On the weekend of the All Stars, Saturday will see nearly 30 of them in action in Borrisoleigh where Tipperary and Kilkenny will renew rivalry in a benefit match for the Amanda Stapleton fund.
Past and current players from both counties have committed to the match. Amanda Stapleton is the sister of 2010 Tipperary All-Ireland winner Paddy and GAA journalist Shane, also an All-Ireland club winner with Dublin’s Cuala in the past two seasons. She was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.
"She's in great form at the moment," Paddy Stapleton told Des Cahill on RTE Radio on Friday. "The first two weeks we were all very up and down and she was finding it tough with her boyfriend over in London because that's where they are and the family aren't there but she has great friends around and a lot of support from over here and with the match coming up there are positive things coming from it.
“She’s just had her first bout of radiotherapy and doctors are very happy with how she reacted and she said to me the other day that it was the best she had felt since before the headaches. All we can do is be thankful for that and not look too far into the future because we know it’s not the easiest road she’s on.”
The match starts at 6pm this Saturday at Bishop Quinlan Park in Borrisoleigh. A marquee is open at the ground for those who want to get there early. Tickets are €22.50 and there is free admission for under-16s. To donate to the Amanda Stapleton Fund, https://ie.gofundme.com/Amandastapletonfund.
Tipperary: Brendan Cummins; Paddy Stapleton, Pádraic Maher, Paul Curran; Conor O'Brien, Benny Dunne, Thomas Stapleton; James Woodlock, Shane McGrath; Pat Kerwick, Séamus Callanan, John O'Brien; Noel McGrath, Eoin Kelly, Lar Corbett. Subs: Darren Gleeson, Patrick Maher, Pa Bourke, Micheál Webster, Ronan Maher, Paul Kelly, Shane Maher, Gearóid Ryan, Willie Ryan, Dan McCormack, Donagh Maher, David Young, Brian O'Meara, Cathal Barrett, James Barry, Kieran Bergin, Jason Forde, Séamus Kennedy, Michael Breen, Shane Stapleton.
Kilkenny: David Herity; Michael Kavanagh, JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrrell; Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, Paul Murphy; Conor Fogarty, Michael Rice; Richie Hogan, Henry Shefflin, Eoin Larkin; Eddie Brennan, Martin Comerford, Aidan Fogarty. Subs: Eoin Murphy, Kieran Joyce, Joey Holden, Pádraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan, Lester Ryan, James Maher, John Mulhall, Ger Aylward, Liam Blanchfield.
