+ Tipperary county hurling team 2017 seasonManagerMichael RyanCaptainPádraic MaherAll-Ireland SHCSemi-finalistsMunster SHCQuarter-finalistsNational LeagueRunners-upTop scorer ChampionshipSéamus Callanan 3-34Highest SHC attendance 68,184 (v Galway 6 August)Lowest SHC attendance6,893 (v Westmeath 1 July)
The 2017 season was Michael Ryan's second year as manager of the Tipperary senior hurling team.
On 28 November 2016, Pádraic Maher was named as the new captain of the Tipperary Senior hurling team for 2017 with Séamus Callanan named as vice-captain.
Intersport/Elverys continued as sponsors of Tipperary GAA for a third year. Tipperary wore a New Jersey design for the first time on 23 April in the League final against Galway. The new design has Intersport with Elverys underneath with Elverys.ie on the back shoulders.
The Tipperary players and management team traveled to Miami in December 2016 for a team holiday where they rang in the new year. Tipperary again chose not to compete in the Munster Senior Hurling League which was held in January.
Tipperary were going for a three in a row of Munster titles and were also defending their All-Ireland title. They were looking to win back-to-back All-Ireland's for the first time since 1965.
2017 senior hurling management team NamePositionClubMichael RyanManagerUpperchurch-DrombaneDeclan FanningCoachKillenauleJohn MaddenSelectorLorrha-DorrhaBrian HorganSelectorKnockavilla-Donaskeigh KickhamsConor StakelumSelectorBorris-Ileigh
2017 squad On 28 November 2016, a pre-season training squad of 40 players was announced by Michael Ryan for winter training.
The following players made their competitive senior debut in 2017.
Paul Flynn against Clare on 5 March. Tommy Heffernan against Cork on 26 March. Alan Flynn against Offaly on 2 April. Tom Fox against Westmeath on 1 July. Sean O'Brien against Clare on 22 July.
Squad as per 2017 National Hurling League Final v Galway on 23 April 2017
Squad as per 2017 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final v Galway on 6 August 2017
Challenge Games A challenge match against St. Thomas of Galway which was due to be played on 22 January was called off as St. Thomas's withdrew. Tipperary played their first game of the year against Antrim in a challenge match on 29 January in Corrigan Park, Belfast. The match against Antrim was as part of a weekend to remember the late Fr. Alec Reid, Redemptorist Priest, originally from Nenagh and who played a pivotal role in the Peace Process. He was also a member of the Tipperary minor hurling panel which won the All-Ireland title in 1949. Antrim had a 2–8 to 0–8 lead at half-time but Tipperary went on to win by 4–22 to 2–15.
2017 National Hurling League Summary Tipperary started their league campaign on 11 February against Dublin, 22 weeks after winning the All-Ireland title. The match was played in Croke Park with a 5pm throw-in, and was televised live by Eir Sport. Steven O'Brien and Aidan McCormack made their league debuts for Tipperary in the match with Pádraic Maher being named as the man of the match. Tipperary had a 0–11 to 0–6 lead at half-time and went on to win by 16 points on a 1–24 to 1-8 scoreline where there was strong wind with heavy rain during the game. The Tipperary goal was scored by Jason Forde in the 55th minute when he read the break of the ball and ran through unopposed before hitting a low shot past Dublin goalkeeper Gary Maguire.
A week later on 19 February Tipperary defeated Waterford in wet conditions on a heavy pitch at Walsh Park by 1–18 to 0–15. Tipperary had a 0–11 to 0–10 lead at half time. The Tipperary goal was scored by John McGrath in the 58th minute when he batted the ball to the net after an initial shot from Noel McGrath was saved by Waterford goalkeeper Ian O'Regan. The match was shown live by TG4. Séamus Kennedy was the man of the match. After two games Tipperary were on top of Division 1A of the National Hurling League with four points and the only team to win both of their opening games.
On 5 March Tipperary played Clare in round 3 of the National Hurling League at Semple Stadium, deferred coverage of the game was shown by TG4. The Tipperary v Longford National Football League match that was due to take place before it was postponed due to the weather. James Barry was named to start but was ruled out of the match due to a heavy cold which prevented him from training all week, with Padraic Maher starting instead. Séamus Callanan was also ruled out with a bug. Barry Heffernan made his first start of the year at midfield. Tipperary had a 0–5 to no score lead after 12 minutes and also lead by 0–7 to 0-2 before Clare playing with the breeze got into the game and had a 0–11 to 0–10 lead at half time. In the second half Tipperary pulled clear before Clare reduced the lead back to three points with Tipperary once again going on to win by seven points. Brendan Maher went off with a shoulder injury just before half-time with Niall O'Meara and Donagh Maher also leaving the game with injuries, the latter went off deep in stoppage time with concussion with Tipperary finishing the match with 14 men. Tomás Hamill who was switched to full-back was named as the man of the match. With this victory Tipperary maintained their 100% record in the league and are also now unbeaten in 11 months.
On 11 March Tipperary played Kilkenny under the lights in round 4 of the National Hurling League at Semple Stadium. The match was televised live by Eir Sport. This was the 31st league and championship clash between the counties since Brian Cody took over as manager of Kilkenny in 1999. There were 41 players training with the Tipperary hurling panel for the league and the starting side included ten of the starting fifteen which started the 2016 All Ireland Final against Kilkenny. Tipperary went on to maintain their unbeaten record when substitute Steven O’Brien scored a 70th minute point to earn a draw. On a warm dry night Tipperary led by four points at half-time on a 2–11 to 2-7 scoreline. John McGrath got the opening goal for Tipperary in the third minute with a low shot along the ground from close range after confusion in the Kilkenny full-back after a high ball into the square. Kilkenny replied with a goal from TJ Reid when he shot powerfully to the net which left Darragh Mooney rooted to the spot after five minutes. Niall O’Meara got the second goal for Tipperary when he fired low to the right of the net across the goalkeeper after a short run at goal and an initial pass from John O’Dwyer, this put Tipperary in a 2–7 to 1–2 lead. O’Meara's goal was later voted at the end of 2017 as the GAA hurling goal of the year.
TJ Reid scored from a penalty after thirty minutes, after a Michael Cahill foul on Alan Murphy. In the second half Padraic Maher brought down Liam Blanchfield in the 56th minute with TJ Reid scoring his third goal of the game and his second penalty. It was revealed that Brendan Maher may miss the remainder of the league after he damaged his AC joint in round 3 against Clare. It was also revealed that Cathal Barrett is close to returning to action after an operation on an ankle injury before Christmas.
On 26 March Tipperary, already assured of finishing on top, played Cork in round 5 of the National Hurling League at Páirc Uí Rinn. Highlights of the match were shown that night on League Sunday. Tipperary and Cork had previously met on 60 occasions in the National Hurling League with Cork leading with 29 wins to Tipperary's 26, while there have been 5 draws. John Meagher and Willie Ryan made their first starts in the league while Tommy Heffernan made his league debut, goalkeeper Darren Gleeson started his first league game of the year.
In a match played in warm sunny conditions, Cork had a 0–14 to 2–6 lead at half-time. The first half Tipperary goals came from Seamus Callanan with a close range finish after a rebound came back to him from a John McGrath shot and a minute later from John McGrath this time the finisher after a pass from Seamus Callanan. In the second half with time almost up Séamus Callanan got his second goal of the game when he kicked to the net to level the match. Patrick Horgan then put Cork back in front with a point before Ronan Maher equalized with a sideline cut. There was still time for Patrick Horgan to put Cork in front again with a long range point in the 74th minute which turned out to be the winning score. It was the first defeat of the season for Tipperary.
On 2 April, Tipperary went on to play Offaly in the Quarter-final at O'Connor Park in Tullamore after the draw for home advantage was made on 27 March. Tipperary won the game easily by 18 points on a 4–28 to 3-13 scoreline.
Cathal Barrett returned after having a scheduled operation on an ankle for his first game of the year, while defender Alan Flynn made his League debut starting at corner back. Playing against the breeze in the opening half, they had a 1–14 to 0–7 lead at half-time with the first goal coming from Seamus Callanan in the 17th minute after an assist by Niall O’Meara. Tipperary led by 25 points at one stage in the second half before a late rally by Offaly brought the score down.
Tipperary went on to play Wexford at Nowlan Park in the semi-finals on Easter Sunday 16 April, with the winners playing Galway who beat Limerick earlier in the final.
The match was shown live by TG4. Brendan Maher was expected to return from a shoulder injury he sustained against Clare in March. Patrick Maher returned to the panel after returning from a six-month Army peacekeeping trip to Syria. Tipperary had a two-day get-together at the Abbottstown's Centre of Excellence over the weekend of 8 and 9 April. Six players were cut from the squad, Andrew Coffey, Tommy Heffernan, Padraig Greene, Stephen Cahill, Dylan Fitzell and Willie Ryan. Brendan Maher returned to the team for the semi-final alongside Jason Forde who replaced Michael Breen in midfield. John O’Dwyer didn't start the game and was replaced in attack by Steven O’Brien. Donagh Maher picked up a hamstring injury in training the week before the game and will be out for a number of weeks. In dry and warm conditions, Tipperary won the game on a 5–18 to 1-19 scoreline. With ten minutes to go in the game, Tipperary were two points in front but they then went on a run of scoring 2-4 without reply in a five-minute spell to go on and win the game with ease in the end. Tipperary had a 2–6 to 0–8 lead at half time with the first half goals coming from John McGrath in the 6th minute and the second from Noel McGrath in the 18th minute after a pass from Niall O’Meara. Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald then entered the field to challenge referee Diarmuid Kirwan thinking that it should have been a free to Wexford before the second goal. He confronted Tipperary's Niall O’Meara and shoved Jason Forde before leaving the field of play. John McGrath was named as the man of the match.
The league final against Galway was played at the Gaelic Grounds on 23 April with a 3:30 throw in. The match was shown live by TG4. Tipperary were aiming for their first league title win since 2008. It was confirmed the day after the semi-final victory that Séamus Callanan had broken his thumb during that game and would miss the final. On 20 April, Jason Forde was handed a proposed two-game suspension for his reaction to Davy Fitzgerald coming on the field of play in the semi-final win. Tipperary have already indicated that they will appeal the decision. Forde was named in the starting line-up alongside the returning Michael Breen and John O'Dwyer instead of Niall O'Meara and the injured Seamus Callanan. In the final, Galway won by 3–21 to 0–14. Galway were dominate throughout the match and had a 0–11 to 0–5 lead at half-time with several other scoring opportunities missed.