Uniting Tipp has merit for soccer

IN ALL FAIRNESS

The start of a new third tier in the League of Ireland (LOI) recently is a welcome addition to the soccer pyramid in this country, particularly the inclusion of new teams in parts of the country that didn’t have a team in the league already, particularly Mayo FC, CK (Carlow/Kilkenny) United, and Newbridge Town in Kildare.

It means just eight of the 26 counties under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), do not have a team in the league, Tipperary being one of them. Thurles Town briefly entered the league for a four year stint from 1977 to 1981, when Peake Villa FC and Thurles Town FC joined forces for a brief period to bring national level football to the county.

There were mutterings that St Michael’s in Tipperary Town or Clonmel Celtic might have looked to enter the new third division of the LOI, or the National League as it is its official name, but it didn’t come to pass.

In a North & West Tipperary context, Limerick-based Treaty United, soon to be renamed Limerick FC, have made attempts to make itself a regional team, inviting clubs from Tipperary as well as Clare to take part in pre-match activities which is welcome. The same has been done by the likes of Cork City and Waterford in the south of the county. Such is the strength of place in Ireland, and particular county boundaries, it isn’t easy for some people from one county to support a team in another, even if they don’t have a team.

So, with a senior LOI club in the county off the agenda for the moment, it has opened up a debate of the future of soccer in the county, with the highly respected Thurles native and former League of Ireland coach Barry Ryan suggesting the establishment of an all-county Tipperary Super League at junior level with the merger of the North Tipperary (NT&DL) and South Tipperary (TS&DL) District Leagues.

I would agree that such a concept would give soccer in the county a real shot in the arm, particularly providing the elite clubs in the county more regular stiffer competition. This is largely the reason Nenagh AFC and Killavilla United have taken their leave to the Limerick District League and Combined Counties Football League (CCFL) in recent times as the level of competition in the NT&DL wasn’t strong enough, although they have suffered in some respects, I’ll come back to this later.

Now you might say the NT&DL clubs would struggle against TS&DL opposition who have traditionally been a step above, however, soccer in South Tipp is not as strong as it once was even with St Michael’s, Clonmel Celtic, Peake Villa still to the fore, including Carrick United who play in the Waterford League, not as strong a force in national competitions in recent years. They, like the strong North clubs, lack stiff competition within their own leagues on a regular basis to ready themselves for Munster & FAI Junior Cups.

In a hypothetical 12-team Tipperary Super League, with maybe 7 spots given to the South teams initially due to their traditional superiority with St Michael’s, Clonmel Celtic, Peake Villa, Borris St. Kevins, Cashel Town, Cahir Park, plus Carrick United, joined by five from the North in Nenagh AFC, Killavilla United, BT Harps, Newport Town, and for arguments sake Ballymackey considering the strong underage set-up they have. Lough Derg would also come into consideration as they take in the big hinterlands of Ballina and Killaloe.

That’s a strong set of teams taking in virtually all areas of the county. Yes, there would be more travel but a well structured fixture list in advance would let players know when they might have an away match with lengthy travel. You could also structure fixtures in which local derbies could take place in the winter months whereby postponements due to weather won’t be as nearly frustrating as if you were due to make a long journey.

The divisions below this could still be played on a regional basis divided into North and South, but would provide an incentive for this clubs with an ambition to get to the top level to strive for something. A united Oscar Traynor team from the county would also be a benefit.

Coming back to my earlier point on the level of competition, an argument for the likes of Nenagh AFC to come back is while their move to Limerick has seen them play at the top level, apart from the first season, they have rarely contended for honours. Prior to that in the NT&DL, they were kings, and from where they reached the Munster Junior Cup final in 2014. It was also through the North Tipperary League that their youth team won the FAI Cup in 2014 and the Under 17 Cup in 2016, a team that contained Barry Coffey who went onto join Glasgow Celtic and now plies his trade in the USFL, plus his near neighbour and future Tipperary hurling star in Jake Morris.