First and foremost, Tipperary is a hurling county.
It just goes to show hard it can be to change the general conceptions in sport and in the GAA that the Tipperary footballers still aren’t that well supported from within their own county.
If there’s any team that deserve backing from their people, if there’s any team that have done enough to to put bums on seats, if there’s any team that have made themselves such an attractive proposition that you would think the crowds would assemble well then it’s probably Liam Kearns’ men.
The keepers of the big ball in the Premier County play some of the most entertaining football in the country. Their games are nearly always free-flowing, open and attacking. They’re a spirited group, but on top of all that and most importantly, the results have come too.
In Division Four only a few years ago, they’re flying high in Division Two now with promotion to football’s top tier on their mind. All they’ve to do this weekend is to beat Cavan and then that’ll be guaranteed. They made it to an All-Ireland semi-final in 2016. This is a serious outfit.
Yet still, hurling rules and while Michael Ryan’s side are one of the best supported teams in the whole country, the same can’t be said for the county’s footballers.
Their free-scoring forward Conor Sweeney joined Wooly on Thursday’s GAA Hour Football Show and he lamented the lack of a turn out for their games.
“Ah, it’s the still kind of the same craic really. There’s a few more starting to come out but, there’s no major changes,” said the Ballyporeen club man.
In fairness to Tipperary folk, they are one of the few successful dual counties in the country, and it can be hard enough to get to one team’s games, never mind two of them. Hurling has so much history and tradition there and that is something that will likely never wean.
It’s not something that overly irks him, because he knows their achievements are appreciated, but at the same time, it’s those voices in the stands that can make all the difference when a team is locked in a tight battle.
“We just get on with it. There’s no point in giving out about it because those who want to come will come. It’s the same lads that are coming the whole time, but yeah, there’s no major changes.”
Maybe that’s why they’ve always struggled with their home games in Semple Stadium.
“Obviously, every team wants to win their own games, thankfully, we’ve rectified that a bit this year.”
While the hurling supporters haven’t fully bought in, the same can’t be said for the players. With Stephen O’Brien returning to his natural game after a stint with the county’s hurlers, their panel is fairly well stacked. Even though they still are down because of hurling. Seamus Kennedy, Noel and John McGrath and a couple of other hurlers would walk into this team.
Those are the perils of the dual county, though, and Sweeney and Tipperary are keen to make the best of what they have.
“Yeah that’s one thing. We’ve had a couple of good additions and they’re fitting in really well to the team. If we’d one or two more now, they wouldn’t go astray.”
They’ve focused on the League this year and that has been rewarded. Promotion is now a distinct possibility.
“This year, we really wanted to focus on the league. We got a good pre-season into us and the aim was to consolidate our position in Division Two.Â
“Once you’re in that position, the competitive nature in every player is to take it on and go for it. Thankfully we’re still in the hunt.
As for Sweeney, he’s been in flying form. One of the League’s top scorers, the 6 ft 3 in corner forward has been ripping it up with his partner in crime Michael Quinlivan.
He puts that down to the good ball he’s been receiving from the likes of Bill Maher, Brian Fox and the others out the field.
“That’s what every inside forward wants. There’s nothing worse than standing inside the square and waiting for this high ball to land down on top of you.
As for his unusually tall stature for a corner forward, he’s always been there and it’s where he wants to play.
“I started off in there. I’ve always played there. I came on the inter-county scene in 2010, and I was always in the corner. Once I hit minor I was always an inside forward. I know I’m a bit taller than most inside forwards, but that works to our advantage at times.”
You can listen to this Sweeney interview, along with much more from Wooly and Stevie on The GAA Hour Football Show.
