Divisional link up for debate again as Tipperary rethink structures

Lorcan Egan of Loughmore-Castleiney blocks down a shot from Niall Kenny of Borris-Ileigh in the Tipperary SHC Semi-Final in Thurles. Picture: Marty Ryan/Sport Focus

A total of 28 motions pertaining to competition structures in Tipperary will be debated at next Tuesday’s county board meeting.

Compelled by the decision taken at Congress earlier this year to limit county senior and intermediate championships to a maximum of 16 teams in each, Tipperary will debate a host of proposals, many of them aimed at streamlining their competitions.

While 16 teams comprise the group stages of the senior hurling championship in the county, the divisional links mean as many as 32 teams are involved. Counties such as Cork have already reshaped their championships and there is a two-year lead-in afforded to those to adjust their competition structures accordingly. However, Tipperary’s traditional divisional links have long been respected.

The divisional champions in the mid, north, south and west qualify for the knock-out stages regardless of whether they fail to qualify from the senior hurling Dan Breen Cup group stages or are in the Senior B Seamus Ó Riain Cup competition.

Speaking earlier this year, county chairman Joe Kennedy explained the divisional ties need not be severed providing the Senior A and B teams were split in each division. “The very least we have to do is separate the Dan Breen teams from the Ó Riain teams in the divisions,” he argued.

Clubs had until early this week to put forward their proposals and Éire Óg Annacarty suggest only Dan Breen Cup teams who win their respective divisional competition can qualify for the knock-out stages of the senior hurling championship.

Last year’s senior champions Kiladangan similarly call for the divisional link to be retained but teams “can only re-enter the competition at which they are graded” with separate north championships for Dan Breen and Seamus Ó Riain teams, as Kennedy articulated. 

They conclude: “We think this is keeping with the new rules from Croke Park as there are still only 16 teams in each grade.” 

Six of the 14 North teams competed in the Dan Breen Cup this year. In the Mid Tipperary championship, seven of the nine are Breen clubs and one of the other two are Thurles Sarsfields B team. 

However, in South Tipperary only Mullinahone were involved in the Breen Cup this year, while in the west Clonoulty-Rossmore and Éire Óg Annacarty were Breen sides.

Prior to their successful motion earlier this year, the fixtures calendar task-force highlighted that in 2019 of the 66 senior hurling and football club championships in the 32 counties and London eight of them consisted of more than 16 teams.

“It has been strongly represented to the Task Force, by fixture analysts, administrators and others that Senior or Intermediate Championship should consist of no more than 16 teams,” their report read. 

“The Task Force fully endorses this view and recognises that affected clubs could be reluctant to adopt such a change due to the immediate impact it may have on their own status. This is understandable but not in the best interest of the orderly and timely management of competitions.” 

Six motions pertain to the Seamus Ó Riain Cup, which comes to a conclusion this year when Killenaule and Templederry Kenyons face off the weekend after next.

The county management committee and fixture analysts propose the competition be re-titled the premier intermediate championship with the winners going on to represent Tipperary in the Munster intermediate club championship. Newport have a similar motion on the Clár although there is opposition from Carrick Swans, while Burgess want it delayed until 2023.

The logjam of fixtures created by the pandemic have also prompted the county’s management committee to recommend only one of U19, U20 or U21 hurling and football be played next year. Cappawhite and Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams have proposed U19 and U21 be played next year and thereafter.