Tipperary and Kilkenny set to face-off in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation

Seven days after their league meeting, they will clash again in FBD Semple Stadium in a challenge game to raise funds for the foundation set up by the Quirke family in honour of the late Tipperary hurler.

Wed, 01 Feb, 2023 - 07:15

John Fogarty

Tipperary and Kilkenny’s senior hurlers will face off for a second time in the space of a week later this month in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

The great rivals are due to meet in the second round of the Allianz Hurling League in UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday week.

Seven days later on February 19, they will clash again in FBD Semple Stadium in a challenge game to raise funds for the foundation set up by the Quirke family in honour of the late Tipperary hurler (2pm throw-in).

The initiative aims to create awareness about SADS (sudden adult death syndrome) and cardiac screen every male and female GAA player from the age of 12 upwards.

Quirke passed away at the Thurles venue while lining out as captain of Clonoulty-Rossmore against Kilruane MacDonaghs in a senior championship game last August.

In 2018, he won a SHC winner with his west Tipperary club as well as an U20 All-Ireland title with Tipperary having won a minor All-Ireland two years earlier. The 24-year-old had broken into the Tipperary senior team in the 2022 Munster SHC.

SADS, which also took the life of Tyrone captain Cormac McAnallen in 2004, is the cause of death of 100 young adults every year.

It was recently announced that Clonoulty-Rossmore's GAA pitch would be named after Dillon. Last August, Cork forward Shane Kingston presented the last Tipperary jersey Quirke wore to his family after the pair had swapped tops following the counties’ Munster SHC final round game in Thurles two months earlier.

All proceeds from the game in Thurles will go towards the aim of raising €1 million to fund screening in all GAA clubs.

Entry fee is €20 for the game with children under the age of 16 admitted for free. There is also the option of purchasing non-attendance tickets. A commemorative match programme for the game will also be published in hard and soft copy.

Speaking as the family launched the foundation before Christmas, Quirke’s father Dan said: “If we can save one life, it would make it for us. It is about making parents aware about adrenaline – because we weren’t aware.”

Tipperary open their league campaign in FBD Semple Stadium against Laois this Sunday (5pm), a day after Kilkenny begin theirs away to Antrim in Belfast (2pm).

For Dillon Quirke Challenge Game match tickets and streaming passes for the game, visit the Tipperary GAA website.]

A GoFundMe page has also been set up for the foundation.