English and Roche inducted into Munster GAA Hall of Fame

HONOURED: From left to right: Kerry goalkeeper Devon Burns has been named as Munster U20 Footballer of the Year; Clare hurling boss Brian Lohan with Clare board stalwart Pat Fitzgerald; and Tipperary hurling legend Nicky English

Former Clare footballer Noel Roche and Tipperary’s two-time All-Ireland hurling winner Nicky English have been inducted into the Munster GAA Hall of Fame.

The pair, who gave decorated service to club and county, will be presented with their Hall of Fame awards at Saturday’s Munster GAA awards function in Clonmel.

St Senan’s clubman Roche found himself catapulted into the Clare senior football team at the tender age of 17 in 1977, his rise to senior inter-county level arriving off the back of a string of fine underage performances for the Kilkee club.

It marked the beginning of a senior inter-county career that ran for 18 years and into the mid-1990s. Roche was at half-forward on Clare football’s greatest afternoon, among the scorers as the Banner achieved a famous four-point Munster final victory over Kerry in July 1992.

His consistent excellence in the saffron and blue saw him selected on the Ireland panel for four different editions of the Compromise Rules series. In total, he won 10 caps for Ireland.

Being inducted into the Munster Hall of Fame alongside Roche is Tipperary’s Nicky English. The Lattin-Cullen clubman amassed a tally of 20-117 during a 15-season senior inter-county career that yielded five Munster SHC medals, two All-Irelands, two National Leagues, and six All-Stars.

Prior to his senior inter-county debut in 1982, English won an All-Ireland minor hurling medal in 1980 and an U21 All-Ireland the following year. English was a dual operator at minor and U21 level around that period in the late 1970s, early 1980s. He also pocketed a remarkable five successive Fitzgibbon Cup medals with UCC in the first half of the 1980s.

Once his playing days were done, English proved himself a dab hand in management. In 2001, he guided the Premier County to Liam MacCarthy glory.

Two more men who served at the GAA coalface in Clare and Tipperary respectively will be honoured with Distinguished Service awards this weekend.

Recognition of the contributions made by Pat Fitzgerald and Tim Floyd are timely as both departed their roles as county secretary this year. The former had been in the position of Clare CEO/secretary since 1990, with Floyd taking up the Tipperary secretary’s title in 2006.

When Fitzgerald retired this summer, it ended an association of over fifty years with the organisation. During that time, he filled a variety of positions at club, county and national level.

Three All-Ireland SHC titles, four U21s, and the aforementioned 1992 Munster SFC crown were all won on Fitzgerald’s watch. The developments he spearheaded as CEO/secretary included the upgrading of Cusack Park.

Floyd, meanwhile, first became involved in Tipperary GAA as county board draw administrator in 1987, a role he continued in until his elevation to county secretary 19 years later.

He was the driving force behind the opening of the Tipperary GAA shop in Lár na Páirce. During his time as secretary, the county won provincial and national silverware in every grade in hurling, as well as Munster senior and U21 and All-Ireland minor titles on the football side.

The Munster U20 footballer of the year is Kerry goalkeeper Devon Burns. The Na Gaeil clubman was beaten only once during Kerry’s three U20 championship outings this year. He was on the mark in two of those games - Munster semi-final and All-Ireland semi-final - from the dead-ball.

The Munster U20 medal Burns won in 2022 follows on from his selection on the Electric Ireland minor team of the year in 2019 and the leading role he played in Tralee CBS’ famine-ending Corn Uí Mhuirí win a year later.

Martin Spain has been selected as the handball person of the year. Martin is a member of Cumann Liathróid Láimhe Loch Eorna in North Tipperary, just above Nenagh.

A long-serving club secretary, he is also chairman of the North Tipperary Handball board, a member of the Tipperary juvenile committee, and Tipperary delegate to the Munster Handball Council.

As well as refereeing many games, Martin can be found coaching many evenings a week in the local Loch Eorna or Nenagh Handball Club.