Tipp football remembers the past and look to the future
Tipperary Football formally unveiled its blueprint for the development of the game over the next three years at the Hibernian Inn, Nenagh on Saturday night.
It was done in conjunction with a reunion of the 1998 Tipperary junior football team who won the All Ireland title, skippered by Kevin Coonan of Nenagh Eire Og.
It was fitting in that regard that manager of that winning team, Seamus McCarthy who also managed Tipp to the 1984 All Ireland minor final, 1995 All Ireland ‘B’ title and 2005 Tommy Murphy Cup, was asked to formally launch the strategic plan, an 18 page document provides Tipperary with a road-map for the future.
Under the direction of football committee vice chairman Conor O’Dwyer, the plan was developed from a forum, which took place in Thurles last March from which the feedback was assessed and developed into a plan.
The plan broken down into six target areas:
– Promotion of Football to the Tipperary Public
- Promotion and Development of football in Primary Schools
– Promotion and development of football in Secondary Schools
– Juvenile Development and Participation
- Adult Football Participation
- Promotion of football in non-traditional areas
That junior competition is what brought a large crowd to Nenagh last Saturday night as the All Ireland winning team held a reunion and reminisced in a rare national title for Tipperary when they defeated Offaly to win the All Ireland for the first time since 1923.
In that campaign they defeated Limerick and drew with Clare before edging out Clare in the Munster semi-final, and then beating Cork in the provincial final at Pairc Ui Rinn. In the All Ireland semi-final they easily accounted for Warwickshire before beating Offaly in the All Ireland final in Portlaoise.
Tipperary Junior team v Offaly: Seamus Delahunty (Moyle Rovers); Damien Byrne (Fethard), Fergal Clifford (Aherlow), Michael O'Mahoney (Clonmel Commercials), PJ Lanigan (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Derry Peters (Aherlow), Willie Morrissey (Fethard); Paul Ormond (Loughmore/Castleiney 0-1), Mark Leonard (Aherlow 0-1); Paul Cahill (Mullinahone 0-1), Mark O'Shea (Aherlow 0-1), Brian Maguire (Lattin Cullen); Kevin Coonan (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt, 0-3 frees), Anthony Crosse (Eire Og Annacarty), Tommy Sheehan (Fethard 1-2).
Subs: Damian O'Brien (Eire Og Annacarty 1-0); Jim McAuliffe (Nenagh Eire Og), Colm McMenamin (Clonmel Commercials), Ky Vaughan (Mullinahone), Tom Guilfoyle (Moyne-Templetuohy), Ken Ryan (Ardfinnan), Gary Morrison (Cahir), David Burke (JK Brackens), Liam Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields), Paul Darcy (Borrisokane), Chris Bonar (Nenagh Eire Og).
Manager: Seamus McCarthy (Galtee Rovers). Selectors: Martin Healy (Nenagh Eire Og), Conor O'Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields), Pete Savage (Ardfinnan).
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