There’s a big game taking place in Semple Stadium on Saturday evening.
Half of the Premier County will be drawn to the home of hurling for their League semi-final clash with Limerick. The 7.00 throw-in is ideal for most of them.
Farmers will have time to get the cows milked. GAA fanatics will be able to tune into the Croke Cup and Football League finals taking place earlier in the day. Club mates will get to support for once, because they usually have their games and sessions of a Sunday morning. The players themselves might even to be able get out and socialise afterwards.
It’s not ideal for the Saturday evening mass-goers though and we know there are plenty of them in every GAA club around the country.
The GAA and church were more connected in the past. God be with the days when the local priest thrown in the ball for big championship games, when every club’s president was a priest and when all players went to mass as a pre-match ritual as religiously as putting their boots in their gear bag.
Nowadays, the link isn’t as strong but it’s still there.
Saturday evening masses are the go-to services for GAA heads all over. Some die hards wouldn’t miss it for the world but it’s clashing with a big game for the county would test their mettle.
Thankfully for some of the blue and gold faithful, Saturday evening’s mass in Drombane has been put back to 9.30 so all involved can make it to the game and still fulfil their religious commitments for the weekend.
Upperchurch Drombane is the club of Tipperary’s starting full back James Barry, substitute Paul Shanahan and their manager Michael Ryan. The lads have no excuses now.
Only in the GAA, right?
The Thurles encounter promises to be a cracker. Limerick will come into it with plenty of confidence. John Kiely’s youngsters have overcame Galway and Clare in their last two games and they look like a different side this year.
Tipperary, meanwhile, despite experimenting up to this point, have been solid and they’ll go in as favourites.
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