Decade of AIG ends for Dubs
Kingdom likely to rely on Clifford and O’Shea
DUBLIN GAA are on the lookout for a new sponsor after AIG ended their 10-year association with the county.
The insurance giant’s second fiveyear term is up at the end of this season.
By the time the 2023 campaign comes to an end AIG, who also sponsor the New Zealand All Blacks will have pumped in the region of €10million into Dublin GAA over the past decade in basic sponsorship and win bonuses.
In their time to date as Dublin jersey sponsor, which began at the commencement of the 2014 season, the capital side have landed six All-Ireland titles in nine years.
AIG took over from mobile phone company Vodafone, who had replaced Arnotts in late 2009, and served as Dublin GAA’s main sponsors for four years.
Success
That deal is believed to have been worth €800,000 per annum, rising to €1m per annum by the end of agreement, and depending on the success of various Dublin teams.
Apart from a brief spell when non-alcoholic beer Kaliber was emblazoned on the Dublin jersey, the county have only had three main sponsors.
Dublin commercial chiefs have a number of months to tempt a new sponsor to one of the most high-profile brands in Irish sport.
It is believed Dublin will seek a similar
€1m per annum deal when they go out to the market.
Galway GAA recently agreed a new five year deal with Supermacs.
The agreement is worth €400,000 per annum with add ons taking it up to €450,000, and additional payments depending on how far teams progress into the Championship.
THE National Football League throws in this weekend and for some the stakes have never been higher.
Division 2 sides are not alone fighting for promotion and to avoid relegation, but also for their place in the first ever round-robin All-Ireland Football Championship.
This year’s All-Ireland will be competed for by the eight provincial finalists and next highest placed seven teams in the National League as well as last year’s Tailteann Cup winners, Westmeath.
The bottom side in Division 2 won’t make the Sam Maguire Cup this summer and if a Division 3 or 4 side make a provincial final the seventh placed side will also miss out.
Sides in sixth and fifth place could even be in danger of missing out on the All-Ireland this summer, if there are a series of upsets in the Championship.
The effect on Divisions 1, 3 and 4 of the League, by the new jam-packed schedule and the closeness of the League and Championship is up in the air.
Will teams, particularly Division 1 sides, want to make a League final and could teams from Division 1 and 3 take their foot off the gas when they are safe from relegation?
How many Division 3 sides actually want to be in the AllIreland is another question, and views may differ between players, managers and officials.
Either way, the GAA are breaking new ground over the coming weeks and there is plenty to look forward to.
Here are six things worth looking out for in this year’s National Football League...
1. ABSOLUTE CUTTHROAT DIVISION 2
If you’re Kildare, Derry or Cork you have to be worried about your promotion prospects.
Dublin should do enough to win promotion, but the games between the aforementioned trio will have a real championship feel about them.
Derry have continually expressed their huge disappointment at gaining the most points any side has in Division 2 history last year and still not being promoted. They will be gunning for it again to frank their progress from last year.
Cork are regrouping nicely with Kevin Walsh on board as coach and will be a serious prospect, while Kildare have enough firepower to be right in the mix.
John Cleary’s Rebels also have three physically powerful players back to bolster their squad — Killian O’Hanlon, Ruairi Deane and Sean Meehan.
Then there’s the others — Meath, Clare, Limerick and Louth — who will know that a poor campaign and relegation could see them drop out of this year’s Sam Maguire Cup.
They’ll all look to start well and be highly competitive.
The bottom side in Division 2 will play in this summer’s Tailteann Cup.
And if a Division 3 and 4 outfit like Cavan, Down, Sligo or Tipperary were to make a provincial final, the seventh placed team in Division 2 would miss out on the All-Ireland, unless they make their provincial final.
2. FIRST-YEAR MANAGER BOUNCE
We’re looking at Mayo, Roscommon and Down here.
Kevin McStay won an AllIreland in his first year with St Brigid’s, who were close already, while he also landed a Connacht title in his first season with Roscommon.
The losses of Lee Keegan and Oisin Mullin are huge and may not be felt until July at Croke Park when three or four top physical man markers are required.
On the plus side, Tommy Conroy and Ryan O’Donoghue are back again to give Mayo an attack.
In Down, the appointment of Conor Laverty has created a huge buzz. It’s early days but Down look aggressive, competitive and organised, which is an improvement on recent years.
How Roscommon cope in Division 1 will also be worth watching with another young and emerging boss, Davy Burke, in charge.
They’re the ultimate yo-yo team. If Burke can keep them up it will represent considerable progress. They have the scoring power, but they have to be more mobile and pacier against the bigger teams.
3. DUBLIN’S RETURNING STARS
There’s a feeling that Dublin are regrouping again with Pat Gilroy back on board and Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey returning.
The idea that it will take Mannion and McCaffrey time to get back up to speed again doesn’t hold much water.
You don’t suddenly lose natural pace, your skills or that competitive edge, especially after a break away from the inter-county game.
Mannion was fit enough to manage an hour for Kilmacud Crokes last Sunday, while McCaffrey is back training a number of weeks now.
Come the summer they’ll be two serious weapons for Dessie Farrell, who has lost Jonny Cooper and has doubts over Con O’Callaghan’s fitness.
Mannion and McCaffrey will give Farrell the depth to overcome a major injury like O’Callaghan’s at the wrong time of year.
Dublin could be in for a rude awakening in Division 2 though if they’re not at it from the start.
Were they to lose to Kildare on Saturday night, they face away trips to Derry, Meath and Cork, so they’d be on the back foot in terms of promotion from day one.