Club Championship Draws to be made tonight
The draws for the 2024 FBD Insurance Tipperary Hurling & Football Championships will take place this Thursday night after a new format for the senior football championship was ratified at a specially-convened County Board meeting in Thurles on Monday night.
By Shane Brophy
After Drom & Inch informed the board, they would not field in this years senior championship, it reduced the number of teams from 14 to 13 and required a new competition structure to be put in place, and a motion from Ardfinnan was the successful proposal which will see the thirteen teams drawn into 1 group of four teams in Group A, 1 group of three teams in Group B with the remaining six teams in Group C.
Groups A & B will play a round-robin with top two teams in each group qualifying for the quarter finals. Group C will see three rounds in total with each team playing one team from each of the three seeding groups as follows: Round 1 - Team 1 v 5, 2 v 6, 3 v 4; Round 2 - 1 v 3, 2 v 4, 5 v 6; Round 3 - Team 1 v 2, 3 v 5, 4 v 6.
The order in which teams are drawn into groups will determine their placing in the group – i.e., 1st drawn #1 seed will be team 1. and 2nd drawn #1 seed will be Team 2 etc.
All six teams in one league table with the top four teams progressing to the quarter finals. The five teams that fail to make the quarter finals will go into the Tom Cusack Cup but there will be no relegation, apart from Drom & Inch who will automatically drop to intermediate for 2025.
In terms of seeding for the draws, the number 1 seeds will be the four semi-finalists from 2023, champions Clonmel Commercials, runners-up JK Brackens, as well as losing semi-finalists Moyle Rovers and Upperchurch/Drombane. The second seeds are the losing quarter finalists from last year, Ballina, Loughmore/Castleiney, Kilsheelan/Kilcash and Killenaule. The third seeds are the remaining five teams, Ballyporeen, Ardfinnan, Cahir, Arravale Rovers and intermediate champions Grangemockler/Ballyneale.
FBD County Championship – Seeds 2024.
Senior Hurling
Seed 1 Seed 2
Kiladangan Clonoulty/Rossmore
Loughmore/Castleiney Drom & Inch
Thurles Sarsfields Holycross/Ballycahill
Toomevara Roscrea
Remaining 8: Borris Ileigh, JK Brackens, Kilruane MacDonaghs, Lorrha, Moycarkey/Borris, Mullinahone, Nenagh Eire Og, Templederry Kenyon’s
Premier Intermediate Hurling
Seed 1 Seed 2
Cashel King Cormacs Clonakenny
Killenaule Carrick Swan
Thurles Sarsfields Gortnahoe/Glengoole
Upperchurch Drombane Burgess
Remaining 8: Ballina, Boherlahan-Dualla, Eire Og Annacarty, Moyne-Templetuohy, Newport, Sean Treacys, Silvermines, St. Mary's
Intermediate Hurling
Seed 1 Seed 2
Golden Kilfeacle Borrisokane
Kilsheelan/Kilcash Cappawhite
Moneygall Drom & Inch
Portroe Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams
Remaining 8: Arravale Rovers, Ballybacon/Grange, Ballingarry, Clonoulty/Rossmore, Carrick Davins, Shannon Rovers, Skeheenarinky, Upperchurch/Drombane
Senior Football
Seed 1 Seed 2
Clonmel Commercials Ballina
JK Brackens Killenaule
Moyle Rovers Kilsheelan/Kilcash
Upperchurch/Drombane Loughmore/Castleiney
Seed 3: Ardfinnan, Arravale Rovers, Ballyporeen, Cahir, Grangemockler/Ballyneale
Intermediate Football
Seed 1 Seed 2
Eire Og Anacarty Galtee Rovers
Moycarkey/Borris Aherlow
Rockwell Rovers Thurles Sarsfields
Seed 3: Clonmel Commercials, Fethard, Golden Kilfeacle, Moyne-Templetuohy, Mullinahone
Premier Junior Football
7 Teams: Clonmel Og, Cashel King Cormacs, Fr Sheehys, JK Brackens, Loughmore/Castleiney, Moyle Rovers, Sean Treacys