North Tipperary Senior Hurling Final Match Programme 2003 .,•• permanent tsb Hurling Final (Holders) -tm A Ch.lra Faille go Pairc Mhic Ohonnchadha. (loch Shiurdain inniu. don Cluiche Croabh Ceannais lomaint Sinsear idir Tuaim ur Mheara agus Eire 6g an Aonaigh. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to our Senior Hurling Championship Final today between Nenagh ~ir(' 6g and Toomevara. This promises to be a close game between the two ~ides who have dominated senior hurling in North Tipperary since the early T990~. Toomevara come into today's game ,lS defending champions, while Eire 6g are bidding to regain the title they last held in 2001. Our best wishes to both sets of pl'lYers, te,lm officials and supporters, also to match referee John Ryan and his match officials as well as the Cloughjordan field committee and the Kilruane Mac Donaghs Club. Thanks also to the many people who have COrltribU1("(i to the championshil) so far, the clubs involved. the field committees and the match officials. A special word of thanks to all our championship sponsors and in particular Senior Hurling Championship sponsors George McGrath and his learn at Permanent TSB Bank in Nenagh. We also wish Ballina and Borrisokane well in the Intermediate game before hand. The Intermediate championship is proving as difficult as ever to win this year. We also welcome All-Ireland Sc6r champions in the shape of the Shannon Rovers Ballad Group who will provide entertainment. Finally ,1 word of thanks to liam Hogan for producing today's programme. May you all have an enjoyable day. ts mise Seamus O'Muineog (Carhaoirlea(h) Design and printing by The Guardian, Nenagh II Best wishes 10 Nellagh Eire 6g from 54 Pearse St., Nenagh ~ge, (067) 41366 Food - 7 days arsfie[b a week BAR & RESTAURANT and Hibernian Inn Ryan. Burns mazca Car Sales $ ....SUZUKI. Ltd . DUBLIN ROAD, NENACH Contact: Tony Burns or John Ryan (067) 33290 • permanent tsb North TIpperary Sent or Hurling Final 2003 Blessi. in Dispi$8? By Gerry Slevin (Editor The Guardian, Nenagh) Within the space of fourteen days - between we may be Inclined to leave aSide, now that time August 10th and 23rd - Tipperary's hopes of All IS on our side to make headway in the respective Ireland hurling success were dashed. The minors, local championships. But It IS only putting off seniors and under 21s in that order, bade the evil day and our failure to grasp the farewell 10 2003, leaVing ilto the cailini sltualton and seek to do something about to keep the flag flYlOg. It, will serve only to cause more serious Now, while bowlOg out, especially at problems in the future. All Ireland semi final level can be a But what can be done? can anythmg devastallng blow to morale, whether be done? Players are entitled to be we like to believe It or not there are given the opportunity to play at the people who breathed a Sigh of relief most appropflale time of year for when It all happened. hurling. The vast majority of them Blessings In disgUise. are denied this because the Why? emphasis and the concentration are The answer IS simple. The longer on the inter-county scene. Everything TIPP teams stayed in championship else is pushed aside. contention, the longer the clubs were The majority 01 those playing hurling are left macltve and the senior club of the average variety, with no ambition Championships especially in all lour diVISions higher than assisting the club and hoping to were the sufferers. make some championship progress. It just If the Tipp seniors had beaten Kilkenny, would doesn't seem fair that they are deprived of toolr we be here today celebrating the North senior ambition because of the emphasIs placed on the final? We would not. It would be weU Into the inter-county scerle. second half of September before the game would They are suffering and the club IS suffering and be played. LikeWise With the other diVisions. all If there is any answer to the problem. II can only contIOUIng to leave club players Without games, be sought through the initiative of the clubs. Are while the attention remained on the Inter-county clubs prepared to accept what is happening? scene. Fine, if they are. But if they are not, and I think Apart from the diVisional championships, the such IS the case, then it is from them (the clubs) county championship also has to be played, that any changt! must emerge. Sixteen teams In all from the four divisions gOlOg Clubs cannot be expected to line out in vital on to seek the county's premier hurling title. championship games wlthoot their Inter-county Continued IOter county success would have players. However, the perception that the inter­ placed Immense pressure on fldures committees county scene is what really matters has been and while there is still a long way to go - and thrust upon us by such as the GUlnness remember, there IS a relegation battle going on sponsorship. the back door system and the too! - absence from the inter-county scene, saturation teleVision coverage. It all leaves the however unpalatable It might have been. has club scene and the Club player in the shade, paved the way for a speedier running of the local turning on Its head the very essence of what the competit ions and when aU is said and done, that GAA is all about. IS where the 'real' GAA resides. It's time for a seriOUS debate on the club V It is all very well to rejoice in Tipp's county situation and while It is not directly achievements but there is a price 10 pay when we associated with it, at the same time, the absence are gOIOg well. Who wants to go out in mucky of a senior club in a vast hurling area from pitches In the depths of winter and try to hurl 10 Cloughjordan down to Lorrha, IS an issue that weather and condilions totally unSUited to must be tackled. It is absolutely ridiculous that hurling? famed clubs like Kllruane, Borrisokane and It is a problem and a seriOUS one. and one that Lorrha are all In Intermediate ranks. - II North Tipp. SHe roll of honour PRE·PARISH RULE 1901·1934 T()()fl'lE'\Jrild71 1910, 'II, '12. '13, '16. '17 '16. 'PI. '22, '23, '25. '2b. '27, '26, '29, 'JO, '3 1 lahoma De W... I; 171 1901, '02. '03, '04. '06. '07. '08 lorrha 131 1905, "14. '24 KilbJrronl'Klldang,1Il (II 1934 Bon-i!lOk.lne 11 J 1933 Newporl(1) 1912 Nenaghill 1915 YougNlarralll 1909 AFTER PARISH RULE 1936, ')7, '3<), '41, '42, '45, '4<). '54, '63, '&7, 'os, '69, '70, '71. '50 1947, '')(). "li, '52, ")J, '55,'71. '7), '76. '61, n '88 "d), IJ}. Toome\'~ r d 11~ 1946, '58, '60, '61. '6 2, '91, '94 , '9'i, '97, '99, '00. '02 ct. Kilman£' \tacD '11) 19·10, '44, '59, '05, 'i? '78, '7'1, '85. '86, '87 '90 1957, '64. ''12. '93, '98, lorrha 15) '"1948, '56, '66, '34, '89 ,'('\\por\ 121 1935. '% Kildallg.1Il121 1938. '4) Moneygall 111 1975 Sil\'enn i lll~ Ii) 1974 II ... Shannon Rovers Ballad Group, All-Ireland Senior Scor winners 2003. Back, Conor Hyland, Martin Tierney, Sean Kelly (GAA President). Seated: Siobhan Clarke. Siobhan Weafer, Carmel Cahalan. • II "". CHADWICKS BUlLDINO"MA111UALS Nenagh (067)32088 Michael Cleary: Playing in his 7th North final today Winner in 1992, 1993, 1998,2001 .. Proven pedigrees in today's North final By James Hayden (Tipperary Slar) ne of the great attractions of the the basis for a side which has North lIpperary SHe final is that remained at the pinnacle of hurling in Oit creates interest not only in GAA the county since 1991. circles throughout the division but in Seven north titles in the space of the county as a whole. twelve years speaks for itself and today Teams with proven pedigrees have oft the Greyhounds will be hoping for competed for the coveted Frank another. McGrath Cup and in sportswriters So far this season they have recorded parlance today,s clash promises to be a deserved victories and despite suffering 'mouth watering' encounter between a fright at the hands of Templederry, not only two rival clubs but they bounced back with superb neighbouring parishes. displays over Borrisoleigh and Newport Toomevara have been the kingpins of to deservedly book their place in hurling in the division for the past today.s decider. twelve years and with 29 titles to their With players of the calibre of John credit since the championship's O'Brien, Tony Delaney, Ken, Terry. inception they will eagerly be seeking Thomas and Benny Dunne coupled their 30th after last year's with the talents 0{ Michael Bevans, comprehensive victory over Moneygall Frances Oevanney, Philip Shanahan, at the same stage. Eoin Brislane and Willie Ryan, Nenagh will be gunning for only their Toomevara will be a force to be 8th title having last lifted the Frank reckoned with. McGrath Cup in 2001 after a three­ Nenagh Eire Og will rely on the year gap and will relish the chance to accurate freetaking of Noel Moloney put one over on their neighbours. and with Hugh Moloney, Johnny Many supporters will remember those Slattery, Richie Flannery and the heady days of the early nineties when mercurial Michael Cleary just coming Nenagh were crowned North champions into top form after their defeat of in '92, and '93, before achieving their Moneygall at the second attempt, the dream of capturing their first and only 'Greyhounds' will have their work cut county senior championship in 1995.