INCOMING WEXFORD BOSS Davy Fitzgerald has spoken about the sense of relief he felt after stepping down as Clare manager last month.

Fitzgerald’s five-year spell in charge of the Banner came to an end before he was quickly snapped up by Wexford. The 45-year-old agreed on a three-year term in charge of Wexford, with a review to come after two years.

In a revealing interview with RTÉ Sport, Fitzgerald spoke about the series of events which led to his Clare departure. He was adament the majority of the squad wanted him to remain in charge of his home county.

“The players are getting a lot of stick in Clare that they don’t deserve. 95, to 96 or 97% of them players I would die for. Maybe one or two of them have lost their ways a small bit. Or maybe their dads have, but apart from that, them Clare players are great lads.

They didn’t organise anything against me. I more or less told them after the Galway game…like if you were in the dressing room you would know that I knew I nearly had enough.

“I asked them to see would they like a change of voice, that’s exactly the words I put to in their mouths.”

He voiced his disbelief at the criticism he received, especially when it came from within the county.

“I was more relieved to get out of Clare,” the three-time All-Star said. “I had fellas I played with cutting the back off me for three years. I haven’t seen too many of them coaching anyone to win anything.

“There’s no real logic behind any of it because they can’t stand up and say they have done anything themselves.

I remember going home [after leaving Clare] and saying, ‘I don’t have to listen to that anymore’. The way I felt treated, and probably betrayed by some of them, was unreal, but that’s the way it is and it is over.”

“The [playing] style is based on the players you have. What I was dealt with was mainly a bunch of 20, 21 year-olds  and you had to make sure you were covered in all angles.

“You had to make sure the systems you were playing suited them.

“I look back on it with no regrets and I’m happy.”

Having stepped aside, his initial plan was to take a year off but Wexford chairman Diarmuid Devereux had other ideas. Next year will be his tenth straight season as an inter-county manager.

He says he met Devereux ”out of courtesy” but was impressed with his passion and refusal to accept no for an answer.

1. Bundee Aki scores a crucial late try in Connacht’s Champions Cup win against Toulouse yesterday

Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland

2. Uruguay’s Egidio Arevalo shows off his acrobatic skills in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia

Source: Ricardo Mazalan

Click Here:
3. Cork’s Stephen Dooley and Adam Hanlon of Finn Harps battle for the ball and with the conditions at Turner’s Cross on Friday night

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

4. Green Bay Packers’ Clay Matthews celebrates a sack on New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning

Source: Mike Roemer

5. Simon Zebo looking mischievous at Munster training this week

Source: Gary Carr/INPHO

6. Buffalo Sabres Josh Gorges (4) collides with Montreal Canadiens forward Torrey Mitchell (17) in the NHL

Source: Jeffrey T. Barnes

7. Lisnagarvey’s Mark McNellis with David Kane and Mitch Darling of Three Rock in the EY Men’s Hockey League

Source: Presseye/Rowland White/INPHO

8. Boston Celtics forward Jordan Mickey (55) goes for a dunk in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of a pre-season NBA game against the Brooklyn Nets

Source: AP/Press Association Images

9. Leinster’s Robbie Henshaw is tackled by Remi Grosso of Castres Olympique

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

10. Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard enjoyed himself this week

Source: David Zalubowski

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

Click:vanilla gift card

CILLIAN O’CONNOR WENT on a goalscoring rampage this afternoon as he shot 4-4 to help his club Ballintubber reach the semi-finals of the Mayo senior football championship.

Ballintubber blitzed Garrymore to win 6-14 to 1-9 with O’Connor firing four goals to the net while Jason Gibbons and Alan Plunkett also raised green flags.

At the break Ballintubber were in front by 3-7 to 0-2 and they ran out victors by 20 points as the 2014 champions issued a strong statement of intent.

Their win sets up a heavyweight semi-final game between Ballintubber and Castlebar Mitchels. The pair have won five of the last six Mayo senior football titles with Ballintubber defeating Castlebar Mitchels in their three final wins in 2010, 2011 and 2014.

Click Here:

Castlebar Mitchels, this year’s All-Ireland club finalists, trailed by 0-10 to 1-6 at half-time to Ballaghaderreen in their last eight game this afternoon with Eoghan O’Reilly scoring their goal. Barry Regan was in sparkling scoring form in that opening period for Ballaghaderreen.

But Castlebar Mitchels took over in the second half with goals from Cian Costello and Barry Moran helping deliver a 3-13 to 1-13 win.

Yesterday’s quarter-final victors Breaffy and Knockmore will face off in the other semi-final clash.

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

STRADBALLY STUNNED PORTLAOISE with a dramatic last-minute goal to seal their first Laois SFC title since 2005.

Jody Dillon rattled the back of the Portlaoise net to end their 10-in-a-row hopes and pick up Stradbally’s 16th county title. Portlaoise were leading by two points in stoppage-time before Dillon’s goal.

Elsewhere, Glenswilly are the county champions in Donegal. Goalscorer Michael Murphy inspired his side to a one-point victory as they wrapped up their third county title since 2011.

Dr Crokes are kingpins in Kerry once again. Colm Cooper’s side claimed their fifth SFC title in seven years with a 2-16 to 1-12 victory over Kenmare District.

In Armagh Maghery won their first ever championship after a four point win over Cullyhanna, in a rare showpiece event without the involvement of Crossmaglen.

A goal in either half helped Sarsfields to their second straight title. Ray Cahill and Alan Smith found the net as they ran out 2-13 to 0-15 winners over Moorefield.

Elsewhere, Slaughtneil (Derry), Carbery Rangers (Cork), Rhode (Offaly), Mullinalaghta (Longford) and Cargin (Antrim) all lifted titles in their respective counties. In the Ulster SFC quarter-final, Down’s Kilcoo ran out two point winners over Monaghan champions Scotstown.

Football results

Armagh SFC final
Cullyhanna 0-12 Maghery 1-13

Antrim SFC final
Cargin 1-10 St Gall’s 0-6

Cork SFC final
Ballincollig 1-12 Carbery Rangers 1-15

Derry SFC final
Loup 0-6 Slaughtneil 2-11

Donegal SFC final
Glenswilly 1-10 Kilcar 0-12

Laois SFC final
Portlaoise 1-12 Stradbally 2-10

Longford SFC final
Abbeylara 0-8 Mullinalaghta 1-8

Kerry SFC final
Dr Crokes 2-16 Kenmare District 1-12

Kildare SFC final
Moorefield 0-15 Sarsfields 2-13

Offaly SFC final
Ferbane 0-9 Rhode 1-14

Ulster club SFC quarter-final
Scotstown 0-9 Kilcoo 1-8

Westmeath SFC semi-final
Athlone 1-6 Tyrrellspass 1-8

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

Click Here:

Clonlara 1-11
Ballyea 1-11

CLARE’S YEAR OF the draw was confirmed this afternoon as for the second successive Sunday, there would be no winner in the senior final in Cusack Park.

Following in the footsteps of Cratloe and Kilmurry Ibrickane’s dramatic stalemate the previous week in the football version, a replay would also be forced in the hurling decider after Cathal ‘Tots’ O’Connell popped up with a last-gap 65th minute equaliser to deny Ballyea a first ever title.

Trailing by five by the 40th minute, Ballyea seemed to gather momentum at the perfect time, inspired as ever by Tony Kelly who finally escaped the clutches of fellow county senior Oisin O’Brien to reel in Clonlara before substitute Martin O’Leary accelerated past Clonlara’s last line for a levelling goal in the 53rd minute at 1-9 to 1-9.

Kelly nudged Ballyea in front for the first time in almost 30 minutes, only for O’Connell to regain parity on the hour mark.

However, as tensions heightened a scrappy period eventually saw a poor Clonlara clearance fall straight to talisman Kelly to fire over from 60 metres in the 62nd minute.

Click Here:

Clonlara refused to panic though and were given one last chance as a puck-out broke perfectly for O’Connell to fire over and ensure another day out for the sides.

In a low-scoring tense encounter, Gearoid O’Connell operated superbly as a sweeper for Ballyea who thanks to three early Kelly frees were 0-4 to 0-2 clear by the end of the opening quarter.

Cathal O’Connell and Darach Honan got Clonlara back on terms as the half developed and their hopes of a first county title in eight years were boosted going in at half-time after Colm Galvin blocked down a clearance and was put through on goal by Oisin O’Brien to billow the net and give Clonlara a 1-5 to 0-5 lead.

Tony Kelly scored only eight seconds into the new half, only for John Conlon to cancel it out on the puck-out while Galvin and Honan eventually pushed Clonlara five clear by the 40th minute.

Missed chances meant that they couldn’t see out the game though and it almost came back to hurt them as Kelly and O’Leary got Ballyea to the brink of a first senior crown.
In the end though, a second bite of the cherry was merited for both sides who will be expected to lock horns once more in a fortnight’s time.

Scorers for Clonlara: Cathal O’Connell 0-4 (2f); Colm Galvin 1-1; John Conlon, Darach Honan 0-2 each; Nicky O’Connell (1f), James Hastings 0-1 each

Scorers for Ballyea: Tony Kelly 0-9 (4f, 1’65); Martin O’Leary 1-1; Cathal Doohan 0-1

Clonlara

1. Ger O’Connell
25. Paul McNamara
7. Domhnall O’Donovan
27. Cillian Fennessy
9. Cormac O’Donovan
5. Nicky O’Connell
6. Neil Ryan
4. Oisin O’Brien
13. James Hastings
19. Paraic O’Loughlin
8. Colm Galvin
11. Cathal O’Connell
14. John Conlon (Captain)
15. Michael O’Loughlin
10. Darach Honan

Subs:
22. Michael White for P. O’Loughlin (44)
23. David Fitzgerald for M. O’Loughlin (57)
29. Garrett Kennedy for Ryan (60)
2. Shane O’Brien for McNamara (64, inj)

Ballyea

1. Kevin Sheehan
7. James Murphy
3. Jack Browne
4. Brian Carrigg
6. Paul Flanagan
5. Gearoid O’Connell
2. Joe Neylon
8. Tony Kelly
9. Stan Lineen (Captain)
10. Niall Deasy
11. Gary Brennan
12. Cathal Doohan
13. Pat Joe Connolly
14. Eoghan Donnellan
15. Pearse Lillis

Subs:
17. Martin O’Leary for Neylon (Half-Time, inj)
18. Damien Burke for Connolly (38)
19. David Egan for Donnellan (60)

Referee: Rory McGann (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

Thurles Sarsfields 0-27
Kiladangan 1-15

ON THE DAY a club legend passed away, Thurles Sarsfields claimed a 35th Tipperary senior hurling championship crown.

A minute’s silence for Mickey ‘The Rattler’ Byrne was impeccably observed before throw-in and when play got underway, the Blues stamped their authority all over proceedings to claim a third successive title.

It’s the first time Sars have managed three-in-a-row since the 1960s and they have a fortnight off before an AIB Munster quarter-final against the Waterford champions.

Aidan McCormack scored six points from play, Richie Ruth five, and Pa Bourke added seven of his nine points from placed balls as Sars won with nine points to spare against Kiladangan at Semple Stadium.

In front of 6,546 spectators, Sars established a 0-15 to 0-6 interval lead and were in cruise control.

Within the opening ten minutes, they had nine points on the board, Ruth knocking over four of those in a blistering start for the Blues.

It took Kiladangan, appearing in their first Dan Breen decider since 1938, until the 22nd minute before registering their first score from play, Willie Connors on target, but Sars kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Barry Hogan with Richie Ruth of Thurles Sarsfields.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

On a number of occasions, goal opportunities were there to be exploited as Sars broke from deep positions but they were content with points instead.

Former Hurler of the Year Lar Corbett got in on the scoring act with a long-range special in the 21st minute and while Kiladangan did score three of the last five points of the first half, the men from the North were facing an uphill battle ahead of the second half.

They drew the second period but were 12 points behind, 0-9 to 0-21, before Joe Gallagher hammered home a consolation goal in the 46th minute.

Ronan Maher, one of Tipp’s All-Ireland SHC winning heroes, claimed the man of the match award and his magnificent sideline cut in the 43rd minute was arguably the score of the game, from almost 70m out.

Scorers for Thurles Sarsfields: Pa Bourke 0-9 (7f), Aidan McCormack 0-6, Richie Ruth 0-5, Ronan Maher (1 sl) & Conor Lanigan 0-2 each, Stephen Maher, Stephen Lillis & Lar Corbett 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kiladangan: Darragh Egan 0-6 (5f), Joe Gallagher 1-1, Willie Connors 0-3 (1 65s) Ruairí Gleeson 0-2, Johnny Horan, Paul Flynn & Tadhg Gallagher 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields:

1. Patrick McCormack

4. Michael Cahill
5. Stephen Lillis
2. Stephen Maher

7. Denis Maher
6. Pádraic Maher
3. Ronan Maher

9. Stephen Cahill
10. Billy McCarthy

19. Tommy Doyle
11. Aidan McCormack
12. Pa Bourke

13. Conor Lanigan
15. Richie Ruth
14. Lar Corbett

Subs:

17. Rory Dwan for D Maher (50)
8. John Maher for Lanigan (52)
20. David Kennedy for Corbett (59)
18. Kevin O’Gorman for Ruth (60+3).

Kiladangan:

1. Barry Hogan

2. James Quigley
3. Hughie Flannery
4. Fergal Hayes

5. David Sweeney
6. Alan Flynn
7. Darren Moran

8. Johnny Horan
9. Martin Minehan

10. Joe Gallagher
13. Willie Connors
12. Ruairí Gleeson

15. Tadhg Gallagher
11. Darragh Egan
14. Paul Flynn

Subs:

21. Jack Loughnane for Minehan (24)
17. Eoin Kelly for Horan (45)

Referee: John McCormack (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams)

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

Click Here:

Dr Crokes 2-16
Kenmare District 1-12

Damian Stack reports from Fitzgerald Stadium

DR CROKES ARE kings of the Kingdom again after a powerful display saw them run out seven point victors over Kenmare District in today’s county senior final at Fitzgerald Stadium.

Pat O’Shea’s men had their homework well done on the combination side, especially their kick-out strategy.

Kieran Fitzgibbon was put under severe pressure and, from the turnovers forced from him and his team, Crokes gained an early foothold in the game.

It wasn’t until Kieran O’Leary’s goal on twenty six minutes, however, that the full extent of Crokes control of the game became apparent. O’Leary slipped inside his man, Dara Crowley, and scored a brilliant individual goal.

Click Here:

Kenmare did have their moments in the first half and in the minutes before the goal their star man from the semi-final, Adrian Spillane, was beginning to come into his own following a move to the middle of the park.

O’Leary’s goal saw helped Crokes to a 1-7 to 0-6 lead at the break. It was a lead they extended by a further four in short order after the interval.

Micheál Burns pointed confidently on thirty one minutes. Then two minutes later Gavin White set up Johnny Buckley for a well taken goal to all but end the game as a contest.

Kenmare did strike back through a Teddy Doyle goal (assist from Killian Spillane), but it had no real effect on the Crokes who were by now purring confidently.

Over the space of the next six minutes they scored five points on the bounce (three for a hugely impressive Brian Looney and two from man of the match Colm Cooper).

The victory secured from the Killarney men their fifth county championship in seven seasons and such was the quality of the performance that their ambitions surely do not stop there. The Munster championship awaits.

Dr Crokes Brian Looney up against Kenmare’s Stephen O’Brien

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

Scorers for Dr Crokes: C Cooper 0-7 (0-3 frees); B Looney 0-4, K O’Leary 1-1, J Buckley 1-0, S Murphy (0-1 ’45), A O’Donovan, J Kiely, M Burns 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kenmare: P O’Connor 0-8 (0-7 frees), T Doyle (1-0), A Spillane and K Spillane (0-2 each).

Dr Crokes

S Murphy

J Payne
M Moloney
F Fitzgerald

G White
A O’Sullivan
D O’Leary

A O’Donovan
J Buckley

D Casey
G O’Shea
B Looney

C Cooper
K O’Leary
E Brosnan

Subs:

M Burns for A O’Sullivan (half-time)
L Quinn for D O’Leary (48)
J Kiely for G O’Shea (48)
M Milner for E Brosnan (56)
P J Lawlor for A O’Donovan (58)
T Brosnan for K O’Leary (59)

Kenmare District

K Fitzgibbon (Kenmare)

D Crowley (Kenmare)
G Crowley (Templenoe)
K O’Neill (Templenoe)

P Clifford (Templenoe)
D O’Shea (Kenmare)
J Spillane (Templenoe)

T Morley (Templenoe)
P O’Shea (Tuosist)

S O’Shea (Kenmare)
A Spillane (Templenoe)
T Doyle (Templenoe)

S O’Brien (Kenmare)
P O’Connor (Kenmare)
K Spillane (Templenoe)

Subs

K O’Sullivan ( Kenmare) for P Clifford (28)
F O’Sullivan (Tousist) for P O’Shea (h/t)
M Crowley for J Spillane ( h/t)
P Spillane S O’Shea (55 mins)
S O’Leary for T Doyle (60 mins)

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Clounmacon)

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

BALLYGUNNER AND PASSAGE will square up for the Waterford SHC final at Walsh Park next Sunday in a repeat of the 2013 decider.

Passage  1-13
Dungarvan 1-12

Owen Connors nailed an injury time winner as 14-man Passage scraped past Dungarvan after a frantic conclusion. The skipper produced 0-9 for Peter Queally’s charges to reach their first final in three seasons.

In a slow burner, substitute Conor Carey lashed to the top corner to create a 1-10 to 0-7 lead with twelve minutes remaining. Eoin Kelly also came off the bench to strike two points and assist another.

Dungarvan responded with 1-4, including a fortuitous goal from Kenny Moore, to squeak ahead. Two Connors frees regained a narrow advantage for Passage entering stoppage time. Kieran Power levelled the scores for the sixth occasion. Connors popped up with the clincher on 63 minutes after Kelly broke the ball in his direction. Michael Kiely had a late opportunity to force a replay but his point attempt dropped short into Eddie Lynch.

This represented the eighth championship meeting between these clubs since 2010. Dungarvan won the initial group game back in June.

Connors shot the last four points of the first half (three frees and a 65) to leave Passage 0-6 to 0-4 ahead. The sides traded two points apiece in the opening quarter. Ryan Donnelly was twice denied goals by Darragh and Eddie Lynch. Passage full forward Liam Flynn received a straight red on seventeen minutes for an off the ball offence.

Patrick Curran was convinced that he registered a goal for Dungarvan but the sliotar popped back out off the crossbar. Alan Kissane consulted with his umpires before ruling out the score. The Blues pushed 0-4 to 0-2 up with Curran and Sean Ryan on target. Connors shouldered the responsibility towards the tail end of the half and his accuracy swung the match in favour of the Eastern men.

Scorers for Passage: Owen Connors 0-9 (5fs, 1 65’); Conor Carey 1-0; Eoin Kelly 0-2; Adam Roche, Liam Flynn 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dungarvan: Patrick Curran 0-8 (7fs, 1 65’); Kenny Moore 1-1; Sean Ryan, Kieran Power, Ryan Donnelly 0-1 each.

Ballygunner 1-18
Mount Sion 0-11

Ballygunner remain on course for three in a row following a decisive ten point victory over great rivals Mount Sion.

Click Here:

Brian O’Sullivan scored 1-5 from play as the champions seized control during the second quarter of the contest. Pauric Mahony finished the sixty minutes as top scorer on 0-9 while Stephen O’Keeffe and Philip Mahony minded the house.

The holders opened fire in the closing ten minutes of the half to assume a 1-13 to 0-5 advantage.

With wind assistance, the Gunners surged four points clear in the first quarter. On 24 minutes, Pauric Mahony picked out Brian O’Sullivan with a crossfield pass and the captain finished to the far corner of the cobwebs. Mahony claimed six points including two beauties from play. Six players got on the scoresheet for Denis Walsh’s men.

Sion staged a mini recovery on the resumption with four unanswered singles through Stephen Roche, Michael Gaffney, John Dee and Stephen O’Neill. Two Mahony frees halted that momentum however.

David O’Sullivan drove forward to tee up his brother Brian and the player of the hour tagged on another from near the sideline. The winners currently hold a twelve match unbeaten record in the Waterford SHC.

Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-9 (6fs), Brian O’Sullivan 1-5, Peter Hogan, Shane O’Sullivan, Billy O’Keeffe, Tim O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mount Sion: Martin F O’Neill 0-4 (3fs), Stephen Roche 0-2; Mark Hoban, Stephen O’Neill, John Dee, Michael Gaffney, Owen Whelan 0-1 each.

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

St Thomas 1-11
Gort 0-10

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 60 seconds can make, as this Galway senior hurling final turned in a minute in favour of St Thomas, who won the title for just the second time in their history.

Sean Skehill struck the crucial goal 14 minutes from time for the 2013 All-Ireland club champions, but seconds beforehand Gort’s Michael Mullins had a goal chalked out for a square ball at the other end.

In a game that was ruined by the strong wind and lashing rain throughout, both teams were fortunate to only have one man each sent off, with Gort’s Tadhg Linnane and St Thomas’ Gerald Kelly both shown straight red cards in added-time.

Playing against a stiff breeze on a very wet surface, St Thomas looked to be the sharper team from the off, but they struggled to show that dominance on the scoreboard.

Aiden Helebert gave Gort the lead in the fourth minute, but seconds later former Galway senior James Regan levelled matters from distance.

Pakie Lally and David Sherry battle for possession.

Source: Mike Shaughnessy/INPHO

A Conor Cooney free was matched by one from Helebert as the sides were level at 0-2 each after ten minutes.

The freetakers soon exchanged frees again, but Gort goalkeeper Gavin Lally came to his side’s rescue after 16 minutes with a brilliant save to deny Sean Skehill.

Bernard and Darragh Burke did manage to open out a two-point lead for their side, but Gort hit the last three scores of the half, two of which came from Paul Killilea, to take a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break.

In a battle of the placed ball experts, Conor Cooney put St Thomas on the road to victory with three brilliantly struck frees from distance as they took over in the second half.

But after Michael Mullins’ goal was disallowed, and Skehill struck at the other end St Thomas’ eased to a second title in five years.

Scorers for St Thomas: C Cooney 0-6 (6f), S Skehill 1-0, B Burke 0-2, Darragh Burke 0-1, J Regan 0-1, B Farrell 0-1.

Scorers for Gort: A Helebert 0-8 (6f), P Killilea 0-2.

St Thomas:

1 Patrick Skehill

2 Fintan Burke
4 Cathal Burke
10 Eanna Burke

12 James Regan
5 Shane Cooney
7 Donal Cooney

13 Bernard Burke
8 David Burke

11 Conor Cooney
6 Darragh Burke
9 David Sherry

14 Brendan Farrell
3 Sean Skehill
15 Kenneth Burke

The teams march behind the band before the game.

Source: Mike Shaughnessy/INPHO

Subs:
19 Gerald Kelly for Darragh Burke (52)
6 Darragh Burke for Sherry (54)
17 Anthony Kelly for Sean Skehill (57)
22 Colin Fallon for K Burke (64)

Gort:

1 Gavin Lally

2 Taghg Linnane
3 Mark McMahon
4 Michael Cummins

5 Pakie Lally
22 Greg Lally
6 Aidan Harte

7 Sylvie Og Linnane
9 Jack Grealish

10 Paul Killilea
11 Albert Mullins
12 Aidan Helebert

13 Richie Cummins
14 Michael Mullins
8 Jason Grealish

Subs:
24 Gerard O’Donoghue for Killilea (33-35)
24 Gerard O’Donoghue for M Mullins (35)
15 Wayne Walsh for Greg Lally (48)

Referee: Leonard Fay (Athenry).

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

Click Here:

Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

THE DEATH HAS occurred this morning of the Mickey ‘The Rattler’ Byrne, a five-time All-Ireland senior hurling winner with Tipperary, at the age of 93.

Click Here:

The Rattler enjoyed plenty triumphs with Tipperary as part of the All-Ireland winning setups in 1945, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1958.

He also won four Munster senior hurling medals and eight National hurling league medals.

At club level he lined out for Thurles Sarsfields and was part of a team who were immensely successful. He won a record haul of 14 county senior hurling medals and 16 Mid-Tipperary senior hurling medals.

In 1999 Byrne was named at right corner-back on the Tipperary Team of the Millennium and at the time of the passing he was also President of the Thurles Sarsfields club.

Tipperary county board chairman Michael Bourke paid tribute to the late ‘Rattler’.

“Mickey Byrne better known as The Rattler was a unique character whose death leaves a huge void in the annals of Tipperary Hurling and Folklore.

“As Tipperary County Board Chairman, I am privileged to have known The Rattler and to see at first hand the charisma and warmth that he exuded to everyone in his presence.

“His record on the hurling playing fields speaks for itself and will stand the testament of time for one who dedicated his life to Tipperary and his club Thurles Sarsfields.

“While we all mourn the sad loss of Mickey his loss will be felt most by those who loved him and knew him the best, his family.

“On behalf of Tipperary County Board I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Byrne family and also to his club, Thurles Sarsfields, on the sad passing of Mickey. His family have lost a father while Tipperary hurling has lost another of its greatest sons.”

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!