Setanta link aims to bring Tipp GAA to the next level
By Shane Brophy
Tipperary County Board have announced an overhaul of their coaching structures which should lead to better standards at both inter-county and primary school’s level.
In a very revealing secretary’s report ahead of next Monday evening’s County GAA Convention in Thurles, Tim Floyd confirmed the new link-up between Tipperary GAA and Setanta College who will take the lead in the strength & conditioning of all senior and underage inter-county teams in both hurling and football going forward.
The link-up has already commenced at juvenile level with the minor and under 20 squads who have already begun their 2022 preparations and will extend to the senior hurling and football squads who begin collective training this evening (Wednesday) ahead of the new campaign.
Setanta College was the brainchild of former Tipperary senior hurling team trainer Liam Hennessy and who now work with some of the world’s leading sporting organisations such as Juventus in soccer and the Pittsburgh Steelers in American Football.
Setanta College has recently extended their footprint locally by renting space at both the Sarsfields Social Centre (adjacent to Semple Stadium), as well as the Handball Alley in the Stadium grounds which have been turned into fully equipped elite training centres.
“This will mark a new approach by Tipperary GAA,” said Floyd who added: “which aims to create a joined-up structure that will prepare players for the transition from underage to senior level.”
Up to now, strength & conditioning programmes were delivered to each individual hurling and football teams by different coaches but now under the Setanta umbrella, they will be led by Des Ryan, who was formerly the head of sports science and medicine at the Arsenal FC Academy and who is now the Director of Coaching & Performance at Setanta College, and who previously has worked with Laois GAA.
Many of the current Tipperary coaches at various levels are graduates of Setanta programmes, including Colm Bonnar and Tommy Dunne, as Borris-Ileigh’s Angelo Walsh who will work with the minor hurlers this year.
Schools Coaching
As well as improving the strength & conditioning of inter-county teams, the county board in conjunction with the coaching & games committee have launched a new Primary Schools Coaching Scheme to begin in the New Year.
This will be a continuation of the current scheme, but with selected coaches being appointed by the County Games Development Officers, in consultation with the respective clubs.
Payments will be made through a grant scheme administered directly to the clubs by the county board from where the clubs will pay the coaches agreed expenses for their services.
The estimated budget for this improved scheme is €60,000 and this cost will be provided by contributions of €30,000 between the four divisional boards; €10,000 from County Coiste na nOg, with the County Board covering the remaining €20,000 from grants from the Tipperary GAA Clubs Draw.
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