Youthful Upperchurch Drombane aiming to make history

OF THE four remaining teams in tomorrow’s Tipperary SHC semi-finals, one stands out. In what many will see as the main event, champions Toomevara continue their Kerry-like run through the back door, take on Drom & Inch, the only divisional champions still standing.

No surprise there, as Toome seem to have been around forever and Drom & Inch have been knocking on the door for a few years.

Before that, however, at 2pm, Thurles Sarsfields face Upperchurch Drombane, a bolt from the wild blue yonder, a team which — according to former stalwart and current Tipperary senior selector Mick Ryan — has yet to win their own divisional championship.

“We had never even contested a final before this year — it’s your classic small village and parish story where a talented group of youngsters came through together. The last few years sort of pointed towards this happening; those boys were very successful at U14, U16, minor and U21, albeit at B level, though they made the step-up to minor A last year and won the Mid (Tipperary) but were beaten in the county final.

“The first thing I’d say about this team, they’re all able to play hurling, they have great skill. In fairness to the management, they’ve taken their courage in their hands, gone with the youth. The same bunch were out there last year, playing senior, and they just didn’t have the maturity for that level.

“Now they’re a year older, a year better, a year boulder — they’re fabulous to watch, they really are, don’t give a damn about anything, just tear into it. Not that it’s all youngsters — there’s a sprinkling of fellas in their mid to late 20’s, but they got that vital injection of young talent that they needed.”

That management team consists of TJ Connolly from Cashel as trainer/manager, with selectors Tommy Tierney and Tom Kennedy, no input from Michael Ryan himself : “I hardly had time to bless myself this year,” he says, by way of explanation, “but I’m getting fair stick as to how many of these lads should be in the Tipp set up. It’s always good to see a new club coming through, we’re putting pressure on other teams and they’ll respond in due course.”

There are several who are indeed putting their hands up for promotion to the county senior side, though some of those are still a little young. Upperchurch Drombane had no-one on the 30 named by Tipperary in the All-Ireland match-day programme a few weeks ago, but what say that changes next year?

“James Barry (centre-back in the absence of suspended team captain Andy Kinnane) is only 19,” says Michael; “He’s a class act, a former county minor, very bright future ahead of him. Colm Ryan, another former county minor panellist, is playing a great brand of hurling, while Colm Stapleton has been a prolific scorer for us. Then you have Jody Brennan, he’s 26, and he has been very important to the club this year; yet another former county minor panellist.

“Then you have some of the youngsters, the likes of Paudie Green, a minor and one of three brothers on the panel; he got no trial with the county minors this year, won a Harty and an All-Ireland with Thurles CBS but didn’t make the starting 15 there either, he probably typifies where this team is coming from.

“Paul Ryan is another very talented youngster, just recovering from injury but a fine corner-forward, and his brother Peter is a another fine young talent, last year’s county minor corner-back. Pat Shortt is a very good player, a prodigy as a youngster, around 24 now, great finisher.

“Matt Ryan and Jack Ryan also, in the full-back line, two good hurlers — in fairness though, they can all play, every one of them, and for that, much of the credit has to go to those who coached those lads at underage, the likes of Seamus Barry, James’ father. Seamus was a Tipp senior panellist in the 70’s, a fine player himself, and he was probably the backbone of the skills; but you had many others, the likes of Eugene Shortt, Tom Kennedy, Michael Green, Gerry Ryan, Roddy Lowery — many others too numerous to mention, but all of them did huge work with the juveniles.”

They’ll be up against tomorrow, however, meeting a very experienced outfit in Thurles Sarsfields. “They beat us in the round-robin stage early on, we beat them in the Mid semi-final, but they’ve improved since then. They now have their four county players back full-time, Lar Corbett, Pa Bourke, Pádraig Maher and Mikey Cahill, and that will make a difference — not too much of a difference, we hope. Sars are stronger now, but our fellas won’t be intimidated. Thurles have the typical town advantage, greater numbers, but we make up for that in spades with passion.”

In the other semi-final (3.30pm), Toomevara are fancied to overcome Drom & Inch, but impressive and all as the champions looked in dismissing Clonoulty Rossmore last week, brothers Benny (in defence) and Kenny (from placed balls) Dunne leading the charge, don’t count out an upset here. Seamus Callanan on Benny Dunne – now there’s a match-up worthy all on its own of the admission fee.