Boost for Tipperary as star man Callanan returns to club action
TIPPERARY manager Michael Ryan has been handed a significant boost as star man Seamus Callanan had his first competitive action of 2018 over the weekend.
The three-time Hurler of the Year nominee (below) lined out for Drom & Inch in their Mid Tipp SHC clash with Loughmore Castleiney as he continued his return from injury.
However, he couldn’t prevent his side from coming out on the wrong side of a 0-27 to 0-17 scoreline.
Callanan had missed Tipperary’s entire league campaign – which saw them reach the final only to lose out to Kilkenny – after undergoing surgery on a back injury.
Callanan had returned to Tipp training in recent weeks but Saturday’s game – where he hit 0-8 – was his first taste of action this year and his return to full fitness is a welcome development for
Ryan and his management team as they ramp up preparations for their Munster SHC opener against Limerick next month.
However, it wasn’t all good news as Thurles Sarsfields’ Mickey Cahill was forced off with a hamstring injury during a win over Upperchurch-Drombane. Tipperary are expected to learn the extent of his injury this week.
Meanwhile, in the first round of the Cork SHC, last year’s beaten finalists Blackrock got their campaign off to a winning start with a 1-19 to 1-12 victory over Carrigtwohill at Páirc Uí Rinn.
‘The Rockies’, who lost out to divisional side Imokilly in last year’s decider, overturned a one-point half-time deficit to run out winners, with David Meaney grabbing their goal.
County star Conor Lehane led Midleton to a seven-point win over Bishopstown in the opening game at Páirc Uí Rinn while Sarsfields had four points to spare over Ballyhea in their clash in Fermoy.
The sides were level down the home straight but a Jack O’Connor goal, with the game in the balance, helped Sarsfields get off to a winning start.
Glen Rovers, who won back-toback titles in 2015 and 2016, proved too strong for Ballymartle, running out 4-20 to 1-9 winners, while Douglas were comfortable as they beat Killeagh.
In Kerry football, Dr Crokes picked up yet more silverware as they secured back-to-back senior club titles as they saw off Dingle on a 1-18 to 1-8 scoreline despite being reduced to 14 men after the dismissal of Fionn Fitzgerald. The Kerry captain was sent off in the first half but the Killarney men were in charge from pillar to post in Austin Stack Park with Gavin White grabbing their goal late on to add some gloss to the scoreline.
Dr Crokes held a six-point lead at the break (0-13 to 1-4) with Mikey Geaney grabbing Dingle’s goal before he was shown a black card. His team-mate Barry O’Sullivan would soon follow suit.
Dingle couldn’t make much progress against the 14 men with Colm Cooper hitting 0-3 and Tony Brosnan grabbing four points as the Killarney men ran out deserving winners.
Elsewhere, Portlaoise laid down a marker as they saw off Stradbally by an incredible 40 points in a league game on Friday night.
Both sides were missing a number of key players but Portlaoise, who have been the dominant force in football in the county in recent years, ran in an incredible 10 goals against the side that ended their drive for 10 county titles on the bounce in 2016.