TIPPERARY HURLING MANAGER Eamon O’Shea has trimmed a number of players, including 2010 All-Ireland SHC medallist Paul Curran, from his squad ahead of this summer’s championship.
Curran lined out at corner-back in the recent Allianz Hurling League Division 1 semi-final defeat against Waterford at Nowlan Park, but his long inter-county career now appears to be at an end.
The 33-year-old made his senior debut in 2001 against Cork in the National League before going on to enjoy a successful pilgrimage in the blue and gold.
The Mullinahone stalwart underwent hip surgery ahead of the 2014 season but he showed remarkable resolve to return to O’Shea’s squad last year, before playing a part in the 2015 League campaign.
Curran is a two-time National Hurling League medallist and he also won five Munster senior championships, including one as captain of the 2012 winning team.
O’Shea has settled on a core group of 26 players for pre-championship preparations but the squad remains very much open-ended.
It is understood that O’Shea will reveal a 30-man panel in the first week in early June, ahead of the Munster SHC semi-final with Clare or Limerick on 21 June.
Four slots are essentially still up for grabs — possibly more depending on injuries — and O’Shea will run the rule over a number of candidates in forthcoming challenge games, with Tipp due to face Dublin on 17 May in Drombane as championship preparations gather momentum.
Other fringe players such as Tom Stapleton, Shane Bourke, David Butler, Micheal Butler, Bill Maher, Sean Maher, Stephen Maher, Joe O’Dwyer and Liam Treacy have also been omitted at the present time.
Bill Maher, a member of the Tipperary U21 football team preparing for Saturday’s All-Ireland final against Tyrone, and Sean Maher are free to concentrate on U21 hurling commitments, but the former could yet force himself back into the senior reckoning.
O’Dwyer and Treacy have been hit by injury this year while Treacy’s Loughmore-Castleiney clubmate Liam McGrath, Tipp’s All-Ireland MFC winning captain in 2011, has stepped away from the squad in an attempt to regain full fitness.
Tipperary management will also monitor the progress of all potential squad members in the local club championships and the door remains open for any player showing good form.
Noel McGrath, who recently underwent surgery for testicular cancer, is naturally not part of the championship panel at this point in time but could return at a later date.
Well done Meath. Great game. Excellent advertisement for Ladies GAA.
Hard luck, Kayleigh, and the rest of the Kerry team. Better luck next year.
@Padraig O Muirthile: the skill in that game was better than any game in gaa this year hurling football or whatever
Fabulous game, that’s a great Meath team. A joy to watch their passing, no glory hunters, all full team players.
Congratulations great game of football
@Derek hutchings: Not sure about it being a great game. Outside of their opening burst of scores Kerry only scored 5 times for the rest of the game. That’s about 1 score every 10 minutes.
Super defensive showing by Meath but Kerry looked decidedly naive. Kerry will learn from today (both management & players) and will be better if they reach the final again next year.
Am I the the only one who thought referee was officious and ruined many aspects of the game by not applying the advantage. It was a great game which could have been much better if allowed flow.
@Liam O’Flaherty: Maggie does always try make the game about her. When she does linesperson the ref spends most of the game getting called over by Maggie.
@Michael Anthony: as a neutral I thought she ruined what could have been a classic. Both teams must have been frustrated by her.
@Liam O’Flaherty: I thought that as well I think the GAA need to change some of the rules like not been able to do a fair shoulder and tackle a player most of those players if not all go to the gym so would be able for the rough and tumble of the game that’s what ruined it for me
Some team
Great game much better fare than last week
Congrats to meath. Was I the only one who thought it was a poor game
Time to split Meath
@Glen Durney: We could call them Meath & Westmeath
@Cian Mac Eoin: what about East Meath?
@Eugene O Doherty: north Meath. Capital oldcastle
In the first minute Farrelly gave 2 frees against Meath for charging and both were blatant trips. She kept this consistency up throughout the game and did her best to ruin it. It’s almost like a feather in cap for ladies football refs to send Vicki Wall off. Gets pulled and dragged all day, every day and gets sin binned for the abuse she takes.
Great game, thought Emma Duggan was unlucky not to get player of the game
It’s time to split Meath. East Meath and… oh hold on
That’s the tender Palace niteclub ruined again overrun again by red face, un-maked-up ‘ladies’ of sport wearing their sports kit on ze dance floor.