The Tipperary county football team represents Tipperary in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Tipperary GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Munster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.

Tipperary's home ground is Semple Stadium, Thurles. The team's manager is Niall Fitzgerald.

Tipperary was the second Munster county to win an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC), as well as to appear in the final, following Limerick. The team last won the Munster Senior Championship in 2020, the All-Ireland Senior Championship in 1920 and has never won the National League.

History

Tipperary has won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) on four occasions — in 1889, 1895, 1900, and 1920. Munster Senior Football Championships also followed in 1922 and 1935, but seven provincial final defeats spanning 85 years came after those until winning against Cork in the 2020 Munster Senior Football Championship final.

As the football championship is contested by a much larger number of teams than in hurling, success is hard won because of the high standard attained by many counties. For details on football history, see here.

Tipperary played in the first ever All-Ireland Qualifier in 2001, but lost by two points to Louth.

Kearns era: 2015–2019

In November 2015, Liam Kearns, from the Kerry GAA club Austin Stacks, was appointed manager, with under-21, minor and junior manager Tommy Toomey as selector and Kearns's other selectors were Paul Fitzgerald of Fethard (Tipperary) and Shane Stapleton of Golden-Kilfeacle (Tipperary).Liam Kearns appointed Tipperary football manager RTÉ

In the 2016 All-Ireland SFC, the county reached the semi-final for the first time since 1935.Premier Rewind: Putting Tipp football back on the map Tipp FM Michael Quinlivan scored an early goal against Galway in the quarter-final victory. Conor Sweeney scored two more goals for Tipperary in that game.All Ireland SFC Q-F: Terrific Tipperary triumph

But the following three seasons brought only two championship wins, against Waterford and Cavan, the former in 2017 and the latter in 2018. The 2017 Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final was lost to a last-minute goal conceded to opponents Cork.

Tippeary achieved promotion to Division 2 in 2017, sealed late on in the concluding game against Armagh with the completion of by a second-half hat-trick from Michael Quinlivan.Michael Quinlivan heroics against Armagh sees Tipperary promoted Irish Examiner

The team was relegated to Division 3 in 2019. Exit from the 2019 Munster Senior Football Championship swiftly followed, the defeat to Limerick that county's first championship victory in seven years. An All-Ireland SFC qualifier defeat to Down in Newry ended Tipperary's season and Kearns's time as manager. It was the first year since 2013 that Tipperary did not win a single championship match.

Power era: 2019–2023 In September 2019, David Power was named as the new manager of the Tipperary senior team on a two-year term.

On 22 November 2020, Tipperary won the 2020 Munster Senior Football Championship after a 0-17 to 0-14 win against Cork in the final. It was Tipperary's first Munster SFC title in 85 years. This achievement was all the more noteworthy as Tipperary had won only four league games in their previous two campaigns.

On 6 December 2020, Tipperary played a second All-Ireland SFC semi-final in four years and again faced Mayo. In foggy conditions and losing by 16 points at half-time, the team eventually lost the game by a scoreline of 5-20 to 3-13.

Power resigned in June 2023, leaving the role vacant until Paul Kelly was appointed in late 2023.

Philly Ryan was appointed in August 2024. Niall Fitzgerald succeeded Ryan after his sudden death in 2025.

Support Friends of Tipperary Football was established in 1993. It organises fundarsing events and provides support for football in a county where hurling traditionally dominates. It has an officer board and executive committee.

Crest and colours The Tipperary players wore a white and green commemorative jersey for the 2020 Munster Senior Football Championship final - a replica of the jersey colours worn by the Tipperary team which was attacked on Bloody Sunday of 1920. At that time the county wore the colours of its county champions, not having an official jersey. The then county champions Fethard wore blue and white but Grangemockler's white and green was worn instead.

Panel

INJ Player has had an injury which has affected recent involvement with the county team. RET Player has since retired from the county team. WD Player has since withdrawn from the county team due to a non-injury issue.

Management team

Manager: Niall Fitzgerald

Managerial history This is an incomplete list of Tipperary county football team managers (senior).

DatesNameProvincial titlesNational titles1985–1990Johnny Mulvihill1990–1991Mickey NiblockClonmel Commercials1991–1996Séamus McCarthyGaltee Rovers1996–1997Paddy MorrisseyGaltee Rovers1997–1999Colm Browne1999–2000Colm O'FlahertyCahir2000–2003Tom McGlincheyNewport2003–2004Andy Shorthall2004–2006Séamus McCarthy (2)Galtee Rovers2005 Tommy Murphy Cup2006–2007John OwensMoyle Rovers2007–2012Evans ratified as new Tipperary football manager Irish IndependentJohn Evans resigns as Tipperary senior football manager RTÉJohn Evans2009 NFL Division 32012–2015Creedon appointed Tipp senior football manager Irish ExaminerPeter Creedon resigns after Tyrone blow away Tipperary The Irish TimesPeter Creedon2014 NFL Division 42015–2019Tipperary Manager Liam Kearns Resigns Following Defeat To Down Pundit ArenaLiam Kearns2017 NFL Division 32019–2023David PowerKilsheelan–Kilcash2020 Munster Senior Football Championship2023–2024Paul KellyThomas Davis2024–2025Philly RyanClonmel Commercials2025–Niall FitzgeraldMoyle Rovers

Players

Notable players

Notable players include: Philip Austin: 2006–2020 Tommy Doyle Michael Hogan Peter Lambert Declan BrowneDeclan Browne: 'I've no problem saying it, we all cried, I cried myself in the Hogan Stand' The42.ie John O'Callaghan Michael Quinlivan Conor Sweeney: until 2024

Records

Most appearances

Top scorers

All Stars Tipperary have won four football All Stars. All Star winnersAwards Players Declan Browne (1998, 2003) 1 Michael Quinlivan (2016) Conor Sweeney (2020)

Team sponsorship Since 1991 the following companies have sponsored all of the Tipperary county football teams.

1991–1992: Cidona 1993–1995: Hayes Hotel 1995–1997: Moy Insulation 1998–2001: Finches 2002–2011: Enfer Scientific 2011–2014: Škoda 2015–2018: Intersport/Elverys 2019–2021: Teneo 2022–: Fiserv

Honours

National All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Winners (4): 1889, 1895, 1900, 1920 Runners-up (1): 1918 Tommy Murphy Cup Winners (1): 2005 All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship Winners (1): 1995

All-Ireland Junior Football Championship Winners (3): 1912, 1923, 1998 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship Runners-up (1): 2015 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Winners (2): 1934, 2011

Provincial Munster Senior Football Championship Winners (10): 1888, 1889, 1895, 1900, 1902, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1935, 2020 Runners-up (18): 1894, 1899, 1907, 1923, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2016 Munster Junior Football Championship Winners (7): 1910, 1912, 1923, 1935, 1937, 1952, 1998 Munster Under-21 Football Championship Winners (2): 2010, 2015 Munster Minor Football Championship Winners (7): 1934, 1935, 1955, 1984, 1995, 2011, 2012 McGrath Cup Winners (3): 1989, 1993, 2003 Munster Football League Winners (2): 1929–30, 1934–35

References