County Hurling Finals schedule confirmed
By Shane Brophy
Following a weekend of contrasting weather between the calm of Saturday and the wind and rain of Sunday for the semi-finals, the way is set fair for the finals in the various grades of the Tipperary hurling championships on 12-13 October.
Tipperary GAA confirmed the fixtures on Monday evening with the showpiece senior final between Loughmore/Castleiney and Toomevara fixed for Sunday, 13th October at FBD Semple Stadium at 3.45pm.
This will be the first time the sides will have met in the final and continues the recent tradition of new final pairings as Toomevara chase a 22nd title, and first since 2008, while Loughmore/Castleiney for a fifth and second in four years.
The game will be preceded by the premier intermediate decider between Carrick Swan and Cashel King Cormacs at 1.30pm, with this years jubilee team to be honoured being the Clonoulty/Rossmore team who won the 1997 county title.
There will be three county finals played the previous day, headed up by the intermediate decider between Ballingarry and Moneygall which takes place in Templetuohy with a 2.00pm. It is a repeat of the Division 3 League final between the sides played at the same venue last June which the South Tipp side were victorious in.
It will be a big weekend for Moneygall as the clubs intermediate camogie team also go in search of county glory when they play Moycarkey/Borris in the decider, although fixture details have yet to be announced.
The other two finals on Saturday, 12th October with trophies at stake are the Junior ‘A’ Hurling final between Kiladangan and Moyle Rovers which throws-in at 4.00pm in Templemore, while at the same time in Golden, Holycross/Ballycahill and St Mary’s go head to head for the Under 19 ‘A’ Hurling title.
There is one other major final to be determined that day also with the replay of the Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation decider between Newport v Sean Treacys which has been fixed for the Ragg at 3.00pm, after the sides couldn’t be separated in Nenagh last Sunday.