Civic Reception for All-Ireland minor winning hurlers
Tipperary’s minor hurlers were feted by Tipperary County Council last Saturday with a civic reception to recognise their All-Ireland title won in the most dramatic of fashions in July.
The event at The Dome, Semple Stadium, was hosted by Cathaoirleach of the local authority, Councillor Roger Kennedy, and featuring many contributions from guests who all lauded the efforts of the young men and the management team in bringing the Irish Press Cup back to Tipperary.
With video interludes throughout and with the celebration being streamed live, this was a real showcase which highlighted Tipperary in a very positive hue. And, if it’s positivity you want, then no better man than Manager James Woodlock to articulate it.
The Drom & Inch clubman described the year as being a fantastic one with a wonderful assembly of players and a fifteen strong backroom team all contributing to deliver the silverware for the Premier County.
“The future is bright for Tipperary with these young players coming through,” he began.
“But, we knew that we could not have done much more as a team or as a management if we had been unlucky enough to lose any one of those games. Thankfully we came through and in them all and showed great character and resilience to do so.
“The leaders in our group were superb all year - the management can only do much and it is up to the players to step up on the field and do the business. At the end of the day, the scoreboard only matters once and we had been drilling that in to the players all season long,” said James who added that it was extra special to hear Slievenamon belting out around Nowlan Park, which has been ’a graveyard’ for Tipperary on so many occasions.
Tipperary have ten of the thirty-five man squad young enough again next season and there is currently an u18 development squad working towards progressing their hurling too.
And, Chairperson of the Tipperary County Board Joe Kennedy pointed out that development squads at u13, 14 and 15 levels are ultimately supplying players for the minor teams and further up the chain as well.
Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council, Joe MacGrath said that the decision to play the All-Ireland in Nowlan Park, which was packed to capacity on the day, was justified and the venue allowed so many to go to the match - had the game been played in Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day, there would have been very limited options for Offaly and Tipperary people to attend.
He added that the atmosphere in Kilkenny was electric and said that the lessons to be learned from the game were simple - the wind will not always be on your back and the points might not always be on the board. But, if you stick with it and believe, it can come your way. And for Tipperary, it did.
Captain Sam O’Farrell outlined the ambitions of the panel members to progress to play at under 20 level for Tipperary and said that the career of the late Dillon Quirke, who came through from underage to senior, has inspired the minor hurlers. He is always close to their thoughts, he said, and he offered his, and the players condolences to the Quirke family and the Clonoulty/Rossmore club.