Multi-million Semple Stadium facelift on the backburner, says Tipperary GAA secretary

Tipperary envisage constructing a new tier under the stand for a corporate area and a gym at the adjacent Dr Morris Park

Semple Stadium

Tipperary GAA secretary Tim Floyd admits it will be a matter of years before Semple Stadium’s multi-million facelift will happen.

Last April, it was revealed the county board’s planning application to redevelop the facilities on the Kinane Stand of the Thurles venue had been granted.

Estimated to be around €9m, Tipperary envisage constructing a new tier under the stand for a corporate area with a capacity of 250 people including a bar and kitchen.

A gym has also been designed to add to the current training facilities at the adjacent Dr Morris Park. Up to now, Tipperary have been hiring the gym in the LIT Campus on the Nenagh Road in Thurles.

“It will be on the backburner for a few years,” confirmed Floyd. “We have five years’ planning so we will hold off for the moment. What’s more urgent is our plans to extend the dressing rooms in Dr Morris Park. We’re involved in an all-weather pitch over in LIT as well so they are the priorities.

“All three are still in our plans. The development in Dr Morris Park will hopefully go ahead at the end of the year when Munster Council and Croke Park finances are freed up.”

Floyd admits last year’s planning permission came through at an awkward time for the board just weeks into the first lockdown.

“The announcement was made at the start of the first lockdown, which we were kind of embarrassed about. Everybody had stopped spending and here was the news that we had been given the go-ahead with the project but we couldn’t really.

“Planning applications are going on behind the scenes all the time but at least when things do turn we have shovels and jobs ready to go because it takes so long now with planning and design but that is in place. But we’re not even thinking about that at the moment. We’re pausing it now for the opportune time which could be three, four or five years down the line.”

Meanwhile, Floyd’s personal belief is that the GAA must do something to try and curb the level of cynicism in hurling as the current rules benefit the defending team who make such transgressions.

Last year, Tipperary were among several counties who opposed the introduction of the black card to hurling and it was heavily defeated, but the motion as it stands stresses the cynical foul must have denied a goal-scoring opportunity.

“We haven’t discussed any of the motions but my own opinion is there has to be a rule brought in for cynical fouling in hurling,” said the Newport man.

“There are too many cases when lads are being brought down as they go in for goals and straight away there is a disadvantage.

“There has to be some sort of punishment for pulling lads down. Whatever the punishment is, everyone has their opinion but it can no longer be an advantage to the man who is doing the pulling down.”