Colin O'Riordan in action for Tipperary against Cork in the Munster SFC Final.
By John Harrington
Tipperary football manager, David Power, confirmed tonight that Colin O’Riordan has been given clearance by the Sydney Swans to play in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Mayo on December 6.
O’Riordan was one of the stars of Tipperary’s Munster SFC Final victory over Cork last weekend and his availability for selection again is a massive boost for the Premier County ahead of the clash with Mayo.
“He rang me Monday morning and he said he's after getting full clearance,” said Power of O’Riordan.
“It was a funny comment, the coach out in Sydney Swans said to him, "Are you telling me you're playing, or are you asking?!"
“So, look, he'll be available for Sunday week, yeah. Actually, just talking about Sydney Swans, and I want to say this as well, I just want to thank Sydney Swans for allowing Colin because they didn't have to do this.
“I think to be fair to Sydney Swans I don't think they realised how important the whole thing was until after we actually won on Sunday. They've been fantastic and I just want to thank Sydney Swans for everything they've done to date.”
Tipperary manager David Power celebrates after victory over Cork in the Munster SFC Final.
Tipperary have no new injury concerns after the Munster Final win and Power is hopeful he’ll have an even stronger hand to deal with for the All-Ireland semi-final with Jack Kennedy and Riain Quigley coming into contention.
“We'd no one on the table last night during the session, everybody was out training,” said Power.
“Jack Kennedy and Riain Quigley who were out due to injuries, they were doing rehab stuff on the field.
“As of now we can't say whether they'll be available or not available for the Mayo game but at least they are making steady progress.”
Tipperary will revert to their traditional blue and gold jersies for the All-Ireland semi-final after wearing green and white jersies in the Munster Final to mark the centenary of Bloody Sunday. Power believes that’s the right call to have made.
“It was an honour and a privilege for the players and for me to be involved, to be wearing that green and white jersey for the Munster final,” he said.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better occasion to be wearing that jersey. Now, we have to park it. I think we’d be doing it a disservice if we went on to wear it again in an All-Ireland semi-final.
“We’re very, very proud - I always said that even after the game on Sunday, whether it was the green and white jersey or the blue and gold jersey - but ultimately the blue and gold jersey is the Tipperary jersey and for the players, they want to be wearing the blue and gold jersey.
“That’s in the history books, no one can take away that Munster final and that we wore that green and white jersey but now we drive on and wear the blue and gold jersey against Mayo.”
