Tipperary Contenders to Pretenders

In 2016 Tipperary played off in their first All-Ireland Semi Final since 1935 where they went down to Cavan since then they have been a more Hurling county winning 16 All Irelands and 19 NHL’s. Tipperary ended up going down to Mayo 2-13 to 0-14 but things looked up for Tipp. Red hot off their 2016 Semi-final lost they started their 2017 NFL season off win a bang with a win over Antrim. Six weeks later they defeated Armagh by a point to not only make the finals of Division 3 but move up to Division 2 for the first time since 2010. So once again things were looking up. In 2014 Tipperary was in Division 4 in the NFL and going out in the Qualifiers in the All Ireland to gearing up for Division 1 in the NFL and having a red-hot crack at their first All-Ireland since 1920. Unfortanly it did not play out like that.

 

Despite getting the Quarter Finals off in the 2017 All Ireland Finals they went down to Cork in the Semi’s. Defeated Cavan in the 2nd round of Qualifiers then lost to Armagh in the 3rd the same team that they defeated to put them up to Division two in the NFL are the ones to knock them out of the championship.

 

2018 in the NFL looked promising with a massive win over Cork who the year before got relegated from division 1 but then went on to have two more wins and a draw to finished 3rd overall two wins out of 2nd place and a spot in division 1. Over to the All-Ireland they didn’t have the luxury of not playing the Quarter finals but got an easy win over Waterford to play Cork in the Semis getting smashed again like the previous year but this time they couldn’t even make it past the second round losing to Mayo the same team the played off against to make the All Ireland Final just 2 years ago.

 

2019 after what we thought was promise and after we thought they could and should be aiming for division 1 but their only two points of the season came in a draw in round two and a win in round 3 but wasn’t all bad as the sit in relegation zone come the final round ahead of Cork on points all they needed to do was beat Clair who was just above them on the ladder. What was a game of momentum both teams scored in clusters during the game at the 27th minute mark of the second half Sweeny kicked a point and their 6th point in a row to take their lead out by three points. Six minutes from time though Clair kicked a goal to draw it level and decided to add insult injury by kicking two more quick points for a two-goal win and to make matters worse Cork also won their last match meaning not only are Tipperary back in Division three they also finished last.

 

Tipperary may just want to be a Hurling county and that is fine but they have shown over the last few years they have the young talent to really give Football a crack as well and be one of if not the best duel sport teams in Ireland. Unfortanly it is looking like the same old same old