Tipp v Tyrone 18/07/15 Thurles

[AZOffaly]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Given the relatively small crowd expected would it not have been better to play this at a smaller venue than Semple Stadium? At least to create an atmosphere. For those that are there it is a massive game with plenty of needle. It would be a shame if the atmosphere got lost with 4,000 or 5,000 in a stadium that holds 50,000.

I think your players will love Semple Stadium. The surface is incredible.

[Whishtup]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Yeah-it's amazing how many Tipp lads (hurling fans) I have spoke to this past week who don't actually know the game is on.  'Football is for people who can't play hurling' is the usual reply...

[AZOffaly]

That's part of why the work going on down here is quite a good story. Hurling is #1 down here, and always will be. However football is growing in popularity and those attitudes about puncturing every football are changing. The important thing for football is that hurling continues to do well. I'd be concerned that if football was perceived to be negatively impacting the hurling, the job would get even harder.

In South, football is arguably as strong or stronger. In West and Mid it is well represented. In the North it is very much second best and the North would be where most of those die hard attitudes remain.

[The Bearded One]

In terms of travel, would we be safer staying on the M8 and coming into Thurles that way or would it be easier going via M7 and down through Templemore to Thurles?

Seems to be more straightforward getting to Semple stadium from the North of the town?

[AZOffaly]

I think it would be quicker down the M8. Traffic will hardly be that bad, Thurles is not that big, you'll just come into the square and head out towards Semple Stadium.

[tippabu]

In terms of travel, would we be safer staying on the M8 and coming into Thurles that way or would it be easier going via M7 and down through Templemore to Thurles?

Seems to be more straightforward getting to Semple stadium from the North of the town?

down the m8 and in that way, take all of mins to get from the motorway to sempre.

[The Bearded One]

Good enough, that's what we will do then, cheers!

[BennyHarp]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Given the relatively small crowd expected would it not have been better to play this at a smaller venue than Semple Stadium? At least to create an atmosphere. For those that are there it is a massive game with plenty of needle. It would be a shame if the atmosphere got lost with 4,000 or 5,000 in a stadium that holds 50,000.

I think your players will love Semple Stadium. The surface is incredible.

Oh yes, I love Semple Stadium and know it's a class pitch. Just wondered if the atmosphere will be lost a bit. Suits Tyrone as we may not get the partisan atmosphere that we may have faced at a smaller venue.

[tippabu]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Yeah-it's amazing how many Tipp lads (hurling fans) I have spoke to this past week who don't actually know the game is on.  'Football is for people who can't play hurling' is the usual reply...

yeah we've some cracking players from the north but still the majority have no interest, few players don't even have an adult team, Stephen o brien as good a prospect as we have doesn't have an adult team, this year it's just dcu, Tipp under 21 and seniors he plays for

[AZOffaly]

Don't rub it in tippabu, it's my perpetual struggle

[orangeman]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Yeah-it's amazing how many Tipp lads (hurling fans) I have spoke to this past week who don't actually know the game is on.  'Football is for people who can't play hurling' is the usual reply...

yeah we've some cracking players from the north but still the majority have no interest, few players don't even have an adult team, Stephen o brien as good a prospect as we have doesn't have an adult team, this year it's just dcu, Tipp under 21 and seniors he plays for

Why can't he / doesn't he travel for a team ?.

[AZOffaly]

Because he wants to hurl for Ballina. Theoretically there is an amalgamation up here which he could play for, but I don't think they've even fielded recently.

[Whishtup]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Yeah-it's amazing how many Tipp lads (hurling fans) I have spoke to this past week who don't actually know the game is on.  'Football is for people who can't play hurling' is the usual reply...

yeah we've some cracking players from the north but still the majority have no interest, few players don't even have an adult team, Stephen o brien as good a prospect as we have doesn't have an adult team, this year it's just dcu, Tipp under 21 and seniors he plays for

Do Ballina not have a team?

[Whishtup]

Hard to know what support we'll have, the hardcore football support is small enough and with the munster final last weekend people mightnt bother due to costs, hopefully we'll get a sizable support like turned up for the kerry game

Yeah-it's amazing how many Tipp lads (hurling fans) I have spoke to this past week who don't actually know the game is on.  'Football is for people who can't play hurling' is the usual reply...

yeah we've some cracking players from the north but still the majority have no interest, few players don't even have an adult team, Stephen o brien as good a prospect as we have doesn't have an adult team, this year it's just dcu, Tipp under 21 and seniors he plays for

Do Ballina not have a team?

(football)

[AZOffaly]

I think they have a junior team that they treat with lip service. Same for a lot of the clubs in North Tipp. It's something I'm trying to change, but the resistance is huge.

There is no North 'Senior' Football championship, and when I was coaching our club's intermediate footballers (when I was allowed) the North intermediate had Shannon Rovers (George Hannigan's club), ourselves and I'm not even sure what the other team was.

The Junior has a bit more aright, with teams like Kildangan, Inane Rovers, and the likes playing but it's very much a social thing. This despite Kevin O'Halloran, Stephen O'Brien, George Hannigan and Philip Austin all coming from North clubs and playing with the county seniors. It's a disgrace really.

With such poor club support, our only way of trying to develop promising young lads in the North is to spot them young, bring them to Thurles in our development squads and try give them as much coaching and games as we can. We obviously lose a few to hurling along the way, or that just don't develop as well, but that's life. It does contribute a few lads, and certainly more than if we let the clubs develop them.