Clubmates Cahill and Maher to face off in league opener
By Shane Brophy
It will be a “Battle of Ballingarry” in the opening round of the National Hurling League after the inter-county fixtures for 2023 were released by the GAA last week.
Tipperary, now managed by Ballingarry’s Liam Cahill, taking on a Laois side, managed for the first time by his clubmate William Maher. The game will take place at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday 4th February at 5.00pm.
The schedule for the Tipperary hurlers in the league is the same as was in 2022, but with venues reversing, with Tipp travelling to Kilkenny in round 2 on Sunday 12th February. Tipperary will get a first run-out at Croke Park since the 2013 All-Ireland Final victory when they take on Dublin on Saturday 25th February at 5.00pm as part of a double-header with the Dubs senior footballers against Clare.
Liam Cahill will come up against his former Waterford charges on Saturday 11th March, before finishing up a week later when they head to Antrim for the first time for a competitive game since 2006 on St Patrick’s Weekend.
The top-two teams will progress to the semi-finals on 25-26 March with the National League final pencilled in for Sunday 9th April, two weeks before the start of the Munster Championship which for Tipperary will begin away to Clare on Sunday 23rd April.
Tipperary’s second game, also on the road, this time against Cork, will be on Saturday 6th May at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, and despite it not being a Bank Holiday weekend, might be tempting for supporters to go for a weekend away.
Tipperary’s final two games are at home to Limerick and Waterford in late May.
Gaelic Football
David Power’s Tipperary footballers will have a lot of travelling to do in their National League division 3 campaign.
They will start at home to Down on Saturday 28th January, before once again making the well-trodden route to Cavan for a round 2 clash a week later. Tipp host Antrim in round 3 before making another familiar trip to Longford in round 4.
Tipp’s longest trip will be to Enniskillen to take on Fermanagh on the first Sunday in March, before finishing up at home to Offaly and away to Westmeath.
If Tipperary finish in the top-two, not only will they be promoted to division 2, but they will also get into the first Sam Maguire Cup round-robin. However, reaching a league final on Saturday 1st April will mean a game just a week before they start their Munster Championship campaign at home to Waterford, but their reward for winning that would be a trip to All-Ireland champions Kerry two weeks later.
HURLING
National League Division 1B
Saturday 4th February: Tipperary v Laois, FBD Semple Stadium @ 5.00pm
Sunday, 12th February: Kilkenny v Tipperary, UMPC Nowlan Park @ 1.30pm
Saturday 25th February: Dublin v Tipperary, Croke Park @ 5.00pm
Saturday 11th March: Tipperary v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium @ 7.15pm
Sunday 19th March: Antrim v Tipperary, Corrigan Park, Belfast @ 1.45pm
25-26 March: Semi-Finals
Sunday, 9th April: Final
Munster Championship fixtures
Sunday 23rd April: Clare v Tipperary; Waterford v Limerick
Saturday 29th April: Limerick v Clare
Sunday 30th April: Cork v Waterford
Saturday 6th May: Cork v Tipperary
Sunday 14th May: Waterford v Clare
Sunday 21st May: Clare v Cork; Tipperary v Limerick
Sunday 28th May: Limerick v Cork; Tipperary v Waterford
Sunday 11th June: Final
GAELIC FOOTBALL
National League Division 3
Saturday 28th January: Tipperary v Down, FBD Semple Stadium @ 6.00pm
Sunday 5th February: Cavan v Tipperary, Kingspan Breffni @ 2.00pm
Sunday 19th February: Tipperary v Antrim, FBD Semple Stadium @ 2.00pm
Sunday, 26th February: Longford v Tipperary, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park @ 2.00pm
Sunday 5th March: Fermanagh v Tipperary, Brewster Park, Enniskillen @ 1.00pm
Saturday 18th March: Tipperary v Offaly, FBD Semple Stadium @ 6.00pm
Sunday 26th March: Westmeath v Tipperary, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar @ 2.00pm
Saturday 1st April: Final
Munster Championship
Sunday 9th April: Tipperary v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium, Time TBC
Clare v Cork, Cusack Park Ennis, Time TBC
Saturday 22nd April: Kerry v Tipperary or Waterford in Kerry venue @ TBC
Limerick v Cork or Clare in Limerick or Cork @ TBC
Sunday 7th May: Final