There's a certain poignancy to Tipperary playing Cork this Saturday, given that it’s a fixture in which Dillon Quirke made what proved to be his last appearance for the county.
Just over two months after that 12-point defeat which abruptly ended Tipp’s Championship campaign last May, the 24-year-old tragically died on the Semple Stadium sod while playing for his club, Clonoulty-Rossmore, whose grounds have since been named after him.
Yesterday, inter-county hurling managers from across the spectrum gathered at the club for the launch of the Dillon Quirke Foundation fundraising drive in association with the Circet All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge.
It is the goal of the Quirke family that every GAA player over the age of 12 is cardiac screened and the Foundation is calling on GAA clubs and individuals to contribute €100 towards making this objective a reality, while the Circet All-Ireland Golf Challenge in Killarney this October will also generate funds to that end.
Liam Cahill had only been appointed Tipperary manager a couple of months before Dillon Quirke’s death and the player would undoubtedly have formed a key part of his plans.
Instead, the first gathering of players after his appointment was at their teammate’s funeral.
“We assembled for the funeral and everything that came afterwards,” Cahill explained.
“Then at the start of the year we spoke about him a little bit and it was emotionally raw in our squad with everybody.
“It was really a case of putting it out there and making sure that everybody knew that if anything ever bothered them in relation to Dillon’s passing that we had one another to talk to and that is what we do, we are together in everything we do, it is not just about hurling in there, we like to think we are together in there as regards watching out for one another as well.
“That is what it is about, making sure that we don’t try to hide or bury Dillon’s passing, that we are comfortable with it as best we can and open up to one another when the tough days come, and there are tough days when you are donning the jersey and look at the dressing room corner where he used to sit, that is not easy, whatever about me as the manager, but for his friends and colleagues.
“This is something we will have to learn how to manage and control our emotions as best we can and put it into a positive and I know Dillon would want us to do that.”
As for the legacy that the Foundation hopes to leave, Cahill said: “It is such a brilliant initiative. To be able to support clubs in doing what needs to be done from a screening perspective and the costs involved is a great credit to Dan and Hazel (Quirke) in their endeavours to bring this awareness and raise much needed funds as well, and will definitely save lives into the future.”
Through Cahill’s astute management, Tipp have managed to pick up the pieces from 2022, which had already been a difficult year from a hurling perspective before that was placed in perspective by tragedy.
They boasted a 100% record en route to the League semi-final, which they lost to All-Ireland champions and eventual winners Limerick after giving a good account of themselves, before scoring a notable victory over Clare in Ennis in the opening round of the Munster Championship last Sunday week.
That achievement has been franked in light of Clare’s surprise win over Limerick last Saturday, while Cork made a fast start to their own campaign the following day against Waterford.
“This Munster Championship is savagely competitive,” said Cahill. “The only way to survive in this thing is to continue winning matches but as we saw from the results last weekend where Clare have turned over Limerick in their own home ground, anything can happen.
“We have a massive task going down to Cork next weekend. I was there on Sunday and they were really impressive against Waterford, with a big home following in an arena that suits their style of play. It is going to take everything we have got to take anything out of Cork this Saturday.”
Like Tipp with Cahill, Cork appear to be getting a bounce out of a new manager in Pat Ryan.
“Cork have exceptionally quick players, really good hurlers, real traditionalists of the game with the way they can make the ball talk.
“They are bringing a lot more to it from before in relation to aggression as well. They look a real formidable side and Pat Ryan seems to have a really good job done with them so we’ll have to be fully ready to meet that challenge and see can we get something out of the game.”
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