WESTSIDE

We may be in the deep throes of winter but hurling fields are still echoing to the clash of the ash. Galway champs, St. Thomas’, pulled off a famous win in the All-Ireland club final after an eventful set-to with O’Loughlin Gaels at Croke Park.

Elsewhere Thurles CBS got pipped in the Harty semi-final, though their counterparts in Nenagh came through to set up a final clash with Limerick’s Ardscoil Ris. And meanwhile Tipperary continued the build up to the league with a challenge against Clare on Sunday morning at Nenagh.

It’s that time of year when I feel most sympathy for inter-county hurlers. The winter slog is not for the faint-hearted. On days when you wouldn’t put the cat out, these guys have to brave the elements and endure punishing fitness routines in preparation for the season ahead. The groundwork for summer excellence is rooted in winter extremes.

No wonder retiring players cite the winter training as the one feature they won’t miss. By contrast, the sunshine followers who emerge in May or June often have little appreciation for what happens in January.

Yet it can be good for the soul to get out and sample the elements at this bleak time of year. That, at least, was my excuse for heading to Nenagh on Sunday morning last against a backdrop of howling wind and driving rain. The challenge with Brian Lohan’s Clare was originally fixed for 1pm but was brought forward to 10.30 in a bid to get ahead of the worst extremes of storm Isha.

With the league launch fast approaching, Liam Cahill was always likely to reintroduce some of his more established players. The teams played four twenty-minute segments with Tipperary’s initial line-out reflecting the needs of the moment as the league approaches.

Rhys Shelly began in goal and conceded the only major of the game, though a badly-breached defence was more at fault than the custodian. Barry Hogan and Enda Dunphy (St. Mary’s) also saw action and that appears to be the likely goal-keeping formation for the league panel.

The inside defence saw Cathal Barrett and Ronan Maher in action; Ballina’s David Kelly completed the line. Barrett was in lively form, which was good to see. Ronan at full back remains an uncertain option. The truth is that we don’t have a specialist full back with Brian McGrath and Michael Breen being given recent game-time in the role also. It’s a problematic position for the management.

Bryan O’Mara, Robert Byrne and Podge Campion formed the starting half back line; Willie Connors and Paddy Cadell lined up for the throw-in at midfield. Cadell, one of the great hopes a few years ago, has struggled to establish a presence at this level; he hit three points on Sunday which won’t have escaped the management’s notice. Willie Connors was the busy-beaver type as usual.

It wasn’t a day for forward play with lots of rucks and physical jostling in the mud. By the end of the four periods of action the surface was in a sorry state. Most of the pitch damage was in the middle third, which indicated where the heaviest heaving took place; the corners at either end looked almost unused.

John McGrath made his return to action at center forward; he posted a few points from play and was reliable on the frees. His return to form would be welcome news for the county. Jack Ryan was on one wing while Nenagh’s Josh Keller manned the other flank.

The inside line of attack featured Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe and Sean Ryan. Jake hit a few points in the second period but it was tough going for attackers who like fast ball and open play. Getting away from markers in the mud isn’t easy.

For the second 20-minute period substitutes such as Cathal Quinn, Darragh Stakelum, Conor Whelan, Max Hackett, Dan McCormack and Gavin O’Halloran were introduced.

Thereafter it all became a bit more chaotic with, effectively, another team of subs being introduced for the third and fourth segments. Craig Morgan, Michael Breen and Danny Slattery were now in the inside defence; Enda Heffernan, Barry Heffernan and Conor Bowe were on the half-back line.

Barry Heffernan was probably on more ball than anyone else at this stage, which was encouraging to see. Alan Tynan was now at midfield from where he hit a few points. Tipperary’s point scoring increased as the game progressed

Andrew Ormond was now in attack and got Tipperary’s goal. Gearoid O’Connor, Sean Kenneally, Joe Fogarty and Cian O’Dwyer were others to join the forward line along with Peter McGarry who hit a neat point and John Campion. Paddy McCormack saw action too taking over the free-taking in the final period.

For the record Tipperary led all the way and eventually won by 1-26 to 1-20 according to my tally, though I wouldn’t vouch for one-hundred percent accuracy on the figures. The score line, I guess, mattered little; this was a test of player mettle more than anything. Conditions were so poor that the final period was pretty futile with crisp hurling an impossibility as the pitch became unplayable.

The exercise will have served its purpose for Liam Cahill and Brian Lohan. In the conditions it was a physically grueling work-out where both managers will have gathered more information on their players. With these extended panels, managers are really building player profiles ahead of any decision on panels.

Next Sunday the main attraction will be the Tipp/Limerick game at Semple Stadium in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation. Word that the remaining games in the Munster league have been abandoned will certainly facilitate this fixture where you’d expect both managers to field reasonably strong line-outs. The worthiness of the cause is beyond question at this point, so I’d expect a significant attendance for the game.

Elsewhere Galway champions, St. Thomas’, claimed their second ever All-Ireland club title in the most dramatic of games. It was a cracking match all through - and with no shortage of talking points. The O’Loughlin Gaels’ goal that wasn’t given in the first half was an extraordinary lapse by out-of-position umpires. Why the two of them retreated behind the goal is difficult to fathom, but even then, they should have seen that the defender carried the ball over the line.

In the context of such a tight game it was a critical moment, though I wouldn’t get carried away with sympathy for the Gaels who could (should?) have collected two red cards in the opening period, one for a dangerous frontal charge and the other for a head butt. Then when red was shown in the second period it was of the dubious variety; from repeated replays I couldn’t see contact.

Anyway, the game will live in the memory for all the right reasons too, especially that winning point by Eanna Burke; it was one for the ages. Indeed, the contest generally was high-octane and high-quality – what a pity the officiating let the occasion down.

There was a lower-level controversy in the Harty semi-final at the weekend when a questionable late free gave Ardscoil Ris the edge over Thurles CBS. It was a shame that the Tipp side didn’t get through because Nenagh did the business in the other semi against Charleville where Darragh McCarthy was the star turn. Another all-Tipp decider would have been sweet but at least Nenagh keep the county banner afloat.

Finally, it’s that time of year when membership renewal for the Supporters’ Club is due. With ever-exploding costs the supporters group play a critical role on the balance sheet, contributing a remarkable €84,926 in 2023. Without their fundraising there’d be a black hole in the accounts. You can join, or renew, membership on-line at www.tippsupportersclub.com/pages/club-membership or by contacting membership officer, Jim Reidy at 086 3580718. The cost remains at €40.