Enright and Gleeson out to down Newtown

IT was a monkey on their backs for decades. Up to the early 1970’s, Thurles Sarsfields were a powerhouse in Tipperary hurling. In 1974 they won the championship for 28th time and the good times looked set to roll on.

Alas, that was not the case and 31 barren years followed before in 2005, having lost four finals in-a-row, Sars once again reigned supreme in Tipperary.

With a seasoned but still relatively young side, that should again have been the first of many, but several more seasons of frustration followed. But that was righted on last Sunday week, when against neighbours Drom & Inch, Thurles won their second Tipperary SHC title of this decade, their 30th in all. The man who accepted the Dan Breen Cup was Johnny Enright, one of only a few remaining from the 2005 success while their manager Michael Gleeson was a member of the 1974 team.