THE DAIL IRELAND

Backing Premier County is Labour of love for TD Kelly

- BY DEREK FOLEY

ALAN Kelly won't be just casually supporting Tipperary's All-Ireland bid it's a Labour of love.

The former Labour party leader and Tipperary North TD, who hails from Portroe just outside Nenagh, is proud to be part of a powerful hurling community.

"We've been improving all year, the players are a great mixture of younger and older and have done incredibly well," he told this newspaper.

"I'm so very proud of them, very proud of the way they've performed.

"I've even seen some things sent to me where some of the Cork supporters are already putting on tattoos thinking they are already champions and I've seen some car regs already printed with 'Liam'!

"So you know that bodes well for Tipp because we love being the underdog, not being rated, and we've been upsetting the odds all year."

Kelly added: "Nenagh Eire Og has a number of players on the panel - Sam O'Farrell, Josh Keller, Jake Morris.