Last year's finalists will meet in first rounds of South Tipp GAA senior championships

Above - Killenaule's Paidi Feehan (left) and Carrick Swans' Billy Murphy in action in last year's South Tipp Senior Hurling Championship Final. The teams will meet in the first round of this year's championship.  

The 2017 finalists in both Senior Hurling and Football have being pitted against each other in the opening rounds of this year’s South Championship. 

A return to knockout competition in Senior Hurling for the first time in well over a decade sees Killenaule lock horns once again with champions Carrick Swans, with newly-promoted St. Mary's awaiting the winners in the last four. 

The second semi-final is a pairing of neighbours and great rivals Ballingarry and Mullinahone, and with the entire championship condensed into the designated April club window, a high-octane start to the GAA season is expected. 

The tie of the round in Senior Football is undoubtedly Commercials against Moyle Rovers, who still have the small matter of last year's final replay to decide. 

Cahir will face off against Killenaule, and Ardfinnan do battle against Ballyporeen in the other games, with 2015 champions Kilsheelan-Kilcash receiving a first-round bye. 

Formats were agreed, and draws subsequently  conducted in 16 competitions in both codes, at last Friday evening’s South Board Adjourned AGM in the South Tipperary GAA Centre.  

SENIOR HURLING

Preliminary Round - Carrick Swans v Killenaule 

Semi-Finals - Ballingarry v Mullinahone, St. Mary's v Carrick Swans or Mullinahone

SENIOR FOOTBALL

Kilsheelan-Kilcash a bye

Cahir v Killenaule

Ardfinnan v Ballyporeen

Commercials v Moyle Rovers

INTERMEDIATE HURLING

Moyle Rovers v Ballybacon-Grange

Carrick Davins v Kilsheelan-Kilcash

INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL

Father Sheehys a bye

Clonmel Og v Moyle Rovers

Fethard v Grangemockler-Ballyneale

JUNIOR A HURLING

Group A

Cahir v Grangemockler-Ballyneale

Killenaule v Skeheenarinka

Ballylooby-Castlegrace v Fethard

Group B

Father Sheehys v Ballingarry

Carrick Swan v Newcastle

Clonmel Og v St. Patricks

JUNIOR B HURLING

Moyle Rovers v Marlfield

Cahir v St. Marys

Clerihan v Mullinahone

St. Patricks a bye

JUNIOR A FOOTBALL

Group A 

Moyle Rovers V Newcastle

Ballingarry v Carrick Davins

Mullinahone a bye

Group B 

Ardfinnan v St. Patricks

Kilsheelan-Kilcash v Ballylooby-Castlegrace

JUNIOR B FOOTBALL

St. Patricks a bye

Ballyporeen v Cahir

Killenaule v Clerihan

Commercials v Moyle Rovers

U-21 A HURLING 

St. Marys v Ballingarry

Kilsheelan-Kilcash v Killenaule

Grangemockler-Ballyneale v Moyle Rovers

Carrick Swan a bye

U-21 B HURLING

Skeheenarinka/Clonmel Og v Carrick Davins

Clerihan v Cahir

Anner Gaels v Mullinahone

Ballybacon-Grange/Newcastle a bye

U-21 A FOOTBALL

Commercials a bye

Moyle Rovers v Kilsheelan-Kilcash

U-21 B FOOTBALL

Group A

Killenaule v Ballyporeen/Clonmel Og

Carrick Davins v Ardfinnan Gaels

Group B

Clerihan a bye

Grangemockler-Ballyneale v Cahir

Group C

Ballingarry a bye

Anner Gaels v Mullinahone

MINOR A HURLING

Grangemockler-Ballyneale v St. Marys

Moyle Rovers v Carrick Swans

Skeheenarinka/Clonmel Og v Ballingarry 

Cahir a bye

MINOR B HURLING

Mullinahone v Kilsheelan-Kilcash

Anner Gaels v Killenaule

Knockmealdown Gaels v Ballybacon-Grange/Newcastle 

MINOR A FOOTBALL

Carrick Swans v Commercials

Grangemockler-Ballyneale v Cahir

Moyle Rovers v Ballyporeen/Clonmel Og

MINOR B FOOTBALL

Mullinahone a bye

Killenaule v Anner Gaels

Kilsheelan-Kilcash v Ardfinnan Gaels

Ballingarry v Knockmealdown Gaels