Each division has contributed to Tipp’s run to the final

By Noel Dundon

They often say that the strength of a county team is reflected in the strength of the club championship in that county.

Well, if that be true, Tipperary’s re-emergence as a force to be reckoned with in the provincial and All-Ireland championships points to a thriving, competitive club scene across all grades where the destination of each of the pieces of silverware, might be predicted, but is more often than not unpredictable.

Seventeen clubs have made up the panel of 26 players chosen by the management teams over the course of the All-Ireland quarter and semi-finals.

That is quite a spread of players and when you divide it out amongst the divisions.

There were ten players each from the Mid & North, four from the West and two from the south.

Again, that would appear to be fairly in keeping with the destination of the county championship – 22 of the last 24 winners have come from the north and mid, with only Clonoulty/Rossmore (2018) and Mullinahone (2002) breaking into the winners enclosure since the turn of the millennium.

The Mid winners have been Thurles Sarsfields (8 titles), Loughmore/Castleiney (4) and Drom & Inch (1); while the North Tipp winners have been Toomevara (6 titles), Kiladangan (2), Borris-Ileigh and Kilruane MacDonagh (1 each).

The current Tipp panel features three players each from Thurles Sarsfields and Loughmore/Castleiney. Then, five clubs have two players each – Cashel King Cormacs, Holycross/Ballycahill, St Mary’s, Nenagh Éire Óg and Kiladangan.

Each of Kilruane MacDonagh, Moycarkey/Borris, Ballina, Toomevara, Silvermines, Moneygall, Roscrea, Arravale Rovers, Clonoulty/Rossmore and JK Brackens have one player on the match-day 26.

For the All-Ireland semi-final with Kilkenny, there were seven North men in the team and all four of the forwards got on the scoresheet – Jason Forde (1-5), Jake Morris (0-4), Darragh McCarthy (1-2), and Sam O’Farrell (0-1).

Throw in Willie Connors at midfield, Craig Morgan at half back and Michael Breen in the corner for good measure and one can understand why the north division is so proud of their men.

Mid Tipperary had six players on show from the start – captain Ronan Maher, goalkeeper Rhys Shelly, defender Bryan O’Mara, midfielder Conor Stakelum, and ace goal poacher John McGrath.

The two west men are the lynchpins of the full back line with Robert Doyle of Clonoulty/Rossmore being the find of the year, while Eoghan Connolly wearing the number three jersey has become an attacking full-back with 0-3 to his name from play in the semi-final, bringing his tally for the year to an amazing 0-19.

For the record, all four divisions are represented on the sideline too with manager Liam Cahill hailing from Ballingarry, though he won a County Senior Hurling Championship with Thurles Sarsfields when he lived in the town for a time; Michael Bevans of Toomevara (residing in Borrisoleigh) representing the North; TJ Ryan of Clonoulty/Rossmore representing the West; and Declan Laffen of Loughmore/Castleiney representing the Mid.

The Tipperary selectors have scoured the county in search of talent to bring this All-Ireland project about. They have not been shy about casting the net wide and the result is a very fine mix of players from all over the Premier County.

Should they land the All-Ireland title next Sunday, the feat will be an extra special one for the clubs fortunate enough to have a player that features on matchday.