Final rematch to kickstart Mid Senior Hurling Championship
GAA: Centenary Agri Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Preview
By Michael Dundon
Three quarter-finals this weekend kick-start what promises to be the most unpredictable Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship for years.
Defending champions JK Brackens start it off on Friday evening with a repeat of last year’s final against Moycarkey/Borris at The Ragg at 7.30pm. This will be followed on Sunday with a double-header at Boherlahan, Holycross/Ballycahill v Drom & Inch at 12 noon, followed by Thurles Sarsfields against newly promoted Upperchurch/Drombane at 2.00pm.
County champions Loughmore/Castleiney have a bye to the semi-final where they will engage with the winners of the JK Brackens v Moycarkey/Borris’ tie in the semi-finals which are scheduled for the following weekend with the final a week further on.
Loughmore/Castleiney will avail of the extra week to fine tune their preparations. Their prospects of first third county senior title in a row got a big boost in the last week with the return of Eamonn Kelly as coach. The Kiladangan man had indicated last year, after the club recorded its first back-to-back Dan Breen successes, that he was standing down but the senior hurling management, under former player David McGrath, persuaded him to reconsider, and it’s all systems go now for the campaign ahead.
Holders JK Brackens are managed this year by Aidan Ivers with Diarmuid Ryan of Annacarty as coach but will be without Tom Murphy and Jordan Moloney for the early games, both recovering from injuries. Better news is the decision of Cathal Scully to continue to don the jersey having toyed with retirement.
Moycarkey/Borris have begun the year well, losing narrowly to Holycross/Ballycahill in the Cahill Cup final. Kieran Morris missed that game and his return will be welcome as they seek to build on the promise of recent years of a return to former glory with a promising crop of young players such as Killian Cantwell, Bill Flanagan, Joe Maher and the Hayes’ making steady progress.
Holycross/Ballycahill are generally considered the team to watch. Their underage successes have been well catalogued and under manager Brendan Ryan, they are well-placed to make the breakthrough this year. Cathal Barrett is at fullback now and with county players such as Bryan O’Mara, Joe Caesar, Tiarnan Ryan and Robbie Ryan in their squad, they are a team to watch.
Drom & Inch will not make it easy for them. Cormac Fitzpatrick has added new life to their attack with Seamus Callanan still a force to be reckoned with. They are coming into the championship somewhat under the radar but with the Campions driving them on, opposition will under-estimate them at their peril.
Thurles Sarsfields face into the championship journey without All-Star Ronan Maher who broke his ankle in a recent challenge and is expected to be on the sidelines for a prolonged period. After a poor year last year, failing to make the Mid final or the county quarter-final, Padraic Maher will be hoping his charges fare better this time. Under-age county players Euan Murray and Kieran Rossiter are expected to make their senior championship debuts in what will be a new-look Sarsfields outfit.
For Upperchurch/Drombane, who won All-Ireland Intermediate honours last year, it is a baptism of fire on their return to senior ranks after a two-year absence, but their credentials are there for all to see with Keith Ryan making his county debut this year. They will be hoping to recapture last year’s momentum and how they fare against Sarsfields will give them a fair indication of where they stand.