Solohead in west Tipperary is a place well used to battles. It was here that the first shots of the Irish war of independence were fired in 1919, an event commemorated by an impressive monument in the village.

Behind that monument lies the Teagasc Solohead research farm, which has also been the site of a fair few battles in recent years.

The issue is clover and how best to manage it. On one side is the zero nitrogen brigade, inspired by the research work from James Humphreys at Solohead.

On the other side are the head honchos at Moorepark, who promote a more liberal approach to nitrogen on clover swards. Shots were fired last autumn, resulting in some changes at Solohead. The Dealer understands that talks are still progressing over the next steps for the farm. Not alone was there a Teagasc changing of the guard, but the farm is part of the family silver in the new merger between Tipperary Co-op and Arrabawn. Now that Eamonn O’Sullivan has been signed up as the new boss of that entity Eamonn and his chairman Edward Carr are likely to be key persons to watch in what happens next at Solohead.