If the OP really wants to find the answer to the question, they will need to actually research the issue rather than rely on verbal stories which may, or may not, be true. Both sides in the War of Independence had the need to put out spin, and the spin of one side is as unreliable as the spin of the other.
Could I suggest that you take a subscription on
http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/index.php which is expensive, but will give you all possible answers to your question with assiduous interrogation of their index. They cover among others, Irish Independent and Freemans Journal. The Irish Times requires a separate subscription if you want that.
Tipperary does suffer from not having much written about actions in War of Independence in published books, so Irish newspapers may be the only source open to you.