Ballinaclough's Forde gunning for his second Celtic Cross

By James Hayden
 
DOLLA GAA grounds has been Jason Forde’s stomping ground for the best part of a quarter of a century and in the run-up to big inter-county games he can still be found late into the evening honing his freetaking skills beneath the shimmering shadows of Sliabh Ciamalta.
Forde, at 25, and recently settled into a role as a secondary school teacher in Nenagh College, is in the prime of his hurling career and for the Silvermines clubman the upcoming All-Ireland clash with Kilkenny marks his bid to capture a second Celtic Cross in the space of four years.
From a very tender age Donal and Caroline Forde’s only boy (he is sandwiched in between his two sisters, Rachel and Rebecca) was one to be watched. It was evident to many that the ice-cool attacker had what it took to don the revered blue and gold of Tipperary.
At underage with Silvermines, he played a starring role right the way up through the grades and it came as no surprise when he was drafted in to the Tipp minors at the tender age of 16 in 2010, although his first appearance in a county shirt culminated in a defeat to the Banner County after he lined out at midfield in Tipperary's 0-17 to 1-13 loss.
Forde was again eligible for the Tipperary minor team in 2011 and was appointed captain for the year, a proud moment for his family and for the Silvermines GAA Club.
At under 21 level, the Ballinaclough native linked up with the panel straight from the minor grade and despite no silverware coming his way he was rewarded with the captaincy of the team in 2014, but a 5-19 to 1-25 loss to Clare ended his sojourn with the Tipperary under-21 set-up.
Having been already drafted into the senior ranks in advance of the 2013 National League campaign he made his first appearance for the seniors on 23rd February 2013 when he scored two points from right corner-forward in a 0-26 to 1-11 defeat by Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn.
Later that year, he made his first championship appearance for the Premier County on 6th July when he came on as a 52nd minute substitute for Patrick Maher in the 0-20 to 1-14 defeat by Kilkenny in the All Ireland Qualifier clash at Nowlan Park.

 

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