Toomevara still seeking to prove themselves beyond Tipp border

IN Tipperary they are the giants, the team against whom many are beaten before even a ball is pucked - a side packed with inter-county talent and noted for its toughness and fighting spirit.

Eight county senior titles since 1992 is true testament to their dominance of the local scene in the Premier County.

Once outside the county borders, however, it’s a different story for Toomevara.

“That’s fair comment,” agrees Tommy Dunne, “but we’ve played some very good teams outside Tipp and it would be unfair to them to say that we should have won more than we have.

“At the same time, given the number of times we’ve won the county championship in recent years (eight since 1992), we should probably have a better record. We’ve only won one Munster, no All-Ireland, and that’s not a great return. It’s something we’d like to put right.”

This year, the Toomevara panel is probably deeper than ever, reflected in the fact that a number of inter-county underage stars have failed to break into the starting 15.

“We feel we’ve been playing good hurling throughout the year. The problem is that we haven’t really had any major test so far. Even in the county final against Thurles Sarsfields, the only time we were really under any pressure was in the last 10 minutes. That was the only time we had to dig really, really deep.

“We know that Newtown are going to be the best team we’ve faced this year, by far, that’s something we’re very much aware of.

Even in Cork, only the few in the know weren’t taken by surprise when Newtownshandrum toppled Blackrock, and the north Cork side are a bit of a mystery to Toomevara.

“We don’t know a whole lot about them, never having seen them play in the flesh. Having been Cork county champions in two of the last four years, we know they have to be a good side, and we’re expecting a typical Cork hurling team, the ball moved fast, with a lot of pace. We’d know a few of their players, what they’re capable of. The O’Connor twins are the obvious danger-men, but we’re also aware of a few others, dark horses.”

It’s been a frustrating year for Tommy, hampered by leg injury with both club and county. As the year progresses, however, the news gets better. “It’s definitely not as good yet as I’d like it to be but it has improved since the county final; I’m going in the right direction, just not fast enough. I hope to play some part on Sunday anyway.

Meanwhile, Westmeath manager Páidí Ó Sé will meet his team for the first time when they play Dublin to mark the opening of a new pitch at St Jude’s, Templeogue, on Sunday week.

The match will also bring Ó Sé and his selection team, announced yesterday, together for the first time. County board secretary Paddy Collins, Tomas Ó Flatharta, a former Kerry player now living in Dublin, and Jack Cooney will be hiss three selectors.

Cooney, from the Corlastown/Kinnegad club, is the only link to the previous reign of Luke Dempsey.

Cooney worked alongside Dempsey and will know the players Ó Sé will familiarise himself with over the next few weeks.

Tipperary’s minor footballers will be managed by Cahir’s Peter Creedon next season, with selectors Sean Scully (JK Brackens), Pat Cremin (Burgess), Tommy Sheehan (Fethard) and one other.