lads and has lead to a bit of a malaise.
You put great stock in this group. They benefitted from being physically superior to their opponents at the time but are fundamentally useless and mentally weak. They did nothing after Under 16 level.
I think they’ll be ok although they’ll be very disappointed to get nothing from games vs Moycarkey and Mullinahone. They’d have fancied themselves to win both those games.
They now face a dead rubber v Sars which is likely to be another defeat and confidence drain.
Hard to see Lorrha staying up. But they do have Ken Hogan in charge who may be able to galvanise them. Templederry the other team most likely to face the drop.
Their biggest crime was probably introducing Football into the club. Didn’t they do the double County Feile at u14?
Won the u16 County hurling beating a good Nenagh team when most of them were u15 and then got sucker punched by Carrick Swans in the following years U16 semi final.
You’re better off being competitive at underage level winning a title here and there than being all singing, all dancing conquerers.
By the time they get to senior, a successful juvenile group team cannot handle the pressure of expectation, might be too cocky and not like taking direction or find themselves lacking motivation altogether.
Kiladangan handed Templederry a bad beating today. Kiladangan still very much the team to beat. They would have been disappointed with their performance against Clonoulty where they scraped a draw in round 1, but they were absolutely ruthless today. Between Templederry and Lorrha for relegation.
Loughmore had a comfortable enough win over Holycross. 21 points to 14. Never looked like losing and used their experience to keep Holycross at arns length. Holycross still a few years away from really challenging.
Cashel got their season back on track with late rally to beat Moyne by 9. 3 goals coming in the last quarter. Sars B quietly going about their business beating Boherlahon by 5 tonight.
Looks like a lot of Groups across Senior and Prem Inter could come down to three teams tied on 4 points and score difference coming into play.
Premier intermediate:
Group 1:
Swans 4 (gone through)
Church and ballina on 2 and play last day out.
Mines on 0,
Group 2:
Eire Og 4
Gortnahoe 2
Cashel 2
Moyne 0
Still all to play for. Eire og v cashel and moyne v Gortnahoe. Loser of moyne v Gortnahoe goes to relegation.
Group 3:
Sars B 4
Boherlahen 2
Clonakenny 2
Newport 0
Exact same as group 2. Sars play Clonakenny in their final group game, this Sars team looks stronger than last years.
Group 4:
Mary’s 4
Killenaule 2
Burgess 2
Sean Treacys 0
Same again. Treacys v burgess on final day out. Mary’s will be delighted as many were hinting at a possible relegation battle with their injuries.
Upperchurch back on the horse this weekend but are still not any value to win it out at Evens. Carrick are the only team through thus far out of the group.
Upperchurch & Cashel guaranteed preliminary quarter finals at the very least.
There’s definitely 6 or 7 possible winners of this title.