County PRO Ed Donnelly brings us all the latest news for the Premier County for the week ending Friday 13 July. LIAM CONNOLLY R.I.P. Former Tipperary hurler and footballer Liam Connolly of Coolmoyne and Fethard passed away on Wednesday evening last. Liam had an extensive Inter-County career with the Premier County in Hurling and Football. He won an All-Ireland Minor Hurling medal with Tipperary in 1953 and won a Munster Minor Hurling title in 1954, losing to Dublin in the All-Ireland final. Liam played for the Tipperary Minor Footballers in 1954 and the Tipperary Junior Hurlers in 1955 and was an ever present on the Tipperary Senior Football team from 1956 to 1967. Liam was left corner-forward on the Tipperary side which won the 1958 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final and right corner-forward on the 1960 team which captured the Munster final before losing out to Wexford in the All-Ireland Final. Liam won two more All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals as a substitute in 1961 and 1962. He won two County Senior Football Championships with Fethard while he won a South Senior Hurling medal with Na Piarsaigh in 1957, losing out to Thurles Sarsfields in the County Final. He was honoured with a Hall of Fame award by the South Tipperary Divisional Board in recognition of his many honours on the field of play. The Tipperary County Board would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Connolly family on their bereavement. MUNSTER MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONS Well done to the Tipperary panel and backroom staff that captured the Munster Minor Hurling title for the 36th time on Sunday last with a 0-18 to 1-11 victory over Cork. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh) was the winning captain becoming the first Tipperary player to collect this trophy since David Morrissey (Galtee Rovers) in 2003. Tipperary also became the first team in the history of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship to win the Munster final without scoring a goal. Interestingly, a look through the history books will show that the Munster Minor Hurling Final is usually full of goals with the winners scoring 8 or more goals in the final on no less than 10 occasions. These high scoring winners were as follows - 1937 (Cork - 8 goals vs. Limerick); 1938 (Cork - 9 goals vs. Kerry); 1939 (Cork - 8 goals vs. Clare); 1940 (Limerick - 8 goals vs. Clare); 1945 (Tipperary - 8 goals vs. Clare); 1950 (Tipperary - 12 goals vs. Clare); 1952 (Tipperary - 10 goals vs. Clare); 1955 (Tipperary - 8 goals vs. Waterford); 1956 (Tipperary - 10 goals vs. Waterford); 1958 (Limerick - 8 goals vs. Waterford). ALL-IRELAND MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP The draw for the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals has been made. Munster Champions Tipperary will play the winners of the Quarter-Final between Leinster runners-up Kilkenny and Ulster Champions Antrim. While Leinster champions Dublin await the winners of Munster runners-up Cork and 2006 All-Ireland Finalists Galway. SENIOR HURLING QUALIFIERS Tipperary will play Cork in an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Qualifiers on Saturday evening at 7:00pm in Semple Stadium Thurles. The game will be preceded by the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship match between Tipperary and Wexford at 5:00pm. There are no tickets required for this match - cash will be accepted at the styles on the night. This will be the 77th Championship meeting of these old rivals and to date, the record is Cork 36 wins, Tipperary 32 wins and 7 draws while one match was abandoned. Barry Kelly (Westmeath) will be the referee. ALL-IRELAND SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW The draws for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Finals were made on Sunday last. On July 22nd, Kilkenny will take on the Runner-up in Qualifier Group 1A (Antrim, Clare or Galway) while Wexford will play the winners of Qualifier Group 1B (Cork or Tipperary). On Sunday July 29th, Waterford will play the runner-up in Qualifier Group 1B (Cork or Tipperary) while Limerick take on the winners of Qualifier Group 1A (Antrim, Clare or Galway). COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP The sixth match in the round-robin stages of the County Senior Hurling Championship will take place on Sunday next at 3:00pm in MacDonagh Park Nenagh when Kilruane MacDonaghs take on Portroe in Group 2. Both clubs have played Cappawhite to date in Group 2 with Portroe securing a narrow victory while Kilruane MacDonaghs lost by three points. Victory is essential for both North clubs to determine the final placings in this Group with Drom & Inch also involved. The winner of Group 2 will receive a bye in the next round. COUNTY UNDER 21 "C" HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP The County Under 21 "C" Hurling Championship gets underway in the next week with eight clubs taking part. The competition will be played on a knockout / losers group format. Two of the first round winners will get a bye to the semi-final while the other two first round winners will play the Losers Group winners. All matches will be played at neutral venues. On Thursday next, July 12th, Lattin-Cullen play Ballinahinch at Drombane while Emly take on neighbours Solohead in Solohead - both matches throw-in at 7:30pm. On Sunday evening, July 15th at 6:00pm in Boherlahan, Marlfield play Clonakenny while on Thursday, July 19th at 7:30pm, Sean Treacys take on Newcastle in Bansha. FOOTBALL BOARD MEETING The next meeting of the Tipperary Football Board will take place on this Thursday evening, July 12th at 8:00pm at Hayes Hotel, Thurles. All clubs should ensure their delegates are present at this meeting. HURLING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME As in previous years, the Tipperary County Board are running a Hurling Development Programme this summer. The coaches involved in this programme are Eamonn Buckley, Kevin Butler, Darragh Egan, Micheál Hassett and Hugh Maloney. A number of clubs have been visited to date as part of this programme, namely Ballylooby-Castlegrace, Cappawhite, Fr. Sheehys, Moyne-Templetuohy, Newcastle, Rosegreen and Solohead. Clubs who wish to avail of coaching sessions in their club during the months of July and August as part of this programme should contact Micheál Hassett at [email protected] or Denis Floyd at 087-9355750 or [email protected]. POC FADA The Munster Poc Fada final was held in Thurles Racecourse on Saturday last, July 7th. The winner was Brendan McNamara, Scarriff, Co. Clare. Second was Albert Shanahan, South Liberties, Limerick. The Under 16 competition was won by Aaron Murphy, Hospital/Herbertstown, Limerick. All three will go forward to participate in the All Ireland final on the Cooley Mountains during the August Bank Holiday weekend. Tipperary was represented by Michael Flannery, Newport (Senior) and Dean O'Dwyer, Cappawhite (Juvenile). Both acquitted themselves well, but did not reach the honours list. TEACHERS COURSE Munster Council will hold a Level One Coaching Course for teachers at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick from August 20th to 24th. The course is recognised by the Department of Education and qualifies for EPV days. Accommodation is available if required. All costs are covered by the Munster Council. If interested, contact Denis Floyd at 087-9355750. TIPPERARY GAA MEMBERS DRAW 2007/2008 The Borrisokane GAA Club hosted the Tipperary GAA Members draw for July at The Yank's Bar Borrisokane on Friday last. The venue was switched from Borrisileigh due to a funeral in their village on the same night. As Borrisokane also had a first prize winner in the June / July draws, the new venue was an opportunity to present Joe Ryan, Aglish with his €15,000 cheque. Also present for €3,000 each were Lotto winners Tom Murray (Clonakenny) and Patricia Sheeran (Moneygall) who both shared a €6,000 Tipp GAA Lotto Jackpot during June. Borrisokane Chairman Tadhg Slevin welcomed all and Draw Chairman Gus Fitzgerald spoke on behalf of County Board before the draw's new co-ordinator Ger Bradley took over as compere. The main winners on the night were Kathleen Keyes with the Carrick Swan club who won a car or €15,000 and Catherine O'Donovan of the Moycarkey-Borris club who won a car or €12,000. The Moyne-Templetuohy GAA club won the set of jerseys for July while there was no winner of the Lotto jackpot of €7,000 which brings it to a massive €8,000 next Friday. See the full list of results elsewhere in this newspaper. The August Draw will take place on Friday, August 3rd in Carrick on Suir. REFEREES Johnny Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla) will take charge of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Qualifier match between Clare and Laois on Saturday at 3:00pm in Portlaoise. Noel Cosgrove (Marlfield) will referee the Christy Ring Cup Senior Hurling Championship match between Westmeath and Kerry on Saturday at 5:00pm in Cusack Park Mullingar. Brian Tyrell (St. Mary's) will referee the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship semi-final between Cork and London at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday at 2:00pm. Meanwhile in Camogie circles, Eamonn Browne (Knockavilla Kickhams) will travel to London to referee the 2007 London Senior Camogie Final on Saturday evening at 6:30pm in Ruislip between the holders Brother Pearses and Fr. Murphy's. There are three Tipperary girls on the Brother Pearses panel - namely Bronwyn Keeshan (Roscrea), Therese Doyle (Borris-Ileigh) and Mary Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs). On the weekend of July 21st / 22nd, Eamonn Browne will travel to Boston to the Eire Og Club in Boston to referee the Camogie finals in that city. TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB UMBRELLAS The following arrangements have been put in place for members of the Tipperary Supporters Club collect their special Supporters Club Umbrellas. You can collect your umbrella by calling to the GAA Merchandise Shop at Lar Na Pairce, Thurles any day, bringing your membership card as proof of current membership. Members attending the All-Ireland Qualifier game in Semple Stadium against Cork on next Saturday can also collect their umbrella at the Tipperary GAA Shop Merchandise Stand which is located on the way into Ardan Ui Riann (New Stand) and also under the Kinane (Old) Stand - again you will need to bring your membership card with you. TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP The Tipperary Supporters Club has set up a new way for young people to join with Free Junior Membership. With your FREE membership you are entitled to 1. A Poster of your favourite Tipperary players; 2. Entry in to a weekly draw for prizes such as radios, Tipperary Supporters golf caps etc.; 3. Weekly hurling tip from Tipperary's leading players; 4. A chance to meet and conduct an interview with a player which will be included in a match programme; 5. 10% discount on all purchases in the Tipperary GAA Shop in Thurles; 6. A chance to win the Star Prize of a Special Coaching Session in your Club for your team given by members of the Tipperary Senior Hurling Panel. All you have to do to get your free membership is to ask one of your parents to log on to the Tipperary Supporters Club web site at www.tippsupportersclub.com and fill in the form with name, address and email address so that we can let you know if you have won a prize. It couldn't be easier and remember it is FREE. GOALS WIN GAMES The expression "Goals win games" is often used in the aftermath of GAA matches. Looking at the current Tipperary panel, there are ten players who have scored goals in their Championship career in the Blue and Gold jersey. Unsurprisingly, Eoin Kelly leads the way with 11 goals in his 34 Championship appearances to date. Those goals have come against Waterford 6, Laois 2, Offaly, Clare and Galway 1 each. Next up on the list is John Carroll with 8 goals in 33 Championship appearances, an impressive ratio when you consider he began his career in the half-back line. Lar Corbett has scored 6 goals from 27 appearances while Liam Cahill and Benny Dunne have each scored 4 championship goals. The other current panellists with Championship goals to their credit are Seamus Butler and Darragh Egan (2 each) and Paul Kelly, Micheál Webster and Willie Ryan (1 each). Hopefully some of the players mentioned will add to their tallies in the coming weeks while perhaps some new players will be added to the goal scoring list also. Finally, there is an interesting link between Henry Shefflin and Eoin Kelly in that neither player has ever scored a Championship goal against Cork. TIPPERARY GAA SCENE There will be no Tipperary GAA Scene column next week. Tweet

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