Tipperary hurlers and footballers are primed for the start of national leagues

A new inter-county GAA season gets underway this weekend with the start of the National Leagues.

Before a ball is kicked or pucked in anger, all teams will go into the season on a level playing pitch, full of hope and anticipation for what lies ahead in the coming months.

This weekend is the dawn of a new era for the Tipperary footballers, who will begin their campaign with a new manager in Clonmel Commercials clubman Philly Ryan and a new captain in Ballina’s Steven O’Brien.

Their first match in Division 4 is away to Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park at 6pm this Saturday evening.

On the following Saturday, February 1, senior inter-county football returns to Clonmel for the first time in five years when Tipperary entertain Longford at 2.30.

The county’s hurlers, meanwhile, travel to Pearse Stadium in Salthill to face Galway in Division 1A at 3.45 on this Sunday, a match that will be shown on TG4.

Their first home game is on the following Sunday, February 2, when they entertain Wexford at FBD Semple Stadium at 3.45.

Liam Cahill’s team have prepared for the campaign with three challenge matches in the past couple of weeks. They had a big win over Laois in Templemore before losing to Dublin in Fethard last Saturday.

Then on the following day another team beat Kerry by 3-32 to 0-13 in a challenge played behind closed doors. The game marked a welcome return for Seamus Kennedy, following a long lay-off through injury after he ruptured his anterior cruciate knee ligament in the league game against Limerick last March.

Looking ahead to the start of the league, Cahill stated after last weekend’s game against Dublin, “We have a lot of areas to work on, definitely around our decision-making. We created three or four good goal chances and didn’t take them.

“A couple of little schoolboy errors come at this time of the year when the lads are in a heavy block of training. We will correct those things over the next week and get as strong a 26-man panel as we can and try to get a result in Pearse Stadium, which is going to be very difficult.

“Those playing in Pearse Stadium will be players who are fit first, and picked on form.

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“It is an exceptionally competitive league and we don’t know what it will throw up, but there are a lot of tough challenges away, as well as big games to play in Thurles.