Thomas Stapleton (hurler)

Thomas Stapleton (born 22 February 1988) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a right wing-back for the Tipperary senior team.[1]

Thomas Stapleton
Personal information
Irish name Tomás Mac an Ghaill
Sport Hurling
Position Right wing-back
Born (1988-02-22) 22 February 1988 (age 36)
Templederry, County Tipperary, Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Club(s)
Years Club
Templederry Kenyons
Club titles
Tipperary titles 0
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2007-present
Tipperary 11 (0-2)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 1
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
All Stars 0

Stapleton made his first appearance for the team during the 2007 National League and has become a regular player over the last few seasons. Since then he has won one Munster winners' medal on the field of play.

At club level Stapleton is a county intermediate championship medalist with Templederry Kenyons.

Playing career

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Club

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Stapelton plays his club hurling with Stapelton with Templederry Kenyons and has enjoyed some success. In 2008 he won a county intermediate championship medal.[citation needed]

Inter-county

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Stapleton first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team in 2005. He enjoyed little success in his first year, however, Tipperary reached the All-Ireland decider via the "back-door" in 2006. Three-in-a-row hopefuls Galway provided the opposition, however, Tipp powered to 2–18 to 2–7 victory.[2] It was Stapleton's first All-Ireland medal in that grade.[citation needed]

He subsequently joined the Tipperary under-21 team. Stapleton won a Munster medal in this grade in 2008 following a controversial one-point defeat of Clare. Tipp later reached the All-Ireland, however, Maher's side were defeated by Kilkenny.[3]

Stapleton made his senior competitive debut for Tipperary in a National Hurling League game against Dublin in 2007. Later that season he made his championship debut against Limerick, in what turned out to be an unsuccessful championship campaign.[citation needed]

After falling out of favour with Liam Sheedy's new management team, Stapleton remained on the periphery of the team for a number of seasons.[citation needed]

Stapelton was back on the starting fifteen in 2012.[4] A subsequent 2-17 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford in the provincial decider gave him his first Munster medal on the field of play.[5] Tipperary later faced a humiliating 4-24 to 1-15 defeat by eventual champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Senior Hurling Panel". Tipperary GAA website. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Tipp break Galway hearts in MHC final". RTÉ Sport. 3 September 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  3. ^ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 0-15". RTÉ Sport. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Stapleton feels part of things again". Hogan Stand website. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  5. ^ Clerkin, Malachy (16 July 2012). "Clinical Tipperary complete first task". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  6. ^ Moran, Seán (30 August 2012). "Kilkenny trample over Tipp tradition". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.