AbbVie go for glory in Friday’s AllIreland Inter-Firms final at Kent Park
FOUR years ago, almost to the week, an inter firms gaelic football team from Sligo-based pharma company AbbVie, was due to play in an AllIreland inter-firms gaelic football semi-final. The game never happened as the Covid-19 pandemic brought all sporting and social gatherings to a complete stop.
Four years after that disappointment this Friday evening at Kent Park, Ballydoogan, a team made up of AbbVie players from Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Tyrone, get the chance to go one better than a semi-final as AbbVie host Limerick firm Regeneron Ireland in the Interfirms All-Ireland Intermediate gaelic football final.
This is a big deal - the competition is just that, fiercely competitive with teams often boasting current and former inter county players.
Thanks to their 4-14 to 0-14 win over Coláiste na Sceilge from Kerry in their semi-final in February, which was played in Limerick, AbbVie earned the right to host the game ‘at home'.
The AbbVie company, recognised as one of the best employers in this region, were quick to get behind the squad and have turned the final into a corporate event, happy to foot the bill for food and ice cream carts at the venue.
It promises to be a real family friendly affair.
So much so that AbbVie and the entire squad are hoping lots of people will turn up on Friday evening to enjoy the corporate hospitality, the atmosphere and the game.
Glenn Young, who manages the AbbVie team, made this appeal to people to come and watch the game and enjoy the treats courtesy of AbbVie: “Obviously our focus will be on the game, but were I not involved in managing the team I would be there too as this promises to be a great event in every way and we will be doing our level best to ensure a ‘home' win, so I would recommend to people that they come along and give us their support,” he told the Weekender.
Young, a former Sligo player (outfield at underage level) and in goals at adult level, is vastly experienced. He played on some of the great St Mary's teams of the mid 80's and many readers will be aware that he is also a former Sligo Rovers goalkeeper and was part of their coaching staff.
“Sport in general, but football, Gaelic or soccer, has been a life-long passion and I have always been involved with inter-firms' teams here at AbbVie where we have more than 1,500 people employed in our north west operations,” he said.
Glenn is quick to recognise Joe Campbell (St Mary's GAA club) and Niall Chambers (Shrule/Glencorrib GAA club) who have been his assistants.
Speaking about the squad he points out that the nature of the competition and the fact that so many of the players work on different shifts means that collective training is not possible. “Despite that there's a great understanding between them on the pitch, and we have some players who have played at a very high level and can adapt to any situation, they are good on their feet in every sense and that helps,” he says.
AbbVie won the Connacht final with a win over Alexion Pharmaceuticals from Athlone.
In their All-Ireland semi-final win over Coláiste na Sceilge from Caherciveen, AbbVie were always ahead, but the game was always competitive, despite the 12-point winning margin. AbbVie led by four points, 2-6 to 0-8 at the break. After 40 minutes the sides were level, 2-7 to 1-10: “Fair enough, we won 4-14 to 0-14, but it was always competitive and the outcome was in the balance, but we finished the game strongly,” Glenn said.
Goals for AbbVie came from Darren McDonnell, Alan Kennedy, Killian Kilkelly and Brian Reape. Underlining the quality of players involved, Micheál Burns, an AllIreland winner with Kerry, scored 1-6 for Coláiste na Sceilge.
The AbbVie team is not short on quality either. They are captained by Declan McDermott from the Kilbride club in Roscommon having played in every Inter-Firms game and competition since AbbVie joined the competition.
Kevin Keane is a former Mayo Footballer who played in an AllIreland final against Donegal in 2012 while Daniel Lyons is a member of the 2024 Sligo senior football panel. Other players with good experience at a high level include Michael Regan, who won an All-Ireland last season with Mayo over 40s.
The final will be played in Kent Park, Ballydoogan tomorrow, Friday evening, at 6pm, their opponents are Biotech firm
Regeneron Limerick who boast 1,400 employees. The
Limerick based firm has a Dublin office, they invent, develop, and commercialise life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases.
The AbbVie panel is as follows: Daniel
Lyons, Shamrock
Gaels, Sligo;
Enda Roche, St
John's, Sligo; Declan
McDermott, Kilbride, Roscommon; Pat Kelly, Westport, Mayo; Darragh Kelly, St Molaise Gaels, Sligo; Kevin Keane, Westport, Mayo; Stephen Corrigan, Louisburg, Mayo; Pat Lynch, Parke, Mayo; Stephen Duffy, Crossmolina, Mayo; Cathal Carolan, Crossmolina, Mayo; David McGovern, St Mary's Sligo; Alan Kennedy, Westport, Mayo; Killian Kilkelly, Westport, Mayo; Darren McDonnell, Ballinrobe, Mayo; Liam Reilly, Curry, Sligo; Michael Regan, Curry, Sligo; Kenneth Keane, Burrishoole, Mayo;
James McKenna,
St Mary's, Sligo; John Cullen, Drumkeerin, Leitrim; Dermot Caffrey, Ballymote, Sligo; Ian Barrett, Easkey, Sligo; Adrian McGann, Shamrock Gales, Sligo; Barry Moran, Castlebar Mitchells, Mayo; Shane O'Grady, Eastern Harps, Sligo; Fiachra Henry, St Michael's, Roscommon; Paul Flynn, Castleconnor, Sligo; Aaron Carey, Bellmullet, Mayo; Brian Reape, Moy Davitts, Mayo; Michael Brady, Westport, Mayo; Shane Gallagher, Westport, Mayo; Sean Corcoran, Parke, Mayo.