Promotion on the agenda for Tipperary footballers as they head to London

The target for Tipperary’s footballers is promotion when they get their Allianz Football League Division Four campaign underway under new manager Niall Fitzgerald in London this Sunday.

Their opening game against the home team will be played at McGovern Park in Ruislip at 1pm.

“Your target at the start of every year is probably promotion, especially from Division Four, and probably to try and get Tipperary football back to a higher standard where it had been four or five years previously,” says Tipperary player Sean O’Connor.

“It has slipped in the last year or two, and we really want to get out of Division Four.
“We feel like we have enough talent in the county to get out of there, and that is probably one of the big focuses at the start of the year”.

Speaking at the presentation of the Annerville sports awards in Clonmel the weekend before last, when he was honoured by the Tipperary United Sports Panel for his stellar performances during 2025, the Clonmel Commercials player said “Tipperary are back in the swing of it now.

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“A lot of lads were back (trraining) in early November when their clubs were knocked out of the championship. The boys are working really hard, and there has been a great shift put in by everyone so far.

“We have the head down and we have the league to look forward to. All focus is shifting to London and the first game”.

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Reflecting on his Annerville award, he said “It’s a lovely end to 2025.
“It’s nice to be rewarded for your on-pitch efforts. It was a good year for Commercials on the pitch (when they won their 22nd county senior title, which placed them at the top of the roll of honour in the county).

“But it was a sad year off the pitch, with the passing of Philly Ryan (the former Tipp manager and Commercials mentor, who passed away sudenly last October), and it was nice to be able to win the county title in his honour.

“To become the most successful club in Tipperary senior football made it poignant on the day, and we’re delighted to be able to top the roll of honour. Philly played a massive part as both a player and a manager in getting us there”.

This wekend’s trip to Ruislip will be something of a revenge mission for Tipperary, who were beaten by a point, 2-12 to 0-17, by London in last year’s league.

The sides shared the spoils in 2024, drawing 0-11 to 1-8, while Tipperary have enjoyed the better of the recent history with three wins — in 2022, 2014 and 2013.

After this weekend, Tipp’s next match is the following Sunday, February 1, against Antrim at 2pm at FBD Semple Stadium.

That will be followed on Sunday February 15 by a game against Carlow at 2pm, also in FBD Semple Stadium.

Their remaining matches are as follows -

Round 4 – Sunday February 22 – Tipperary v Longford at 2pm in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford.
Round 5 – Sunday March 1 – Tipperary v Leitrim at 2pm in FBD Semple Stadium.
Round 6 – Sunday March 15 – Tipperary v Wicklow at 2pm in Echelon Park, Aughrim.
Round 7 – Sunday March 22 – Tipperary v Waterford at 1pm in FBD Semple Stadium.