At the time of his passing, the Toomevara native was the President of Toomevara GAA, North Tipperary GAA and Tipperary GAA Boards.

Born in 1932, Matt couldn’t but be attracted to hurling considering he was a cousin of the great Weger Meagher of Toomevara and Tipperary fame. He played at juvenile level with Toomevara progressing to adult level in the 1950’s where he helped the club win the North Intermediate Hurling Championship in 1955 and a senior championship three years later, one of four North titles won, also in 1960, 61 & 62. In 1960, Toomevara went onto win the county title at the expense of the dominant Thurles Sarsfields side who won ten titles in eleven years in the fifties and sixties. In that final, Matt Hassett was tasked with marking Thurles powerhouse Sean McLoughlin.

At this stage, Hassett had made his debut for Tipperary in 1960 and following Toomevara’s county championship success, he was bestowed the honour of becoming Tipperary captain for the 1961 season, leading them to a Munster title, a final in which he marked Christy Ring.

On the first Sunday in September, Hassett became the first Toomevara man to captain Tipperary to an All-Ireland senior title when they defeated Dublin in the final at Croke Park. He won a second All-Ireland medal a year later as a substitute having suffered a hand injury which led to his early retirement from the game, although he briefly played for Toomevara again in 1968.

Matt also served as a selector with the Tipperary minor hurlers from 1965 to 1968, as well the under 21’s in 1965, 66 & 68.

Matt was also a talented footballer winning a county senior championship medal with a North Tipperary selection in 1958 and with a Toomevara/Inane Rovers/Moneygall selection in 1959 & 1961.

Off the field, Hassett was a qualified solicitor and was a long-time partner in the Nenagh firm of solicitors of James O'Brien & Co, and did so until recent years.

He used his administrative talents in becoming secretary of the Toomevara club while still a player and would later become club chairman and president. He moved onto the divisional board where he succeeded Mick Moylan as secretary of the North Senior Board, a role he held from 1964 to 1969, and later became treasurer of Tipperary County Board from 1973 to 1975, before later becoming President of Tipperary County Board in 2015, succeeding the late Tommy Barrett.

Predeceased by wife Ann and son Kevin, Matt Hassett is survived by sons Mark and Paul. Funeral arrangements to be confirmed.