Rovers smash Annual Draw record as fans raise impressive €106,970
THE Sligo Rovers Annual Draw concluded last Saturday with a record-breaking grand total of €106,970 raised throughout the Summer and Autumn months. Mnaagement committee members and supporters went door-to-door with tickets while many also purchased online in a bid to break the previous 2019 record of €78,340.
The funds raised will all be used to help bring the club’s ambitious stadium masterplan to fruition. The first stage of the plan is to be completed during the off-season when the 28-year-old floodlights on the Jinks Avenue side of the ground are to be replaced by two large sets of floodlights in the corners of the ground, similar to the ones either side of the Treacy Avenue stand.
The draw was conducted at half-time in last Saturday’s game against Shamrock Rovers at The Showgrounds. Tommie Gorman was the Master of Ceremonies while management committee member and Annual Draw co-ordinator Mark Cummins oversaw the drawing of each winning ticket with the help of first team goalkeeper Luke McNicholas and legendary defender Chris Rutherford.
The winner of the top prize - €5,000 in cash - was Donal Kilcullen from Skreen.
The full list of prize winners is as follows: 1st Prize, €5,000 - Donal
Kilcullen; 2nd Prize, €1,000 Petstop Discount Warehouse voucher - Bernie Maye; 3rd Prize, Shelbourne Hotel Voucher - Gerry Nicholson;, 4th Prize, Liffey Valley Clayton Hotel stay Eamonn Rushe; 5th Prize, Westlife Tickets for Belfast - Adrian Coen; 6th
Prize, €200 voucher for Kate’s Kitchen - Jason Mills; , 7th Prize, Two tickets to Liverpool FC - Calvin Flynn; 8th Prize, 2 Rod Stewart tickets for Dublin - Brid Doherty; 9th Prize, €100 voucher for Intersport Elverys: - Joe Gilroy; 10th Prize, €100 voucher for Intersport
Elverys - Lorraine Miller.
Praising the efforts of ticket sellers this year, Mark Cummins said: “I would like to thank all our ticket sellers who put in such a huge effort this year.
“There was great team spirit amongst the sellers and it was their enthusiasm to set a new record this year that made it possible.
‘’We have set a big target for next year but with a few more volunteers we can surpass this year’s total.
‘’As announced the proceeds of the annual draw are going to the development of the showgrounds. We hope to be in a position to give an update on our development plans in the next few weeks.
‘’A massive thanks also to the supporters and general public for getting behind the draw from the start’’.
Sligo Rovers chairman Tommy Higgins also paid tribute to ticket sellers. He said: ‘’It just goes to show the sheer commitment and dedication of my fellow Committee members and volunteers for getting such a magnificent result from this year’s Annual Draw.
‘’We decided to put all proceeds from the draw towards our Masterplan, which we hope to see transform The Showgrounds into a state of the art sporting venue for the future.
‘’I want to thank Mark and all the sellers for their unbelievable contribution and of course all our supporters who bought or sold tickets for us.
‘’I also wish to thank those who bought tickets to the draw who may not particularly follow the club. It just goes to show the great respect the people of the region have for our great club.’’