Club Notes: 3rd February 2020

This week I asked William Murphy about some of his favourite Tallow games that he remembers. William I remember started his career in the full forward line and took the frees. I stylish markman off his right his left was used in emergencies only. He moved out the field as he got older to play to play centre field and as a roving wing forward. In his only adult title for Tallow he won a Junior Football county title in 2010 as a wing back who's jaunting runs were his trademark. Here's his account.At the risk of sounding like an ex Inter County bainisteoir, Charles Dickens started A Tale of Two Cities with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, this is what came to mind when I was asked to write about a couple of my favourite games. I find myself fortunate enough to witness the best of times with Tallow GAA but unfortunately for myself I played through some of the worst of times.“What’s the best game you ever saw” is a question which inevitably always comes up on a night out with the boys. Most will shoot back with the obvious answers of Waterford versus Cork in the 04 Munster final or when the drought had ended in 2002 against Tipp. Mine is slightly different, the best game I ever saw was the Munster Club Championship game between Tallow and Tipps’ Kilruane MacDonaghs in 1985. A strange game to pick seeing that Tallow would end up losing an epic battle by 1 point. The Guardian reported: “It was a quality game throughout, but the tension and excitement heightened to almost unbearable levels in the last eighteen minutes when both sides raised their game to a spectacular level of skill and determination that is not often witnessed”. It probably gets the nod for several reasons, 1) The game was on in Tallow which was huge and the excitement leading up to the game and on the day was electric, 2) I grew up watching great Tallow teams in the 80s absolutely dominate the County scene. Tallow were to Waterford hurling what Liverpool were to English football, luckily for me I supported both, a great time to be alive!!!! 3)These were different times for instance The Sunday game was still only showing All Ireland finals and maybe semi-finals live every year unlike today where there is probably an over saturation of games being shown live on TV which meant that people got their fix of hurling by flocking to club games and on that day in Tallow the crowd was massive. Looking back, I think that was the pinnacle for the Tallow teams in the 80s and a case of what might have been, Kilruane would go on to be crowned All Ireland champions in 1986, Tallow would be relegated from Senior the same year, “A Tale of Two Cities” indeed. As a side note Kiruane were managed by Len Gaynor and well renowned and much heralded Tipperary hurling coach Eamonn O’Shea was part of the team that day.The most memorable Football game I was involved with was our victory in the Munster Football championship game we played against Kilfenora of Clare. I could have picked winning the final against Mt Sion but the memory of in some way reliving that infamous day in Tallow in 1985 will stay with me for a long time, like 1985 the game was on in Tallow which was special and there was a great buzz around the Town after the game.

As I have stated I played hurling in Tallow through some of the worst of times. I started playing Senior in the mid-90s where it was all too common to end up fighting relegation so the most memorable game for me is a fairly obscure one, it was a championship game against St Saviours in Abbeyside circa 94/95 for the following reasons, it was the only hurling championship game that I would get to play with my 3 brothers for Tallow, you will find records of one of us playing, sometimes 2 maybe even 3 of us but this is the only one where all 4 Murphy brothers lined up together. It was even sweeter that we lined up in pivotal positions on the team with Martin in goals, the Legend at Full back (not sure how this happened), Spud was at Centre forward and I was full forward. As I have mentioned the team of the 80s were absolute Rock Stars all be it Rock Stars that wore white socks with black slip on shoes with the jeans turned up at the leg but Rock Stars none the less. I mean Tom McSweeney wore a head band while playing in the 80s, how much more Rock and Roll can you get!! Terence would later sneak out the headband and try to channel his inner father, but it didn’t work, the headband looked ridiculous over the blue Coopers helmet he wore! On this day and for a few years after I got to play with and be coached by some of those Hurling Gods, lads like Timmy Sheehan, Johnny Geary, Jacker Curley, the Legend, lads who had won every club accolade from underage to Senior and could have been forgiven for taking their haul of medals and retiring to the high stool. These lads knew the clubs Glory days were over but realised how much the club was in trouble from a playing perspective and decided to play on. More often than not they were the reason Tallow stayed in the Senior Ranks throughout this period. For the record we won the game.

Tallow GAA Lotto Supported by Kearney's Restaurant.

3/2/2020 Jackpot €11,600 No Winner Numbers: 9,11,13,21.

Consolation Prizes: John Paul Delaney, Seán and Josh Mangan, John Buckley, Maryann Daly.

Promoter: Gretta Power.

Next Draw:Lukies 10/2/2020. 9.30pm.

Yearly tickets are now available to purchase at €100 or standard tickets at €2 each from promoters or businesses around town.

Membership : Is €50 for student and non player. €60 for student or non player and partner.

€80 for player and €90 for players and partner.

The Black Card: Soundbites going around about the possibility of it being introduced to hurling. I listened to Brian Carroll on the radio and Brian himself an intercounty ex forward and he fundimentley stated that he would not like to see it introduced. He stated that nobody is giving out about the game. They need yo leave it alone.