Tom Semple

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Personal information
Tom Semple
Sport	Hurling
Full name	Tom Semple
Place of birth	Drombane , County Tipperary
Club information
Club	Thurles Sarsfields
Position	Forward
Inter-County
County	Tipperary
Position	Half-forward
Inter-County(ies)**
County	Years	Apps (scores)
Kilkenny	1900-1910
Senior Inter-County Titles
Munster Titles	7
All-Ireland	1
* club appearances and scores correct as of . **Inter County team apps and scores correct as of .

Tom Semple (1879-1943) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Thurles Sarsfields and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the early 1900s.

1 Early life
2 Playing career

[edit] Early life

Tom Semple was born in Glebe, Drombane, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1879. At the age of 16 he left his native townland and moved to Thurles.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Club

Semple played his club hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club. He captained the team to county titles in 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1911.

[edit] Inter-county

Semple joined the Tipperary hurling team in 1900. That year he won his first Munster title following a victory over Kerry. He later collected his first All-Ireland following defeats of Galway and London in the ‘home’ and ‘away’ finals. Cork dominated the Munster Championship for the next five years, however, Semple collected a second provincial title in 1906, this time as captain. He later guided Tipp to victory over a Dublin team made up of 11 Tipperary men in the All-Ireland final. 1908 saw Semple win a third Munster title. He was captain again when he later collected his third All-Ireland medal following a win over Dublin once again. 1909 saw Semple win a fourth Munster title, however, Tipp were later beaten for the first time ever in an All-Ireland final by Kilkenny. Following a European hurling tour by the Tipperary team in 1910 Semple retired from inter-county hurling.

[edit] Post-playing career

In retirement Semple served as Chairman of the Tipperary County Board for a number of years He also held the position of Treasurer of the GAA’s Central Council and was also Tipperary's representative on the Munster Council during World War I.

Tom Semple died in 1943. Semple Stadium in Thurles was renamed in his honour in 1971.

Preceded by '	Tipperary Senior Hurling Captain 1906-1910	Succeeded by '
Preceded by D.J. Stapleton (Kilkenny)	All-Ireland Hurling Final winning captain 1906	Succeeded by Dick 'Drug' Walsh (Kilkenny)
Preceded by Dick 'Drug' Walsh (Kilkenny)	All-Ireland Hurling Final winning captain 1908	Succeeded by Dick 'Drug' Walsh (Kilkenny)