Michael Roche (8 October 1943 – 7 December 2016) was an Irish hurler whose league and championship career with the Tipperary senior team spanned twelve seasons from 1963 to 1974.

[1][2][3][4] Born near Carrickbeg, County Tipperary, Roche was raised in a household that had a strong association with Gaelic games.

Over the course of the next twelve seasons, Roche won three All-Ireland medals, beginning with back-to-back triumphs in 1964 and 1965, and ending with a final title in 1971.

After being chosen at midfield on the Munster inter-provincial team in 1965, Roche was an automatic choice on the starting fifteen for much of his playing career.

In 2000 Roche was named at midfield on the Tipperary Team of the Century, while he was later chosen as one of the 125 greatest hurlers of all-time in a 2009 poll.

Roche was eligible for the minor grade again the following year, however, on this occasion he was added to the Tipperary panel after impressing in trial games.

Kilkenny provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Tipperary looked set for victory when they held a 0-12 to 1-7 lead with ten minutes remaining in the games.

Roche was added to the Tipperary senior panel in 1963, however, his involvement with the intermediate team precluded him from making his championship debut.

Tipperary later cantered casually past Cork by fourteen points in the provincial decider, giving Roche a first Munster medal.

John "Mackey" McKenna scored Tipperary's first goal after ten minutes as the Munster champions took a 1-8 to 0-6 interval lead.

After surrendering their provincial crown in 1966, Tipperary bounced back the following year, with Roche, who was now captain of the team, winning a third Munster medal following a 4–12 to 2–6 defeat of Clare.

Tipperary retained their status as provincial kingpins once again and a 2–13 to 1–7 trouncing of Cork gave team captain Roche a fourth Munster medal.

In spite of this setback, Roche finished the year with a fourth Oireachtas Cup medal following a narrow 1-9 to 1-6 defeat of Cork.

In 1970 Roche won a fifth Oireachtas Cup medal following a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat of recently crowned All-Ireland champions Cork in the final.

On 5 September 1971 Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland final, the first to be broadcast in colour by Telefís Éireann and the only eighty-minute meeting between the two sides.