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 Ireland’s Shannon Region will host the 2011 Single Speed World Championship Biking Event.
The Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trail, located on the borders of counties Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, will host this event which will feature an estimated 500 competitors from more than 30 countries around the world.
The Championships which are being hosted by Sports Academy International with the support of Shannon Development, will takes place on Saturday, 27 August 2011.
The region successfully beat off all other competition from around the world to host the annual event, which was held this year in New Zealand.
Since 1999 this event has attracted participants from throughout the globe and and hundreds of competitors visiting the southwest next August are expected to attract a much needed boost to the local economy.
Announcing the event Dr. Vincent Cunnane, CEO of Shannon Development said: “Winning this prestigious and colourful event for this area continues to endorse the Shannon Region as a premier sports and event destination, which brings over €60 million in revenue annually. With Limerick City’s designation as the European City of Sport for 2011 and the array of events already secured for the Region, 2011 is going to be a fantastic year.”
The Single Speed World Championship, or SSWC, is an annual event. It is only open to bicycles with a single gear ratio. Those bicycles can be either singlespeeds or ‘fixies’. Most of the bicycles used in these races are mountain bikes. However, many people take part in the race on cyclo-cross bicycles, racing bicycles and bicycles defying easy categorization.
Karen Brosnahan from Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau stated: “Tomas Madigan, joint CEO of Sports AI is a true ambassador for the Shannon Region. He competed in a sports event in New Zealand to win this event for the area beating South Africa and Italy, latter very worthy opponents. We are very proud of his efforts and all the more as he was one of the first people to sign up to the sports ambassadors’ programme, which we operate in partnership with Shannon Development.”
Thurles Sarsfields will face De La Salle Waterford next in the AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship, following second half goals from Lar Corbett and substitute Michael O’Brien, both proving crucial to Tipperary’s win against the Limerick side yesterday.
 Lar Corbett's First Goal. Photograph: Courtesy John O'Loughlin Hosts Kilmallock started well enough following successful frees from Andrew O’Shaughnessy and a point from play from Graeme Mulcahy, but by the quarter hour mark, the sides were level again following frees from Johnny Enright, Denis Maher and Pa Bourke.
Further excellent play from Bourke and a free from Enright saw the Tipperary champions take a 0-5 to 0-3 lead.
Kilmallock’s Eoin Ryan, Shane O’Donnell and O’Shaughnessy reversed this Tipperary lead, while goalkeeper Barry Hennessy produced a fine save to deny Tipperary’s Denis Maher a goal, but Bourke’s successful resulting ’65’ leveled the sides at half-time with 6 points apiece.
In the second half, while Kilmallock started strongly with points from Ryan, Mulcahy and O’Shaughnessy, a 36th minute goal from Hurler of the Year Corbett soon spurred Tipperary hopes and from then Sarsfields smelled victory.
Further points from Aidan McCormack and Bourke saw Sarsfields 1-8 to 0-9 ahead while a second goal from Tipp substitute O’Brien wrapped up the win for the visitors and Kilmallock finished down to 14 men after substitute Kieran Kenneally received a straight red card for a wild pull on Padraig Maher.
Thurles’ Padraic Maher was the outstanding match player, dominating his centre-back position throughout the game.
Final Score: Kilmallock (Limerick) 0-11 Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) 2-10.
Thurles Sarsfields: P McCormack (Capt); D Maher, K O’Gorman, B O’Dwyer; D Kennedy, P Maher, M Cahill; A Kennedy, M Gleeson; S Lillis, L Corbett, D Maher; J Enright, P Bourke, R Ruth.
Sarsfields Subs: A McCormack (O’Dywer), M O’Brien (Kennedy) and JJ Bourke for (Enright) .
 New Tipp Manager Declan Ryan As expected, Declan Ryan has been appointed the new GAA Tipperary senior hurling manager, succeeding All-Ireland winning manager Liam Sheedy, on a two-year contract basis.
Declan, who is a winner of three All-Ireland senior hurling medals, (1989, 1991 and 2001) will be joined on the management team by Thurles Sarsfields‘ back to back county championship winning manager Michael Gleeson and former ‘Hurler of the Year’ Tommy Dunne .
Michael Gleeson will remain with Thurles Sarsfields until their participation in the Munster and All-Ireland club competitions comes to an end.
County Board Chairman Barry O’Brien stated this evening “I think we have gotten the best three available men in the county and I compliment them for their bravery in taking on the job at a very tough time with Tipperary presently at the summit.”
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) intend to adopt a “wait-and-see” attitude towards plans for building a new racecourse at Two-Mile-Borris, as part of a €460 million Casino project, known as the Tipperary Venue. North Tipperary County Council last week approved plans for this controversial project, which would include a 6,000-square metre casino and a 500 bedroom hotel.
Included in these plans also is a new racecourse near the North Tipperary village and project spokesman, Richard Quirke, said that getting the green light to proceed with a new race track would result in the closing of the present Thurles racecourse.
But the HRI admitted last week that the idea does raise some issues for horse racing’s current ruling body. HRI chief’s including executive Brian Kavanagh have met representatives of this new business venture last year and there are tentative plans to meet again to further discuss this project.
Brian Kavanagh said recently that he was supportive of the plan’s ambitions. “They are not looking for funding and viewing the project overall, you would have to be supportive, when someone comes to you, in such circumstances, wanting to build a racecourse as is now proposed. “We will sit down with them again, but the venture does raise quite a lot of issues. We have to be supportive of such ambition but we will see what will happen,” added Mr Kavanagh.
It will all be hard for 3 greyhound tracks within a 35 mile radius of this proposed new venture to survive in the present climate in Tipperary. Thurles dog track has been upgraded and Clonmel dog track has architect drawings on display for their new track. There is a also a new dog track in Limerick and logic would indicate that at least two of these tracks would have to bow out to this new project.
Horse Racing Ireland has been under serious pressure in the past couple of years, due mainly to the present financial crisis and it’s prize money levels have been slashed with racing fixtures also cut. Matters such as the design of any future new track could also be a subject of concern for the racing body. However several high-profile racing figures appear publicly to support the new project, including trainers Edward O’Grady, Aidan O’Brien and Magnier’s Coolmore Stud.
An Taisce, the heritage body, objected to the casino proposal and could yet appeal against North Tipperary County Council’s sanctioned approval, to An Bord Pleanála.
A major change to the present gaming laws would also be required for the proposed new casino to become licenced and the results of a government review on those laws is expected soon, which if positive would possibly ensure local Independent party support for the government’s forthcoming budget.
 Reading Football Club and former Tipperary Minor Hurler, Shane Long have signed a new contract which keeps him at the Madejski Soccer Stadium until the summer of 2012 at least.
The 23-year-old’s previous contract was due to expire this summer, but the club have decided to further secured the talent of this very promising Irish international.
Shane who was reared to the sports of Tipperary GAA hurling and football, only began playing soccer in his late teens, and has now marked himself as one of the hottest properties outside the Premier League.
Shane has also made himself available for the Republic of Ireland squad, both scoring and being named ‘man of the match’ in his Ireland’s last two Euro 2012 qualifying games.
Manager Brian McDermott has stated, “I am proud that Shane has committed himself to this club by signing this new contract, he has scored crucial goals at the very highest level during our last two seasons in the Premier League and remains one of our own and I am very pleased he remains completely committed to the Reading Club.”
This has been a good year for Shane and he is delighted by Tipperary’s All Ireland hurling title being brought back home. As stated, Shane has played many sports as a youngster wearing his native Gortnahoe-Glengoole G.A.A. colours in both hurling and Gaelic football and playing youth soccer with St. Kevin’s schoolboy’s club in Two-Mile-Borris for over five seasons.
Lar Corbett Named 2010 Opel GPA Players Of The Year
Meanwhile, back here at the ranch, Tipperary’s All-Ireland final hero Lar Corbett and Dublin ace Bernard Brogan have been named as the 2010 Opel GPA Players of the Year. Both players will now receive a brand new Opel Astra worth approximately €25,000.
Dessie Farrell, Chief Executive of the Gaelic Players’ Association, said: “While Championship success is totally dependent on team effort, there is no doubt that the individuals named, stood out this year and their displays have now been acknowledged by their fellow players, who have voted them the Opel GPA Players of the Year.”
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