Hectic weekend of action in Tipperary throws up thrillers across the board

The drama keeps on coming in the Tipperary GAA championships, fresh off the back of the hurling quarter-finals, the football rolls into view this weekend.

Last weekend’s knockout hurling games were filled with drama but at the end of it, the four favourites emerged victorious. Everyone gets a chance to catch their breath and focus again for the semi-finals on the weekend after next where an all-north derby sees Toomevara take on Kiladangan while Loughmore Castleiney will play Thurles Sarsfields.

To the latter pairing first and Thurles Sarsfields were the only really convincing winners last time out as they blew away the Drom Inch challenge in the stadium on Sunday last.

Paddy McCormack and Padraic Maher have the team hurling well and they are rightful favourites for the county title. Loughmore will play them next in a repeat of the 2021 county final and Frankie McGrath’s team will relish the opportunity to play the mid-champions in the last four.

Loughmore needed to dig deep with John and Ciaran McGrath coming up trumps in the second half to see off a genuine challenge from Roscrea last Saturday but they saw it out in the end.

Toomevara, in their quarter-final, needed extra time to see off Clonoulty in another nail-biting game while Kiladangan had to muster all their experience over the last decade to fight off a rising Holycross Ballycahill team that will challenge for titles in the not-too-distant future if they keep up their level of performance.

Three of the hurling winners can now rest and recuperate ahead of the semi finals but dual side Loughmore Castleiney will go to the well again this weekend as they take to the field in the football quarter-finals.

They take on Moyle Rovers in Golden on Saturday (1.30pm) in what is likely to be another close and hard-fought match with Loughmore fancied to win.

The teams have played out some epic, low-scoring matches in recent times and this will be no different.

The reigning football champions Clonmel Commercials are also in action on Saturday when they play Ballina at 4pm in Templemore and that game is two contrasting sides where the Clonmel team will be hot favourites against the intermediate winners last season.

Ballina will look to county footballer Steven O’Brien for inspiration but Commercials have match-winners in every line of the field.

The two other quarter finals take place on Sunday with Upperchurch Drombane playing Kilsheelan Kilcash in Cashel at 1.30pm. The mid Tipperary side will be favourites going into this game but Kilsheelan are always capable of playing well when it matters.

The final quarter-final sees JK Brackens up against Killenaule in another game that is expected to be close but again the mid team will start as favourites with Paddy Cadell back fit again and linking up well with his younger brother Conor who has been part of Tipperary football teams in recent years.

That game throws in at 4pm on Sunday at Boherlahan.

All in all the football championship is only getting going and the fixtures are sure to bring out the crowds this weekend so get along to a game if you can.